Last year we celebrated 50 years of commitment to the disability community and enjoyed looking though the memories that made us who we are today. This year’s focus is the importance of advocacy for disability services and the people we serve, and those who care for them in our homes. We will showcase what makes Living Well special and separates us from other providers.
Many of the individuals we serve require intensive assistance with complex and challenging daily living needs. Sponsorships, auctions, and donations go toward life-transforming programs and services, staffing, and building the foundation for years of care. Your generosity empowers the 300 people we support to live with opportunity, choice, and dignity.
Our gala has two main goals, to raise money and to build awareness. Well, three—to have fun, too! We are super excited to gather at The Depot, but please know that watching online is an easy way to support us as well. Money donated on Friday will have a direct impact on our ability to meet our mission and will provide access to experiences and wellbeing programming. The funding Living Well receives from the government simply helps our people survive, but not thrive! To provide them with exceptional services and experiences, we rely on support from people like you.
Many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have a thinner margin of health. People who live in Living Well homes receive nursing services, nutritional support, occupational therapy, assistive technology, communication devices and so much more. We believe that everyone deserves a home filled with care, support, and love. The people who call Living Well home or use our services in their own homes deserve the same. To have lives so full and so rich so they can live as independently as possible and be fully engaged in community.
Financial support at our gala and throughout the year is a direct way to impact the quality of life of the people we serve impacted by disabilities and the people who make exceptional care possible. And advocacy helps us hire and train the best and provide exceptional services for people living with disabilities while easing their families’ minds.
Our Transforming Lives Gala program will premiere a documentary style video featuring one of our 36 houses, our Southcrest home in Edina. It beautifully showcases what life in a group home can look like when there are quality staff and services available. We are so excited to share it and will post a link after the event.
Mike and Tina Douglas, Chairs for the 2024 Gala, at the 2022 Gala with their family.
After months of planning and advocacy, we are almost at the finish line. We have several ways to help us reach our goal of $400K. Every dollar counts and is appreciated. Take a look at the ways you can support us:
Register online to watch the livestreamed portion of the event. Click back on Friday and watch the event live. After Friday the video will be uploaded and available for viewing for months to come.
Bid on auction items. This year we have silent auction items with values from $30 to $640. With a minimum bid of $15 you can start the bidding on a $30 gift card to Edina Creamery. And with a minimum bid of $320 you can get things going on 4 tickets to a Packers Preseason game at Lambeau Field. There is something for everyone. Not a Packer Fan, no worries, there are plenty of Minnesota sporty items on the silent auction!
Donate. If you are simply in the mood to give, go on the site and hit any dollar amount on our fund a need. We have a big lift this year, with the staffing crisis lingering, and living expenses still affecting the budget. Each and every dollar counts. Scroll to the bottom for various amounts.
Read. Sign up to be on our mailing list and encourage your friends to do the same. Maybe this isn’t the year to donate, but you are still interested in helping us with advocacy. You will get weekly blogs sent to you, and you will be able to keep up to date on what is happening at Living Well as we look forward to the future.
A huge thank you to our Transforming Lives sponsors: Access Lifts, In., Lisa Adelmann, Bituminous Roadways, Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield Of MN, The Brew Crew, Miles J. Cohen & Cheri Durda Cohen, George & Margaret Crolick, Tony & Lisa DeRose, Margaret Eck, Eide Bailly, First Bank & Trust; Forever Pets, Inc., Kevin & Julie Fossum, Fuss Marketing, Geritom Medical, Graystone Consulting from Morgan Stanley, Herve & Veronique Gindre, Tom & Jean Heinsen, Horton Holding Inc,, Hughes Family, J. Zac Inc., Joseph Durda Foundation, Dawn & Paul Kessler, Kingwood Management, KLN Family Brands, Lovevery, Frances & Michael McCloskey, Mercer, Michael Morrow & Katherine MacKinnon, MidWestOne Bank, Minnesota Vikings Football Club, Mutual Of America, Karen & Galen Pate, Pate Bonding, Inc., Bill Perpich, Leslie & Kevin Pleasant, Steve Polski, Sydney Polski, R&M Clark Family Foundation, Jodi Roberts, Beth Ryan, Teri & Steve Velner, Walser Subaru – Saint Paul, and JoAnne Zoff.