Lifeworks Services: partnering to make an impact!

Tuesday, February 28th, 2023

Minnesota has many deserving nonprofits making a difference, and at Pope Design Group, we choose our nonprofit partners carefully. We seek effective investments in organizations that break down barriers and change not only individual lives, but systems as well.

Lifeworks Services, Inc. is one of those effective partners. Lifeworks partners with over 3,200 people with disabilities each year to drive change by increasing opportunity and access in the community. Pope is proud to partner with Lifeworks and their vision for accessible, equitable, and diverse communities.

What Lifeworks Does: Lifeworks currently offers the following programs in partnership with the disability community in Minnesota:

• Day Support Services: Personalized support and community engagement that allows opportunities to explore each person’s interests, develop skills, and build community connections.
• Employment: Access to career opportunities based on each person’s interests, leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce in Minnesota.
• Fiscal Services: Helping individuals process services, paperwork, and systems when they direct their own home care and support.
• Resource Navigation: Personalized approach to exploring options when facing a transition such as job change, housing change, or moving from school to adulthood.

Be an Ally: You can support disability inclusion! Help [Organization’s name] break down barriers and ensure that all people are represented by taking the following action steps:

• Include people with disabilities in conversations, meetings, social gatherings.
• Do not lower expectations or make assumptions about competence, character, or happiness based on ability.
• Stay informed on topics impacting people with disabilities (the Lifeworks blog is a good place to learn).
• Share information about disabilities with family and friends.
• Always use person-first language. Emphasize the person, not the disability by using phrases such as “a person with” or “a person who has.”

Pope Design Group cares deeply about breaking down barriers and building a sense of belonging in the communities that we serve. We are proud to support Lifeworks and to champion disability inclusion.

To learn more, visit: lifeworks.org and sign up for the Lifeworks email list!

And, while you’re here, check out photos of Lifeworks’ beautiful new main office.