Standing Strong

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are central to the Lifehouse mission. As a caregiving organization supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), we believe true inclusion means creating a community where everyone—those we serve, our staff, and our partners—feels valued, respected, and empowered.

At Lifehouse, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) make our workplace stronger and more supportive for everyone:

• Diversity includes everyone from all backgrounds

• Equity ensures that everyone has the opportunity to grow and succeed

• Inclusion helps everyone feel like they belong

We draw strength from the incredible diversity of our team. Every day, our staff brings a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to their work. Maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment is essential to delivering the high-quality, person-centered care that defines Lifehouse.

While national conversations around DEI continue to shift, our commitment remains unwavering. We know that a strong culture of inclusion directly enhances the care we provide and strengthens the communities we serve.

As part of this commitment, we’re proud to launch a new DEI training program for all employees. Held monthly via Zoom, each session features interactive activities and breakout groups designed to foster meaningful dialogue and support inclusive practices across our organization.

This training is especially meaningful because it was custom-designed for Lifehouse. Developed by David Escobar, Director of Training & Quality Assurance, in collaboration with the Lifehouse DEI Workgroup, it reflects the real-world experiences and challenges of caregiving in the I/DD community.

Our DEI Workgroup, which meets monthly, plays a vital role in advancing inclusion throughout Lifehouse. This dedicated team helps guide initiatives and ensures DEI remains woven into our daily practices and long-term strategy.

Thank you to our community and donors for supporting this work. Together, we are making inclusion not just a value, but a reality we live, for every person we are privileged to support.

Check out the full edition

of our Spring Newsletter!

A Night to Remember: Great Chefs & Wineries 2025

We are still beaming from the incredible energy of Great Chefs and Wineries 2025, and we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this unforgettable evening possible. It was truly an honor to celebrate Lifehouse’s mission alongside such a compassionate and generous community.

This year’s event was more than a gathering—it was a powerful testament to what we can achieve together. With your support, Lifehouse can continue to provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to live full, independent lives right here in our community.

We are especially grateful to the outstanding chefs, wineries, and businesses who lent their talent and heart to this celebration. A special thank you to the participating partners below who made the evening shine.

Each bite, sip, and smile shared at the event was a reflection of your commitment to inclusion, compassion, and community. From start to finish, the night was an overwhelming success.

Mark your calendars: Great Chefs and Wineries 2026 will take place on April 25, 2026. We can’t wait to celebrate with you once again!

Wineries

Restaurants

Beverage Partners

Dessert Bar

Upholding the Promise: Community Unites for Disability Rights and Funding

On Friday, April 11th in Novato, community advocates, public officials, and passionate families came together for a powerful meeting centered on one urgent message: Keep the promise of quality services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Our community gathered to stand up for the rights and futures of people with I/DD, and keep the important principles of the Lanterman Act intact. The message was clear: California must honor its promise to this community, and it starts with quality care, adequate funding, and the continued commitment of our elected leaders.

Quality Care Starts with Investment

Advocates emphasized the vital need for adequate funding to ensure a skilled and consistent workforce that can provide the support individuals with I/DD need to live independently and have the opportunity to lead full lives. When we invest in quality care, we’re not just meeting a legal obligation, we are upholding human dignity.

Upholding California’s Promise

The Lanterman Act guarantees access to essential services and supports for Californians with I/DD, but as funding uncertainty looms, so does the potential rollback of hard-won rights. One of the greatest shared sentiments of parents with a child with I/DD can be quoted by Lifehouse parent, Martin Weil, “Who will care when we are gone?” This is not just about budgets, it’s about people, families, and futures.

Investing in Our Shared Future

Supporting service providers doesn’t just benefit those directly receiving care, it strengthens the very fabric of our communities. Families can thrive. Individuals can work, live, and contribute more fully. A well-supported disability services system uplifts everyone.

A Strong Showing of Support from Elected Officials

We were honored by the presence of committed leaders, including:

• Congress Member Jared Huffman

• Assembly Member Damon Connolly

• Novato Mayor Tim O'Connor

• Novato Council Members Mark Milberg and Kevin Jacobs

• San Rafael Council Member Rachel Kertz

Congressman Huffman offered a transparent and detailed update on the federal budget and the looming challenges around Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California). He didn’t shy away from the tough news, highlighting that there are Republican holdouts ignoring pleas from constituents worried about the future of Medi-Cal. His advice? Keep speaking out. Share your stories. Encourage friends and family in those districts to contact their representatives.

Assemblymember Connolly, alongside Huffman, showed genuine care and dedication to the I/DD community. Their presence—and their candor—was deeply appreciated. They reminded us that disability rights are not a partisan issue. This is about dignity, access, and equality. Values we all share.

The Path Forward

This meeting was more than a discussion—it was a call to action. If we want California to fulfill its promises, we must:

• Contact our representatives and make our voices heard.

• Share real-life stories of how funding and services impact daily lives

• Encourage others in our networks to get involved

• Demand transparency and accountability as budget decisions unfold

Together, We Make the Difference

Every voice counts. Every story matters. With our collective strength and the support of leaders who truly care, we can ensure California delivers on its promise to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Because your decision matters—and so does theirs.

