Life’sWork Impact Report
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EMPLOYMENT In 2024, Life’sWork established new community opportunities for our clients with Cinderlands and secured an additional opportunity with Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (MEPPI). These exciting new partnerships open more doors for our clients to help them realize their goals for independence and self-sufficiency. MEPPI is continuously exploring new ways to expand, and Cinderlands is among the growing number of organizations in western Pennsylvania that acknowledge the strength our communities derive when individuals facing employment barriers achieve empowerment through work.
ACCREDITATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS
Life’sWork Chief Financial Officer Melissa Leoni achieved a personal and professional milestone in 2024. She earned her Master of Business Administration degree. Melissa’s dedication to both Life’sWork and her professional and educational development are inspirational. We are pleased to share her accomplishment with you along with our congratulations on a dream realized. STAFF The Life’sWork staff only got better in 2024. We are pleased to share that the following personnel were either promoted or added to our staff. They are already making great contributions to our work: • Rebekah Funk, promoted to director of client services • Heather Mauger, hired as a program specialist Along with these two staff changes, Life’sWork hired two additional occupational therapists serving in our new, state-of-the-art Vocational Skills Development Lab for Workforce Development. The Skills Lab has been a great highlight of our year, bringing exceptional, one-of-a-kind services for our clients and increasing their workforce development and life skills.
2024 Accomplishments
SKILLS Our Pittsburgh office has seen great success through utilizing small group settings to provide our clients with job training and work skills development. Small groups lead to more meaningful engagement, stronger bonds between our clients and our staff, and overall improved employment opportunities. Our small groups have seen success in finding and maintaining jobs both in the facility and in the community. It’s one way Life’sWork is ensuring that our clients are able to find meaningful employment that suits their skills and needs while also helping them build connections and develop meaningful relationships along with job skills.
CONFIDENCE Small group settings not only lend themselves to more successful, individualized training, but they also influence the confidence our clients build. When individuals face barriers to employment, whatever those may be, it can be difficult to find and maintain confidence in their abilities to build life and job skills. Individuals who participate in our small group sessions find themselves actively requesting to participate in community jobs, going on community outings, and expressing interest in different work opportunities they may not have pursued otherwise. The confidence our clients gain truly leads to empowerment, meaning our clients not only can pursue their hopes and dreams, but they are also empowered to live the lives they choose.
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