‘New and improved’
LifeWorks prepares to unveil addition ThursdayBy JESSE HELLING, Messenger staff writer
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Fact Box
If you go
What: LifeWorks Community Services open house
When: 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday
Where: LifeWorks Community Services, 1303 A St., off U.S. Highway 169.
Why: To highlight LifeWorks' renovation project, which includes a 3,150-square-foot addition.
For more information: Contact LifeWorks Executive Director Teresa Naughton at 576-2126.
About LifeWorks
LifeWorks Community Services, formerly Iowa Central Industries, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for growth and achievement for persons with disabilities who face barriers to independence and integration in employment and daily living. During fiscal year 2008, which ended June 30, LifeWorks served 243 individuals through such means as providing supported community living, day activities and employment services.
More than three decades stretches the definition of temporary.
LifeWorks Community Services - formerly Iowa Central Industries - made do with "temporary" buildings since occupying its current location at 1303 A St. in 1974.
But those structures are now gone, replaced by a 3,150-square-foot addition to the facility's main building. The construction is part of a renovation slated to be unveiled to the public Thursday.
The new, improved LifeWorks facility is bringing happiness to the agency staff and the people they serve, said Teresa Naughton, LifeWorks executive director.
Most of the new space will be used by LifeWorks' day activities program, which helps disabled people improve life skills.
With the new space, features such as a functioning kitchen have been included.
Barb Jones, who has been served by LifeWorks programs since 1974, said she's looking forward to learning how to use a dishwasher.
"I've always wanted to learn," she said.
Both Jones and fellow LifeWorks client Mary Gormally said they like working on craft projects and going out to eat - two activities designed to help people better integrate into the community, said Day Activities Programmer Jane Hogan.
"We want to be out in the community as much as possible," Hogan said.
With the new day activities area, which will replace a much smaller repurposed conference room, people will have more space to move around, Naughton said.
"Our hope is that we can serve even more people," she said. "A lot of time is currently spent moving materials back and forth."
In fiscal year 2008, which ended June 30, LifeWorks served 243 people, an increase of 31 people from the previous year, according to Naughton.
Renovations to the LifeWorks facility were funded in large part through a $505,000 Community Development Block Grant awarded in March 2006.
In addition to the building addition, the project included reconstruction of parking lots and sidewalks, installation of additional handicapped-accessible bathrooms and a coating system applied to the building's roof.
The main entrance was also relocated to the new addition, which will improve safety, Naughton said.
To highlight LifeWorks' facility upgrades, an open house is scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday.
Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net
