Pittsburgh, PA (April 18, 2024) — Life’sWork of Western PA is honored to have received a grant from the Phillips Charitable Foundation to support construction projects in its Pittsburgh and Monessen training facilities. Life’sWork of Western PA (Life’sWork) assists youth and adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment to achieve independence and dignity through strengthening workplace abilities, building life skills, and supporting productive employment opportunities. Over its 96-year history, more than 100,000 individuals have utilized the services offered by Life’sWork to achieve employment, independence, and self-sufficiency.
Phillips Charitable Foundation grant funds will be used to construct new real-life, simulated work environments within Life’sWork’s Vocational Skills Development Labs (VSDL) in southwestern Pennsylvania. The VSDL program accelerates and enhances individuals’ successful transition to employment by empowering individuals with disabilities to acquire the job-specific functional skills and self-confidence needed to tackle new employment opportunities in high-demand business and industry settings, such as manufacturing, retail, housekeeping, and restaurant services.
“Support from the Phillips Charitable Foundation is providing essential opportunities for individuals to reach their full potential,” says Life’sWork of Western PA President and Chief Executive Officer Timothy Parks. “The impact of the Phillips Charitable Foundation grant will be life-changing, allowing individuals to access the same opportunities available to others without disabilities. We are deeply appreciative of the Phillips Charitable Foundation’s investment in our mission and its support in improving the quality of life of individuals we serve.”
Life’sWork offers a full spectrum of employment support services to both adults and youth with disabilities and other barriers to employment, including individuals suffering from substance use disorder. Some of the services offered are vocational assessments and/or community-based assessments, client counseling around job-readiness themes (communication, attire, travel, and other topics), skills and interest assessments, job shadowing and work-based learning experiences, as well as access to participate in Vocational Skills Development Labs with the ultimate goal of job placement and ongoing support.
About Life’sWork of Western PA
Life’sWork of Western PA is a nonprofit organization empowering people to live the life they choose. Life’sWork partners with people with disabilities, individuals with other barriers to employment, and young adults to pursue their hopes and dreams through strengthening workplace abilities, building life skills, and developing meaningful relationships.
- Website – lifesworkwpa.org
- Facebook – LifesWorkWPA
- LinkedIn – lifeswork-wpa
- Instagram – @lifesworkwpa
- X – @LifesWorkWPA
About the Phillips Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Founded in 2016, the Phillips Charitable Foundation’s mission is to support organizations that provide necessary change in the lives of vulnerable populations by solving problems and removing obstacles that lead to lasting solutions. Through its grant giving, the Foundation aims to bring dignified living to vulnerable populations. Learn more at phillipsgrants.org.
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