Life Unlimited open new community space, aims to expand programs
ST, JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)-- Life Unlimited celebrated an expansion of the My Day St. Joseph, community based day program, which is designed to provide adults with disabilities with opportunities for skill development, connection and personal growth.
My Day St. Joseph promotes independence, social engagement and community integration for community members across St. Joseph and the surrounding Northwest Missouri region.
Andrea Black, chief program officer, said the goal was to give people in the community more choices and opportunities.
"We have been doing day rehabilitation at Life Unlimited for over 50 years, so we really feel like experts and we have been working hand-in-hand with Progressive, and they have let us know that there is a need in the community,” Black said.
Black said the new building is designed to be a shared community space. In addition to supporting Life Unlimited programs, it will also be available for afternoon clubs and other community gatherings. That community focus, she said, made the expansion especially important.
The My Day Program offers two different paths. One follows a more traditional Monday-through-Friday schedule, while the clubhouse program is geared toward individuals who want to pursue employment opportunities.
“I do believe that supporting people with developmental disabilities, we have the chance to allow them to experience the unlimited possibilities,” Black added.
She explained how the organization spent the past year planning the expansion and is now ready to officially open and begin operations. A few individuals are already set to start in June.
Black said the facility will also serve as a resource for the wider community. After speaking with the Chamber of Commerce, she said they plan to help spread the word about the available meeting spaces.
“When I was talking to the chamber today, she is going to put it out there as a resource for the community to use spaces, so we have two different board rooms and a huge training room which could hold about 25 people,” she said.
She emphasized how this space will benefit the community by giving people a place to come together, meet and connect.
