Then & Now: 70 Years of Lifehouse

Celebrating the legacy of Lifehouse and the people we support.

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Danny Holderman

36 years at Lifehouse

Danny is known for his good sense of humor, passion for fitness, and the outdoors. He lives independently in a cottage in Point Reyes, where he loves to take in the coastal breeze, tend to his garden, and take care of his two hens. With the help of his direct support staff, Danny is able to manage his finances, and take weekly grocery trips. Danny is currently recovering from a successful hip surgery, and is more eager than ever to hit the trails and get back on his bike. At 64 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down!

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Greg Gazzano

48 years at Lifehouse

Greg has a charismatic smile and is very social. He and his girlfriend Cathy have lived at the Del Ganado apartments together for 36 years. Greg loves a word search and is a true sports fan. He is always listening to games on the radio and keeps up on the latest stats of his favorite Bay Area teams. Greg also enjoys participating in local sports programs through the San Rafael Lions Club and the Special Olympics. To further his independence, Greg is working on becoming more assertive, and advocating for himself with the help of his direct support staff.

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Johnny Wall

39 years at Lifehouse

Johnny is one of those people that gets recognized just about anywhere he goes. He has a great sense of humor, and is a social butterfly, making him a prominent figure in his community. He has several hobbies that include painting, swimming, yoga, and going to the movies or dinner outings with friends. Johnny is honest and outspoken, which makes him a great self-advocate. With a sharp memory and empathetic nature, he is beloved by his friends and family.

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Julie Burnett

40 years at Lifehouse

Julie is in the Lifehouse Supported Living Program and has been living at the Del Ganado apartments independently for more than two decades. She seems reserved at first, but likes to joke around, and laugh with her friends and support staff. Julie has a creative streak, and likes to spend much of her time weaving. Her handwoven placemats are available for purchase at the Artist Within Gallery in San Anselmo. With the help of her support staff, Julie set a goal to start learning how to bake this summer.

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Doreen Ramirez

36 years at Lifehouse

Doreen is very proud of her independence. She is currently focused on her fitness and is proud of the improvement she has made on her overall health. Her direct support staff help her stay on track by going on daily walks together which she always looks forward to. Doreen enjoys working on art projects and being creative. On occasion she loves to attend social engagements at her local church.

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Meredith Lloyd

46 years at Lifehouse

Meredith’s family history with Lifehouse dates back to 1978 when the Lloyd’s helped establish the ‘Little Schoolhouse’ as one of the first special education programs in Marin County. Fast-forward to 2024, Meredith has lived independently in her own apartment for three years with the help of her direct support staff. She takes great pride in having a place of her own. Her hobbies include drawing, listening to music and dancing. Meredith and her friends love celebrating life events like birthdays, and make plans to get together when they can. Meredith also loves getting out and about in her community, and regularly trying new restaurants with friends.

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prader Willi Program Launch

Diversifying our program offerings to meet the needs of the people we support.

De Lone House is the first Prader Willi Syndrome program in Marin County. This unique program offers a glowing alternative to people with this disability. Historically, individuals with Prader Willi Syndrome have had limited options for support and care, housing issues, day programs due to the need for food security, and a high level of behavioral components including anxiety and OCD. This program allows the individuals supported a true chance at independence and community integration.

Austin and Lesley de Lone of Prader Willi Homes of California (PWHC) asked Lifehouse to collaborate on developing and launching the program in Marin. The vision is for individuals with Prader Willi Syndrome to have an enriched high standard of care. The program offers less restrictions than licensed facilities, and still maintains robust precision of care. People in the program maintain a healthy, balanced life with all of the benefits of a typical supported living program.

Lifehouse worked with BJ Goff, a consulting expert, for 2 years to develop and implement the program. The key components of this new program are 1:1 support staff with extensive ongoing training, consulting behavior support, and food security led by a licensed dietitian. With an emphasis on staying active, the individuals in this program have weekly activities that enrich their lives. They go to the YMCA, train for the Special Olympics, horseback ride, visit the San Francisco Zoo, and volunteer at Guide Dogs for the Blind. The program is overseen by David Washington, Program Manager and Claudia Silva, Director of Operations.

The Prader Willi Program facilitates acceptance, nurtures independence and respect, helping individuals with disabilities find their place in the larger community.

The Lifehouse Effect

A Parent Story: Marc Elias

My son Peter was born in 1979. Although small, he seemed fine until he turned one and had his first asthma attack. Over the next 3 years he was hospitalized with asthma or pneumonia a dozen times. At the age of 4, the asthma stopped and my wife Ann and I were hopeful that he would have a healthy future ahead.

Everything changed when Peter was 5 ½ and started having headaches. He had a CT Scan that revealed a massive brain tumor in his right frontal lobe, so we prepared ourselves for Peter to go into surgery. Half of the tumor was deemed inoperable and the doctor said Peter likely had 5 years to live, with a 2 –10 year window.

We were shattered. Our world changed. It was difficult to simply take one step in front of the other. I felt helpless and felt that if we lost Peter, I would go too.

Every year since then seemed like a milestone, and it was immensely challenging. Five years turned into 10 years, and although developmentally delayed, Peter was a happy boy. It was clear though that he could not take care of himself as an adult.

As a parent of a child with developmental disabilities, finding a place like Lifehouse has been a true blessing. Under the compassionate guidance of Mike Sus and his dedicated staff, Peter has thrived in an environment that fosters independence, growth, and dignity. With the support of Lifehouse, he is active in his community and has a life of his own. This year Peter turned 45 and is thriving. Peter loves his family so much, especially his 2 sisters, his niece, and nephew.

