A POWERFUL KINGDOM IN PASADENA WHERE DISABILITIES BECOME SUPER ABILITIES

Around the time of 600-400 B.C., the name Avanti was a powerful Indian kingdom run by Euro-Indians who thrived on diverse commerce and busy trade routes. In today’s Collin’s dictionary, Avanti is defined as “forward! let’s go!”. Both definitions are emblematic of Lutheran Social Services’ long-standing program – Avanti.

Located in the heart of Pasadena, amid all the downtown traffic, Avanti carries a similar vibrancy that captures the heart of anyone who visits.

For over 40 years, the program has provided long-term supportive care for adults and seniors living with intellectual and developmental disabilities by offering Life Enhancement, Community Integration, and Creative Expression activities to best enhance their individual growth and overall quality of life.

This safety haven offers daily access to the music room, art room, computer room, and a quiet room all through a personcentered approach, empowering each participant to identify their need and learn to communicate their choice.

For some, the highlight of the day is being able to use the music classroom and sing into the karaoke machine while others join the symphony through the keyboard and percussion instruments.

From playing the ukulele and the djembe to paper mâché and tie-dye, these all-time favorite activities are aimed at strengthening self-esteem, stimulating learning, calming anxiety, and improving the health and wellness of each of our participants. The completed artworks are displayed around Avanti’s campus and presented to families to highlight their accomplishments.

Many of the families have been participants in the programs for years. They often credit AVANTI with adding long-term stability for their family's ability to caregive.

“Among the five programs I visited in the San Gabriel Valley, I chose Avanti because it is warm and right for Nikki”, a participant's mother shares. “Having ongoing communication with Nikki’s teacher, allowed us to be part of her growth and her wonderful experience at Avanti.”

Avanti takes priority in involving family members in our participants’ growth and process. Participants learn life skills that improve their ability to conduct daily tasks such as grocery shopping, personal accounting, gardening, and daily exercises. Additionally, a key focus of Avanti engages program participants through community service opportunities along with seniors and youth in the community. This intergenerational companionship provides Avanti participants day-to-day interactions that are essential to one’s mental health.

When asking Armine Kim, Avanti’s Program Director, what is most needed in the community, she shares. “We are in need of an updated computer room, as many of our computers are over 10 years old.”

“With new computers, this will increase opportunities for expansion of various career pathways for individuals served and offset the learning gap we currently are experiencing, especially considering the program adapting during the pandemic.”

Serving as one of the only programs in the Pasadena region offering American Sign Language, Avanti not only offers ASL classes to teach participants to communicate with their peers through a second language, it's offered fully remote to accommodate those who are in quarantine or have not returned to our classrooms.

During COVID, Avanti not only improved its service capacity by offering all program activities through Zoom/ distanced learning but also mobilized a fourth program component- Community Education and Advocacy.

Expanding the support circle for each participant, workshops were created for families, local churches, and other community-based stakeholders. The program, still in operation, also offers direct services and emergency COVID-19 safety protocols for each Avanti family. Training topics are tailored to the unique needs of our participants on topics of nuances of care, caretaking fatigue, communication tools, and more.

“I hope one day soon that our amazing participants can safely go back out into the public places they so loved and thrive doing community service projects and having practical job training experiences," says Kim.

“I’m the lucky one who gets to spend each day with these incredibly capable people who have become my family too.”

Community members wishing to learn more about Avanti or how they can help can contact Armine Kim, Avanti Area Director at sgvinfo@LSSSC.org

Readers Engage

The Avanti program launched in this building 4 years before the first National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month was observed in 1987.

The March event was officially created by Congress when it passed Public Law 99 – 483, and authorized the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event. When President Ronald Reagan signed the Presidential proclamation declaring Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month”, he wrote:

“I urge all Americans to join me in according to our fellow citizens with such disabilities both encouragement and the opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”