Life Works: Supported Living Services

09/15/2026

💙 DSP Recognition Week Spotlight: Alex! 💙

Since 2019, Alex has been a true pillar of the Life Works family. Day after day, he shows up with heart, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to our mission. The deep, trusting relationship he has built with the person he supports is a beautiful example of what being a DSP is truly all about. 🤝✨

Alex is more than a DSP—he’s an incredible ambassador for Life Works, embodying our values through everything he does. His compassion, consistency, and genuine dedication make a lasting difference every single day.

We are incredibly grateful to have Alex on our team! 💙

Thank you, Alex, for all that you do and for the difference you make! 🙌

09/14/2026

💙DSP Recognition Week Spotlight: Brittany! 💙

Today, we’re celebrating Brittany and the compassion, dedication, and genuine care she brings to supporting Joaquin. 🌟

Brittany goes far beyond simply completing tasks—she takes the time to truly understand Joaquin, recognize his individual needs, and provide support with patience, attentiveness, and heart. Her commitment to his well-being is evident in everything she does. ❤️

What stands out most is the genuine connection she has built with Joaquin. She advocates for him, supports his goals and needs, and brings compassion to every interaction. That kind of care comes from the heart. 🫶

Brittany, thank you for showing up, stepping up, and making a meaningful difference in Joaquin’s life. We are so grateful for everything you do! 💙

Happy DSP Recognition Week, Brittany! 🎉👏

09/13/2026

💙 DSP Recognition Week Spotlight: Salvador! 💙

Today, we’re giving a special shout-out to Salvador! 👏✨

Salvador is incredibly dedicated to supporting JoJo and has played such an important role in helping him come out of his shell, build confidence, and embrace new opportunities. 🌟

He truly understands the heart of Life Works and what it means to provide meaningful, person-centered support. Through his patience, encouragement, and genuine connection, Salvador helps create an environment where JoJo can grow, explore, and be himself.

We are so lucky to have you on our team, Salvador! 💙

Thank you for everything you do for JoJo and for the difference you make every single day! 👏✨

05/05/2026

🎥Today we are sharing the final film of our 4-Part Series! "Communication: The Key to Being Seen, Valued and Heard."

This final film is an invitation. To slow down, meet people where they are, and to tune into the rhythm of those we partner with. It calls us to deepen our listening and elevate our presence. Connecting, not just through words, but at the levels of the heart. We listen with Open Minds, Open Hearts, and Open Wills. Not all humans communicate in traditional ways, but all humans communicate. If we are truly committed to Person-Centered Planning as a way of life, then cultivating our capacity to listen deeply isn’t optional. It is essential. Let’s lean in together. Let’s unlock the voices waiting to be heard by discovering new ways to listen.

04/23/2026

Continuing our 4-part film series! Tending Our Inner Soil, Growing Compassionate Action 🌱

“The success of an intervention is entirely dependent on the interior condition of the intervener.” — Bill O’Brien

Real change doesn’t just come from what we do—it flows from who we are. This quote continues to ground our work in inclusion and social justice, reminding us that tending to our inner world is essential. When we turn inward and care for our own wellbeing, we strengthen our capacity to show up with love, compassion, and resilience for others.

This film sheds light on the often unseen weight carried by those engaged in this work—burnout, stress, and anxiety—while offering practices to help restore and sustain our reservoirs of resilience. It’s an invitation to get our hands in the soil of our own hearts, cultivating the strength needed to keep going.

Let’s keep doing the inner work.

04/14/2026

We’re excited to share part two of a 4-part film series:
“Person-Centered Planning: A Practice in Generative Listening.”

This video introduces how we bring Person-Centered Planning to life alongside our partners at Life Works—and within our organization every day.

Generative Listening asks more of us. It invites us to move beyond surface-level listening—the kind that simply confirms what we already believe—and go deeper. When we quiet the mind and steady our hearts, we create space for true understanding.

It’s in that space that bridges are built…
Bridges that carry us from where we are today toward an emerging future full of possibility.

Stay tuned for the next film in this series as we continue the journey.

04/09/2026

Earlier in the week, we posted our 4 Short Films illuminating the story of Life Works. Today we'd like to share some still images captured at our Life Works Film Festival on March 12th. See if you can feel and sense the energy in the room that night. Hope. Understanding. Inclusion. Possibility. Love.

04/07/2026

Life Works is hiring! Tell your friends. Your neighbors. Your siblings. Your offspring. Shout it from the top of the mountains down into the valleys. Ok, but seriously, circulate and spread the word. Recruiting good humans looking for purpose-driven work. Perhaps partnering with another human in search of the Beloved Community is just what we need in times like this? Give us a call, or text, or email, or carrier pigeon. We accept all forms of communication and look forward to connecting with you and welcoming you into our Organization!

04/04/2026

On March 12th, 2026, Life Works, in partnership with Filmmaker Aaron Lemle and co-hosted by our newest initiative The Aloka Foundation, celebrated the co-creation and production of four short films, illuminating the story of Life Works. A project starting with a vision and an invitation to Aaron in the Fall of 2024, came to fruition in the filming in Winter of 2025. Now, the release of these stories in 2026! Life Works intentionally operated in the shadows of community for years and years, with the hope of our partners being seen first. While our partners being seen remains a priority, Life Works, the organization, is officially coming out of the intentional shadows. We are committed to sharing stories of "What More Is Possible?" far and wide. We will bang the drum of Inclusion louder. We will shine the light of Possibility brighter. The Aloka Foundation (found on the Life Works website for now) is about shining light on these stories and pathways of possibility. These films are the breakthrough of light, of story, and of possibility in our local community in San Diego, California. And while these stories are local, their resonance spans globally...touching into the hearts of anyone yearning for a little bit of hope and a whole lot of love!! Enjoy the energy in the stills from our Film Festival Celebration and make your way through the films. (you need to click on each link for it to pop up on screen) Spread the love and the stories if you feel so moved!

https://vimeo.com/1180146905

https://vimeo.com/1180148037

https://vimeo.com/1180148744

https://vimeo.com/1180149249

This is "FF-4-Cultivating a Culture of Connectedness" by Josh Johanson on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.