The programs and housing that Lifehouse offers have helped Peter and so many others in our community. I am continually amazed by the unwavering commitment and passion that Nancy Dow Moody, my wife Ann Elias, and the entire Lifehouse team demonstrate in their work. Their dedication to improving the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is truly commendable and has made a significant difference in our family’s lives. The hard work, compassion, and dedication does not go unnoticed, and I am immensely grateful for everything that the organization does for my son and the community as a whole.

A Full Life: Dana & Cindy

“A Full Life” series is an on-going narrative throughout Lifehouse. The goal is to help the community discover the creativity, expression and confidence within each individual that Lifehouse supports.

Cindy and Dana have both been supported by Lifehouse for over 20 years. Fifteen years ago, their love story began in the hallways of a San Anselmo apartment complex that exclusively provides housing for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Since then one of their greatest bonds has been over their mutual love of art. The walls of Dana’s apartment are an ode to both of their artwork, family, friends and their life together. Many of their photos together include the early days of attending the Lifehouse Annual Awards Banquets, trips and cruises, or their time as dancers for the yearly Great Chefs and Wineries performance. The apartment feels warm, inviting, and full of joy.

Cindy and Dana are like many couples, they enjoy weekly date nights and spend holidays together. Cindy even cooks Thanksgiving dinner every year for them. Date nights are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and since Cindy lives in anapartment just the floor below its easy for them to rendevouz. They enjoy playing cards, working on the latest art project set up by their DSP Melissa, or walks around the neighborhood. While Dana is walking a little slower these days, they look for dandelions along the way or count dogs passing by when they take breaks on benches.

Cindy is known for keeping Dana positive. They are playful and tender with one another. Finding true companionship with each other has lead Cindy and Dana to create a quiet but full life together.

A Full Life: Stephanie

“A Full Life” series is an on-going narrative throughout Lifehouse. The goal is to help the community discover the creativity, expression and confidence within each individual that Lifehouse supports.

Stephanie Caires has been supported by Lifehouse for 13 years. Getting her drivers license meant freedom, independence, and feeling like an adult. This mini documentary is filmed and produced by Humans Being Media, following Stephanie as she shares her story of how she has achieved a major life goal and hopes to continue to grow with a little help from Lifehouse.

Legilative Breakfast

Advocating for the vitality of the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the people who support them.

The Legislative Breakfast was held on April 19th in collaboration with the Golden Gate Regional Center (GGRC), the Service Provider Advisory Committee (SPAC), and the AdvoCats. Over 100 people attended and notable figures included, Assemblyman Damon Connolly, Board Supervisor Katie Rice, Aide Zach Koblick de Leon, and San Rafael Council Member, Rachel Kertz. Lifehouse’s very own Director of Operations, Kate O’Connor headed up the coordination of the event, is the Facilitator to SPAC and a member of the GGRC Board-Liaison for SPAC.

The purpose of the Legislative Breakfast was to educate legislators and local officials about the Governor’s budget proposal to delay the much-needed rate increase by a year for intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) providers. The morning was full of inspired speeches from people receiving support services, direct support professionals (DSP), service providers and family members. Each one calling out the glaring disparity between the wage DSPs receive, and the complex work that they do.

Jessica Perez, a Lifehouse DSP gave a stand-out speech touching on the myriad of ways that she supports the people that she works with, the importance of supporting people with I/DD, and the stress and hard work that all too often interferes with continued employment for most DSPs. Despite all of this she shared, “I love my job! How many of us can say that? I say it again, I LOVE MY JOB! I find purpose in the work I do; this work challenges me and allows me to learn something new every day. I know my work is important and that it helps the lives of the most vulnerable in our community.”

In the State of California, the turnover rate for DSPs is around 50% with some agencies having as many as 1 in 8 DSP roles consistently vacant. Current wages do not keep up with the rising cost of living. If the State of California continues to delay the new rate model implementation will hurt not only to people with I/DD but the people who support them.

Strengthening Our Executive Team

Please welcome our new Chief Financial Officer, Brian Morrow!

Brian joined the Lifehouse leadership team earlier this month as the new CFO. He is a licensed CPA in the state of California and brings 10 years of experience in public accounting as an auditor specializing in the governmental and not-for-profit sector with expertise in servicing a wide range of clients from small rural federally qualified health clinics to large state level entities.

After gaining a breadth of knowledge for understanding control structures during his time in public accounting, he moved into the private industry starting out as the CFO & Treasurer at The Reutlinger Community, a Bay Area eldercare facility. In this role Brian worked to bring the accounting and finance process in house and helped to build control structures. After the Reutlinger, Brian found a new challenge in joining the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano as their VP of Finance. In this role he worked to enhance their internal reporting model across departments company wide.

Brian holds both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Masters of Accounting from the University of Arizona. He also sits on the board of directors of Kokoro Assisted Living, a San Francisco elder care facility, and chairs the finance committee.

Brian lives in Castro Valley with his multi-generational family which includes his wife, two young boys and mother-in-law. Brian’s interests include writing, woodworking, and riding his motorcycle.

Human Race

Supporting our North Bay Programs

On Saturday May 4th, Team Lifehouse braved the rain for the Human Race in Santa Rosa to raise funds to support our Sonoma County support services. The team was a combination of Lifehouse leaders, management staff, direct support professionals, and a few people we support. Thank you Lisa, Alisha, Claudia, Euna, John, Leanne, Linda, Matthew, Nick, Peter, Sethi, Tim, and William for showing great spirt and commitment to Lifehouse!