Every Day In Every Way – Online Charidy Fundraiser

Every Day In Every Way, Libenu provides a lifetime of care and support for children, teens, and adults with disabilities, along with their families, empowering them to live with dignity as fully included members of our Jewish community.

Libenu enhances the lives of those with disabilities and enriches the entire community. Each success of inclusion and each stride towards belonging represents a fresh start, a new opportunity to create a world that is more understanding, compassionate, and united. Libenu weaves a fabric of care and community while supporting participants and their families through it all – the highs, the lows, the rough stuff, and the beauty inherent in lives well-lived.

Just as every letter of the Torah is essential to its entirety, every individual, regardless of ability, plays a crucial role in our community. Every Day In Every Way, Libenu creates an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging and is valued – whether they are a resident in our warm, welcoming kosher homes; a participant in our day, overnight and intersession respite programs; or a family member transformed by the work we do. We work to build on these offerings through partnerships for day programming and vocational training; inclusive social and recreational opportunities; and our leadership in community advocacy and education.

For our residents, Libenu means more than home, more than stability, more than community: Libenu represents a lifelong commitment to providing a lifetime of care. We are mindful of the ongoing risks in our community, particularly for the most vulnerable among us. This coming year, with the help of a state grant, we are making comprehensive security updates in all our residences – installing exterior lighting and cameras, fencing, updated entry systems, and alarms. This increased security will improve peace of mind, reassuring families that their loved ones are safe in our care, and that we will take care of them. Every Day In Every Way.

Libenu is the leading provider of robust, life-changing respite services for children and teens with disabilities in our community. Our Lev Respite after-school program reduces caregiver stress and promotes wellbeing, providing participants a safe and loving place to socialize and play, while giving parents and families a much-needed break from the constant demands of caregiving. Respite is the most consistently requested service from caregivers, who are desperate for a reprieve from the non-stop and cascading demands inherent in caring for a loved one with disabilities. Without it, mental and physical health suffer, marriages and families strain. At Lev Respite, children with disabilities and their families can relax and just be themselves as they socialize with Jewish peers. This is the place where you’ll find no pressure for participants to act a certain way, no excruciating moments featuring profuse apologies from exhausted parents – you’ll just see normal, the kind most people take for granted.

Parents can also bring their child to Lev Lilah, Lev Respite’s overnight program, for a Shabbat to alleviate some of the burden of caregiving, knowing their child is receiving love and care while having a great time with their fellow participants. Our newly launched multi-day and overnight Camp Lev respite intersession summer program (this summer to be expanded!) takes this intervention one step further, by responding to the additional and pressing needs of families during the intersession period between the end of summer camps and the beginning of school. And we are continuing to expand services as our community needs it. Every Day In Every Way.

Libenu comes from the Hebrew word meaning “Our Hearts”, our heartfelt commitment to caring for all individuals with disabilities in our community across the lifespan. Over the last few months, our hearts have grown ever more intertwined with our brethren in Israel, including our fellow organizations protecting and providing services to the most vulnerable, and helping to heal those most directly impacted. We continue to stand resolutely with them in complete unity. Kol Yisroel Arevim Zeh L’zeh – all of Israel is responsible for one another, now and always. Every Day In Every Way.

For Libenu, the answer to a challenge is never “No” – it’s “How”. Leading with heart, advancing through innovation, Libenu is here for our participants in all ways, always. It’s what we do. Every Day In Every Way.