Life Works

10/09/2026

The Washington State Legislature has issued a call to action: Bring people together to build a long-term plan that will transform and shape the future of services and supports for people with developmental disabilities.

To do this, our goal is to:

1. Work with people with lived experience and decision makers.
2. Identify how to reduce the need for large institutional care settings.
3. Make community-based services easier to find and use.
4. Improve service access and opportunity.
5. Find out what is needed to strengthen services, supports, and the workforce.

Let them know what you think! Click the link below to give your opinion!

https://www.dshs.wa.gov/disability-services-and-support/developmental-disabilities-services/path-forward?fbclid=IwY2xjawU12aVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWJyaWQRMUFRYzRIUkd4SERpMWhTNHJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeLvEGbceskY6Maa5udq5Ew8_MDcbDLtBsd113LsIQA0_pkd-OzDLJeZqxROM_aem_7FNmq78c9ITcMEhSfebHxg

Find help with food, cash, and housing. Browse trusted services, learn what’s available, and take the next step toward the support you need.

10/08/2026

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

10/07/2026

Nathan Newman and Papa Murphy's Pizza is one of our biggest supporter of Life Works Vocational services!

10/06/2026

We are already planning for the 2027 Together We Can Conference! Thank you to our sponsors Bud Clary Subaru of Longview, Parent to Parent of Washington and Cowlitz County Health & Human Services for their continued support.

If you would like to take part in this event or sponsor this, message us or give us a call!

10/06/2026

October is National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month! This is a great video about the importance of opportunities and inclusion!

Businesses and other employers have much to gain by diversifying th...

10/05/2026

This donation was made for the Farm Dog Bakery program. We cannot thank you enough!

10/05/2026

We are celebrating this October!

10/03/2026

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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month ( )!

This month is a chance to recognize and celebrate the many contributions people with disabilities bring to the workplace and to raise awareness about the importance of inclusive employment opportunities.

We’re proud to recognize NDEAM and the value, talent, and contributions of workers with disabilities in our communities.

Want to learn more? Check out the U.S. Department of Labor’s NDEAM resources:
https://beta.dol.gov/programs-initiatives/ndeam

For local resources and information about developmental disabilities services in Cowlitz County, visit: https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/DD

10/02/2026

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October is National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month! This is an AWESOME video!

𝗕𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻!
When businesses hire people with disabilities, everyone benefits—skills grow, workplaces thrive, and communities get stronger.

💼 Watch the short 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 video to see how one inclusive hire leads to another:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKku4RAWa4M

Interested in making it happen here? Contact 𝗦𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘅𝘁𝗼𝗻 (Cowlitz County Health & Human Services) for more information at [email protected].



Life Works The Arc of Cowlitz County Employers Overload Longview Goodwill of Olympics and Rainier Region Compass Career Solutions A Dungarvin Company

10/01/2026

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Some very interesting info from the Arc of Washington State!

In 1978, the General Telephone Company of the Northwest (GTNW) made a public commitment to serve citizens with development disabilities. They created a partnership with The Arc of Snohomish County and even traded board leaders between the two organizations.

GTNW produced a ten-page paperzine to share the stories of people with IDD and promote the work they were doing alongside The Arc. The articles below feature a company in Lynwood that operated what was called a ‘sheltered workshop’. As a result of the parent movement that became The Arc relentlessly educating the wider public about the capabilities of people with IDD, Washington state started providing funding for these workshops to pay people with IDD to perform jobs back in the 1950s.

The articles below give a glimpse into the changing attitudes and perceptions of people with IDD. In the same decade, Washington passed the Education for All act that would become the precursor to the national IDEA law.

These historical artifacts are being shared as part of The Arc of Washington State’s ongoing celebration of the organization’s 90th anniversary in 2026 and were originally curated and collected by former board member Larry Jones. Many of these artifacts use outdated and sometimes harmful language in reference to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They should only be considered as representative of a moment in history and not as a recommendation for language to be used today.