8 THE QUEENS COURIER • MAY 13, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Life’s WORC opens residential home in Rosedale
BY GABRIELE HOLTERMANN
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th e Family Center for Autism, a program
by nonprofi t Life’s WORC, celebrated
the completion of its 44th residential
home in Rosedale with a ribbon-cutting
ceremony on April 30, three days aft er the
organization marked its 50th anniversary.
Life’s WORC was founded by Victoria
Schneps-Yunis, president of Schneps
Media, to provide residential services for
adults with intellectual disabilities and
autism, and off ers a variety of services and
programs to about 2,000 people.
Six autistic women in their 20s, some
coming from a diff erent residential facilities
and others leaving their families’
homes for the fi rst time, will call the beautiful
corner lot house home.
Bayla Blackstock, 20, who loves to cook
and has a passion for Japanese culture,
feels relieved to be in the new home.
Her mom Minzy added that she also feels
relieved because she’s “safe and cared for.”
Steve and Jennifer Lapidus were thrilled
that their daughter, 23-year-old Sophie,
was a resident.
“We’ve been waiting for this for a long
time, and she seems to be settling in really
well,” Jennifer Lapidus said.
Th e spacious house with a large, inviting
backyard features two separate apartments
with three bedrooms, allowing the
organization to provide more attention to
the young women starting into adulthood.
Janet Koch, Life’s WORC chief executive
offi cer, noted that the organization
celebrated its 50th anniversary because
of Schneps’ dedication and tremendous
advocacy.
Koch welcomed the young women to
their new home and acknowledged that
the move was a major transition, especially
for the families.
“You hopefully will see great things,”
she said. “Th at’s typically what we do see
happen in our Life’s WORC homes.”
Koch explained that Life’s WORC
is opening their 45th residence in
May and has been approved for
fi ve more — making it a total
of 50, in time for the 50th
anniversary.
John Pfeifer, assistant executive director
of Residential Services, has been a member
of the Life’s WORC team for over 20 years.
He explained that the organization
starts with a screening
process to make
sure that the
future roommates
complement
each other and
assists them with
a smooth transition
to their new residence.
“ T h a t ’ s
sometimes
Photos by Gabriele Holtermann
diffi cult to the very nature of disability,
but that’s one of the things that we do
very well at Life’s WORC,” Pfeifer said.
“We want to be all-inclusive, but we also
have to put a group of people together
that we feel will grow together, long into
the future.”
Pfeiff er refl ected on his 20 years working
for Life’s WORC.
“I can remember people that moved in,
in my fi rst year and how much they’ve
grown,” Pfeiff er said. “People
have gotten jobs, people
have become very
active in their community,
people have
become self-advocates
and outspoken.”
He also said
some of the
long-term residents
have
even become
friends.
“Th ey’re a
part of my life,
they know my
family, and I
know their family,”
Pfeiff er said. “So it’s
a beautiful thing.”
Life’s WORC’s staff and residents celebrate the opening of a new home with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Steve and Jennifer Lapidus with their daughter Sophie, who is a Life’s WORC
resident.
A representative of
Assembly member Alicia
Hynd man’s offi ce presents
Janet Koch with a
Certifi cate of Merit.
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