{"id":99658,"date":"2025-12-18T13:28:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/99658\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T13:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:28:10","slug":"nonprofit-helping-adults-with-disabilities-get-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/99658\/","title":{"rendered":"Nonprofit helping adults with disabilities get around"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Clenching a broom in one hand and a dust pan in the other, Amber Levine-Mickel furiously sweeps a dirt walkway in Sunnyvale, bending small pebbles, fallen leaves and branches to her will.<\/p>\n

For over an hour, the 31-year-old and her companions from Life Services Alternatives<\/a> (LSA) are braving\u00a0the cold to tidy the grounds of Animal Assisted Happiness, a family-friendly barnyard in the city. Levine-Mickel loves to volunteer there every Thursday morning, even if the tasks can get tiresome.<\/p>\n

\"AmberAmber Levine-Mickel, 31, of Campbell, and other clients from Life Services Alternatives clean as part of their volunteer work at Animal Assisted Happiness in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Mickel is one of the individuals who is thankful for the transportation provided through a small fleet of Life Services Alternatives accessible vans, which is an essential lifeline for the 73 LSA adults who live in their 16 care facilities in Santa Clara County. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luckily, once she finishes she can rest inside a cozy LSA-owned Toyota van parked nearby. Painted white on the outside and styled with black leather seats, LSA staff use the van to drive adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities from one community activity to another.<\/p>\n

Her face breaks out into a wide grin as she climbs into the passenger seat. She\u2019s still smiling as she straps on a seatbelt and waits for the familiar vibrations of the engines turning on, a sign that the LSA crew is ready to embark on their next excursion.<\/p>\n

For Levine-Mickel, who is deaf, visually impaired and has cerebral palsy, riding in the van is the only way she can travel around the South Bay and venture outside of her Campbell group home.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe loves her outings. She loves being in the community,\u201d said Brian Mickel, Amber\u2019s grandfather and conservator.<\/p>\n

Although Levine-Mickel\u2019s enthusiasm for traveling is boundless, the van\u2019s ability to do so isn\u2019t. LSA is hoping to raise $38,900 through Wish Book to purchase a new vehicle, which will be used to shuttle adults to their recreational and volunteer activities on a daily basis. Staff already have their sights set on a discounted 2018 Toyota Sienna from a local dealership.<\/p>\n

LSA serves around 100 adults who have varying needs and abilities. Everyday they make use of the nonprofit\u2019s developmental programs, transportation and housing resources. LSA owns 16 group homes throughout Campbell, San Jose and Santa Clara, where adults can live and form a community with one another.<\/p>\n

The day programs, in which Levine-Mickel takes part, offer life-skills training and volunteer work to boost participants\u2019 self-esteem and independence. Since the adults don\u2019t drive or own a car, they rely on LSA staff to drive them to and from destinations using the van.<\/p>\n

\u201c(The vans) are so important for the day program,\u201d LSA Executive Director Dana Hooper said. \u201cWe\u2019ve hired some amazing support professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DanaDana Hooper, Executive Director for Life Services Alternatives (LSA), in Santa Clara, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. LSA will be using money raised from Wish Book to support their fleet of vans, which is an essential lifeline for the 73 LSA adults who live in their 16 care facilities in Santa Clara County. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

The LSA adults always ride together in groups with the staff. The experience can create memorable bonding opportunities, said Amber\u2019s grandmother, Sally.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe van gives participants here a sense of belonging,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s like a family going off for the day to some outing.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are two dozen vans scattered across LSA\u2019s facilities. Their routes differ every day \u2014 some adults need to attend medical appointments in the morning, go grocery shopping in the afternoon, and meet friends in the evening.<\/p>\n

\"LifeLife Services Alternatives (LSA) clients head home in LSA\u2019s vans after volunteering at Animal Assisted Happiness in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. LSA’s small fleet of vans provides transportation, which is an essential lifeline for the 73 LSA adults who live in their 16 care facilities in Santa Clara County. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Over the years, many of the vans have accumulated thousands of miles and are frequently in and out of maintenance, said Facilities Director Christopher Ramirez. Although the Wish Book funding goes towards purchasing one van, it also will help LSA begin to modernize the fleet, Ramirez said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to get something that\u2019s going to last for a long time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Having a reliable source of transportation is crucial for Ashley Cousino, 29, another participant in LSA\u2019s day programs. The concept of free time is foreign to her because every day she is up and moving, getting a LSA ride from her San Jose home to either her college classes, band practice, job or volunteer work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very important to have transportation,\u201d she said. \u201cHow would we get to our activities if we didn\u2019t have anything to use?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AshleyAshley Cousino, 29, of Santa Clara, cleans a pen as part of her volunteer work at Animal Assisted Happiness in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Cousino is one of the individuals who is thankful for the transportation provided through a small fleet of Life Services Alternatives accessible vans, which is an essential lifeline for the 73 LSA adults who live in their 16 care facilities in Santa Clara County. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

