Latest news with #HomeisWheretheHeartIs
Associated Press
21-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Bay Area Nonprofit Marks 23 Years of Serving the I/DD Community with Expansion into Morgan Hill
For over 20 years, LSA has proudly served the I/DD community in Santa Clara County—growing stronger and more connected every year CAMPBELL, CA, UNITED STATES, April 21, 2025 / / -- Life Services Alternatives (LSA), a nonprofit dedicated to providing exceptional care to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is celebrating over two decades of service in Santa Clara County. Founded 23 years ago by a group of determined parents seeking community-based living options for their children, LSA has since built a network of warm, non-institutional homes where community members can live life on their own terms. Since opening its first three homes in 2004, LSA has steadily expanded to meet the growing need for high-quality, community-based housing. In 2013, it further extended its support by launching the Community Integration Training Program, which empowers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to gain greater independence through life and work skills. In recent years, LSA has remained committed to its goal of opening one new home per year, even in the face of pandemic-related disruptions. In 2020, the organization opened two homes—including its first in Morgan Hill—and in 2021, it added a culturally inclusive home that honors Jewish traditions. Now, in 2025, LSA is proud to celebrate a major milestone: the official opening of its 16th home, located once again in Morgan Hill. This brand-new home is now ready to welcome new community members, expanding access to safe, accessible housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the South Bay. While many residential care homes across California have closed due to staffing shortages and underfunding, LSA has remained steadfast in its mission. 'We mark 23 years of service, our commitment to creating lifelong homes for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities has never been stronger, ' said Dana Hooper, Executive Director of Life Services Alternatives. 'This milestone reflects the incredible dedication of our team and the unwavering support of our community- together, we're creating more than homes; we're changing lives.' To commemorate its growth and community impact, LSA will host its annual fundraiser, Home is Where the Heart Is, on May 3rd, 2025, at the Campbell Community Center from 4 to 7 PM. The celebration will feature performances by American Idol finalist James Durbin, comedian Regina Stoops, and The Dream Achievers Band. To register for the event, visit LSA's 2025 Home is Where the Heart Is event is made possible thanks to the generous support of sponsors, including The Allison Lee Condit Foundation, Tina and Walter Underwood, Bob and Renee Marshalla, Jill and Christopher Escher, Val and Carolyn Dixon, Bill Gianni, and Saratoga Springs. About Life Services Alternatives Life Services Alternatives (LSA) was founded by parents who had a dream of establishing homes for their adult children with developmental disabilities. In 2002, LSA began a journey to establish quality homes and nurturing services so that adults with developmental disabilities, including those with enduring medical needs, could receive lifelong support while living in their community. LSA believes all people with developmental disabilities have the right to live life to the fullest in our community. Twenty-four hours a day, we care for and support adults in neighborhood homes in Santa Clara County. Through personalized programs focused on skill-building, we make a difference in the quality of our residents' lives, enabling them to reach their true potential. ### For media inquiries, contact Hadiyah Fain at [email protected] or 408-791-2584 ext. 1015 Hadiyah Fain Life Services Alternatives +1 415-613-0936 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Forbes
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Hallmark Tackles Personal Renovations In New Series ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is'
When Luke Macfarlane walks into a home, any home, even those of his friends, he immediately begins to assess the construction and décor. 'Anybody who knows me knows that when I come in I will immediately want to know, like, 'oh, how are these made? And what's this? Who helped you with this',' says Macfarlane His inquisitiveness comes from a genuine love of construction and furnishings. 'I can speak a lot about design and woodworking, because those are things that I'm really interested in.' Now, Macfarlane gets to use his knowledge, and passion, in the new series Home is Where the Heart Is. In Hallmark's first entry into the renovation genre, Macfarlane and designer Olivia Westbrooks take viewers inside homes that are overdue for a facelift and then proceed to use their talents to update the residence while still keeping the history and uniqueness of the home intact. Most of Macfarlane's work has been as an actor, appearing in numerous Hallmark films, so switching to a reality series presents a new challenge for him. 'I mean, acting is really about responding to what's in front of you, so in that way acting is very similar to what it's like to be a human being. That being said, I remember our first day when we were meeting a family for the first time. We walked up to their house and I definitely remember when the doors opened and I was like, 'Oh, these are real people.'' Macfarlane says that once everyone got used to the equipment, 'The most important thing is it's just a conversation with somebody. And I was amazed at how quickly all our homeowners eventually came around to, 'oh, let's just look at each other.' They all became very comfortable.' Before ever even raising a hammer or painting a wall, Westbrooks says that she and Macfarlane were guided in their choices by, 'leaning into the stories of the families.' 'We asked them about the history of the home and said, 'tell us about your fondest memories, what did you love about growing up in this house' and the things that,' she explains. She adds that the hardest part for the duo was, 'deciding what do we touch and what don't we touch. I know how to modernize a space, make it look fresh and new, but this was different because we wanted to honor and respect the house and the memories of the people who live there.' 'I think some people have this idea that design is about going into a space and telling people what it is that they need,' says Macfarlane 'But this it's less about that, and more about figuring out together the way the space is going to make them feel the most comfortable.' However, Westbrooks admits that this doesn't mean that she and Macfarlane were always in agreement right away. 'Yeah, there was a lot of give and take. With us, he's the woodworker, I'm the designer. He doesn't want to paint something and I do. And it's the same with deciding what to keep and what not to keep. You know, it's all a compromise, but in a good way. We would come to a happy resolution.' The pair realize that there is a multitude of home renovation shows on the air but say Home is Where the Heart Is is different for several reasons. 'I feel like with this, the stakes are different,' says Macfarlane explaining, 'A lot of home design shows are driven by the concepts that, 'we're running out of time, we're running out of money,' and we are not driven by that. We're driven by the thought, 'Is what we're doing going to serve this family and tell their story'?' And, I think that what's unique here is that we spend just as much time with the family as we do at the house.' Westbrooks says that, 'From a design perspective, I mean, let's be honest, not everybody has the budget or the desire to do a full gut renovation.. A lot of people are in situations where it's like, 'this is my house. I can't move walls. I can't move plumbing. But what can I do to update my house right now within the footprint that we have?'' In light of this, Westbrooks says that what viewers will see is, 'a lot of really big transformations just using paint, wall coverings, and decor.' With every renovation, what Macfarlane and Westbrooks are hopefully doing, she says is, 'We want to inspire people to reflect on their own family history and their own life story in their homes. On our show, we ask, 'Who are you? Where do you come from? What's important to you?' Then we figure out how to make that the sole focus of your space. I just don't think a lot of other shows have that kind of soul.' 'Home is Where the Heart Is' is streaming now on Hallmark+