Happy Holidays

On December 9th, we hosted our holiday party at the San Rafael Community Center, bringing together the people we support, their dedicated staff, board members, and volunteers. This festive occasion marked the first in-person holiday gathering since 2019, making it all the more special.

The event is a favorite for many, with a palpable sense of joy and excitement filling the room. One of the highlights was the unforgettable Santa rap performance, which had everyone laughing and clapping along. Guests also enjoyed a delicious meal from ‘The Pasta King,’ while the irresistible scent of freshly baked cookies and popcorn filled the air—both were loved by all in attendance!

Volunteer photographers Peter Merts and Janet Franklin captured the night’s joyful moments, while DJ Juice kept the good vibes going with great tunes, inspiring guests to hit the dance floor. Caroling led by Kate O’Connor brought a classic touch of holiday cheer.

This event was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season, and we are truly grateful for the warmth and spirit of this amazing community. Here's to many more celebrations to come!

2024 Annual Awards Banquet

Photos by Peter Merts & Janet Franklin

Intermediate Care Facilities

Ensuring a lifetime of compassionate support.

Stonehaven House

The Lifehouse Intermediate Care Facilities/ Developmentally Disabled Habilitative (ICF/ DDH) offer intensive support to individuals who may need medical, physical, or occupational therapies, ensuring that the most vulnerable people with developmental and intellectual disabilities (I/DD) are cared for and have the opportunity for joy in their daily lives.

Supporting individuals in the ICF program is particularly complex since many of the clients are non-verbal and/or wheelchair bound. Many of the Direct Support Professionals (DSP) in our ICF program have been with Lifehouse for 10-20 years. The bond that they have with the people they support is often like that of an extended family. This helps them successfully support their client’s overall mood, well-being, and enables them to provide the very best level of care. This is often difficult to discover from someone who is non-verbal, and possibly the most challenging part of supporting people in the ICF program. Being quick on ones feet, having patience, and understanding what the individual needs can often be lifesaving for these vulnerable individuals.

Anne Aguilar, the Qualified Intellecual Disabilities Professional (QIDP) Administrator of the ICF program says, “Everyone should be treated equally and have access to what they need to lead a life with dignity and opportunity. The best way I can advocate for that is working directly with the people in our community that need our help the most. It is not always easy, but the like-minded and truly dedicated people that I work with keep that inspiration alive.” Everyone in the ICF program continuously works to maintain vibrancy and harmony in their houses. The staff and the individuals supported are learning, growing together, and play an essential role in each other’s lives.

Nova House

Thank you for your service, Eileen!

Eileen Kilgariff was introduced to Lifehouse as a guest of the Marin IJ at Great Chefs & Wineries over 21 years ago, and was struck by the Lifehouse mission and the people we support. She knew that there was something remarkable about the organization and she wanted do what she could to help lift it up.

It wasn’t long before Eileen was heading up the Steering Committee as the Chair and realized that she needed to bring in her cousin Erin Loftus-Sweetland to create an award-wining experience for this special community of people. Eileen and Erin have now been Chairing the Great Chefs & Wineries event together for six years. They have brought a powerful energy and approach to inspire the care, love and creativity needed from the committee to make the event better and better every year.

We raised over $800,000 at Great Chefs & Wineries in 2024. Our best year yet!

Thank you, Eileen!

Eileen will be hanging up her co-chair hat this year to spend more time with her growing family. Her third grandson was born this summer and she is excited to focus on being a grandmother. We will miss her leadership, but Eileen plans to continue supporting Lifehouse and the Steering Committee in her free time.

reclife

The Funding and Expansion of our Recreation Program

For 15 years, RecLife has been a recreation program for teens and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The mission of RecLife is to promote social inclusion, independence, and overall well-being for individuals with I/DD. The program provides a supportive and inclusive environment with opportunities for participants to engage actively, integrate into their community, develop skills, and foster meaningful connections.

Prior to 2024, RecLife did not receive funding that was fully able to support the program, requiring Lifehouse to carry the additional cost year after year. We are thrilled to announce that this July, the Lindskog Foundation awarded us a $62,560 grant to help fund the RecLife program.

When the pandemic started in 2020, the program faced the challenge of having to pause in-person activities. Despite these obstacles, our Activities Coordinator, Mari Araujo, demonstrated determination and creativity by transitioning to on-line gatherings. Through a variety of activities such as karaoke, line dancing, bingo, and virtual bowling, the participants were able to connect with their friends amidst widespread isolation.

As pandemic restrictions eased, RecLife programs resumed in-person activities, including trips to the bowling alley, visits to the farmer’s market, dinner outings, excursions to Scandia Family Fun Center, and volunteering at the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Seasonal activities such as attending the Marin County Fair and visiting the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch also resumed. “The bonds that are formed in these festive social gatherings are so beneficial to the people we support. It feels amazing to create access and opportunity for those young individuals to blossom”says Mari Araujo, Activities Coordinator.

The program is making it’s mark in the community. On several occasions, patrons at restaurants have offered to pay for the group’s meals, moved by the touching nature of the event and wanting to show their support for their local community members.

RecLife group at a bowling outing!

For Questions or to Apply Please Contact:

Mike Sus

Program Manager

msus@lifehouseagency.org

Mari and a RecLife participant