MISSION
To provide innovative, customized life supports to people on the journey towards their best life.
Rhode Island DD Council collaborates with Best Life RI and STARFIRE
Storytelling
Family Leadership Project 2.0
We are excited to announce Best Life RI and Starfire will be hosting our Family Leadership Project 2.0 for 2025. Join our free virtual monthly learning series, where families, employees, community members and people supported come together to explore inspiring stories, lessons, and practical wisdom shared by families of children with disabilities.
This series offers a unique opportunity to:
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Connect with others in a supportive and engaging environment.
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Gain new insights and tools for building stronger, more inclusive communities.
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Celebrate the invaluable contributions and experiences of families.
Kick Off: February 3rd, 6-7pm
We would love for you to join us and be part of these important conversations. Your presence will enrich the experience for everyone as we learn and grow together.
Register today to secure your spot: Click to register
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“What’s Next?” Starfire Leaders Ask Participants Energized to Respond with “Joyful Disruption”
Pawtucket-based Shri Yoga Studio, the social enterprise delivering skilled yoga classes open to the public, together with outreach programs & healing arts, hosted the interactive work session of four storytellers committed to building better lives. Invitations to this get together were capped at approximately 30 attendees, hopefully among those to be the next innovators and leaders to continue the efforts of forming more inclusive communities, services and lives for individuals with disabilities.
Together, Tim Vogt, STARFIRE Learning Network Director, Carol Combs, the Family Network Coordinator, and Nithya Narayan, the RI Family Mentor worked with Ken Renaud, RI founder of IN2U Relationships in RI to lead the storytelling and workshop session.
Cincinnati-based Starfire, the groundbreaking organization empowering leaders to build community and inclusion alongside people with developmental disabilities, led a lively workshop Friday in the bright, open SHRI Inclusive yoga studio. What began with the Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council (RIDDC) underwriting a RI Family Leadership Network in collaboration with Best Life RI has since planted roots destined to create flourishing new communities.
“Stories from the Future” Builds Community and Better Lives, One Family at a Time”
Our Services
From the very start of their engagement with BLRI and throughout their entire journey, individuals receiving support will have their needs, preferences, and aspirations given the utmost priority. Each supported person will be empowered to select an Advisor and determine the specific services they wish to access. This approach has the potential to significantly transform the service experience, ultimately leading to positive impacts on life outcomes.
We will provide a range of Advisory Services, including but not limited to: aiding in staff recruitment, facilitating independent support coordination, support brokerage, promoting community integration, exploring employment opportunities, fostering network development, exploring housing options, and enhancing self-determination, advocacy, and life skills.
Our Foundation
A core piece of BLRI’s foundational viewpoint is the Five Valued Experiences model, created by John O’Brien and Connie Lyle-O’Brien, which emphasizes the importance of belonging, being respected, sharing ordinary places, contributing, and choosing as necessary, components of a self-determined and fulfilling life. BLRI will support Rhode Islanders with individualized life services, including support for housing options, employment, daily life skills, financial planning, community integration, relationship building, and family support for future planning. Supported people meet with a Best Life RI representative and provide information about their interests and goals; they then interview BLRI Advisors that have expertise in their priority areas. Supported people will be able to include allies of their choosing in this interview process, and either individually or with support from their chosen team will then determine who will be the best fit in helping them to achieve their goals.
OUR
STORY
The inception of Best Life RI began a few years back when I encountered families and people with distinctly unique visions for their futures. This prompted a critical question: "How can we reimagine this?" To seek answers, I embarked on a series of enlightening journeys, spanning Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, and Connecticut. During these travels, I engaged with numerous dedicated leaders and self-advocates who had committed years to forging alternative pathways for people to lead lives of their own choosing.
Following extensive research and learning, it was time to transition from knowledge seeking to actionable steps. Along this journey, I discovered a kindred spirit who shared my vision, and we joined forces with Best Life RI in a meaningful partnership. While we possessed a clear vision for our mission, vision, values, and services, the challenge lay in articulating it effectively so that others could grasp our vision. Over the past year, we have collaboratively refined and given form to our vision, thereby allowing us to offer services tailored to how people envision their ideal lives.
Susan & Sherri
"Thanks to Best Life RI, our son has finally been able to access the services and resources he needs to live a more independent life. Susan has taken the time to understand his unique needs and preferences, and worked with us to develop a personalized plan that meets his goals. We are immensely grateful for the support and guidance provided by Best Life RI, and finally feel more confident about his future."
Jim & Gloria Linakis