History

Living Independence for Everyone, Inc. started in the home of two women with disabilities. They had a vision of equal rights, equal opportunities and integration into the community for all people with disabilities.

From its beginnings in Chatham County in 1986, Living Independence for Everyone has expanded. LIFE provides aid to 11counties in southeast Georgia from our Savannah office.

In 2019, LIFE Jesup opened to serve an additional nine counties in SE Georgia. A few years later, in January 2023, LIFE moved to Screven. Come see us in our spacious new office at 213 West JL Tyre St., Screven. Our office number remains the same: 912-385-2214.

Through the advocacy efforts of the founders, LIFE was instrumental in bringing about accessible transportation. They also helped get feasible and accessible housing and a home-modification program for all residents with disabilities. This includes providing services in urban and more rural areas.

The foundation of Independent Living is the peer relationship — people with disabilities assisting others with disabilities. As role models, mentors and counselors, peers have personal experience of focusing on what one can do, rather than what one cannot do. Center staff members encourage people to use their skills, talents and abilities to attend school. They can also work, volunteer and fulfill civic duties such as voting or just being a good neighbor.

LIFE is a part of Georgia’s Independent Living Network (GILN) which is comprised of the Statewide Independent Living Council. Likewise, they have nine Centers for Independent Living. Above all, the council’s role is to promote policies and practices that enable independent Living for all Georgians with disabilities. The Centers for Independent Living assist people with all types of disabilities to set and achieve personal goals toward independence. In addition, each of these organizations is governed and staffed by people with disabilities.