All Cousino has to do is let the LSA staff know beforehand when and where her activities will take place. The van and a driver then make sure to pick her up and drop her off at each location.<\/p>\n

Cousino volunteers multiple times a week locally, and like Levine-Mickel has a special affection for helping with Animal Assisted Happiness on Thursday mornings. She cleans the barn and occasionally makes a fresh salad for the organization\u2019s 17-year-old tortoise Charlie.<\/p>\n

\u201dI don\u2019t like animals very much,\u201d Cousino said, \u201cBut I do like the tortoise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FromFrom left, Ashley Cousino, 29, of Santa Clara, and two other Life Services Alternatives (LSA) clients Minerva and Mariahead home in one of LSA\u2019s vans after volunteering at Animal Assisted Happiness in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Cousino is one of the individuals who is thankful for the transportation provided through a small fleet of Life Services Alternatives accessible vans, which is an essential lifeline for the 73 LSA adults who live in their 16 care facilities in Santa Clara County. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even adults who don\u2019t partake in the day program find the vans crucial. They are most commonly used for group outings, creating socializing opportunities for the LSA community.<\/p>\n

Ross Francisco, 50, can vouch for that. On the same Thursday Levine-Mickel swept in Sunnyvale, Francisco sat outside on the patio of his Santa Clara group home and talked about the van.<\/p>\n

Weekends are usually when Francisco does his group outings. When asked where he and his friends like to go, he answers matter-of-factly: \u201cWe can go to any place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"LifeLife Services Alternatives client Ross Franciscio, 50, talks about the transportation provided through a small fleet of Life Services Alternatives (LSA) accessible vans in Santa Clara, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Franciscio is one of the individuals who is thankful for the transportation, which is an essential lifeline for the 73 LSA adults who live in their 16 care facilities in Santa Clara County. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

ABOUT WISH BOOK
Wish Book is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operated by The Mercury News. Since 1983, Wish Book has been producing series of stories during the holiday season that highlight the wishes of those in need and invite readers to help fulfill them.<\/p>\n

WISH
Donations to Life Services Alternatives<\/a> will help pay for a new van to transport up to 12 who live in the agency\u2019s group homes with reliable daily transportation for several years. Goal: $38,900<\/p>\n

HOW TO GIVE
Donate at wishbook.mercurynews.com\/donate <\/a>or mail in this form.<\/a><\/p>\n

ONLINE EXTRA
Read other Wish Book stories, view photos and video at wishbook.mercurynews.com.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Clenching a broom in one hand and a dust pan in the other, Amber Levine-Mickel furiously sweeps a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":99659,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[42335,54395,840,12994,184,20705,26949,7,8,51811,185,28192,5609,4978,10150,2333,12475,1570,8457,181,971,23,54396,100,5466,14293,2944,182,385,768,88,90,89,198,54397,200,201,203,420,6994,42336,42337],"class_list":{"0":"post-99658","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-jose","8":"tag-all-readers","9":"tag-almaden-valley","10":"tag-alum-rock","11":"tag-alviso","12":"tag-bay-area","13":"tag-berryessa","14":"tag-blossom-valley","15":"tag-california","16":"tag-california-news","17":"tag-cambrian","18":"tag-campbell","19":"tag-coyote-valley","20":"tag-disabilities","21":"tag-downtown-san-jose","22":"tag-east-san-jose","23":"tag-editors-picks","24":"tag-evergreen","25":"tag-health","26":"tag-japantown","27":"tag-latest-headlines","28":"tag-lifestyle","29":"tag-local-news","30":"tag-naglee-park","31":"tag-news","32":"tag-nonprofits","33":"tag-north-san-jose","34":"tag-photos-and-videos","35":"tag-pm-report","36":"tag-regional","37":"tag-rose-garden","38":"tag-san-jose","39":"tag-san-jose-headlines","40":"tag-san-jose-news","41":"tag-santa-clara-county","42":"tag-silver-creek","43":"tag-south-bay","44":"tag-south-san-jose","45":"tag-sunnyvale","46":"tag-things-to-do","47":"tag-west-san-jose","48":"tag-wish-book","49":"tag-wish-book-2025"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99658"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99658\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}