In March, Lifesharing Specialist Supervisor Kristen Fritzinger celebrates 20 years of working in KenCrest’s Lifesharing program.
By Sydney Kerelo
Lifesharing Specialist Supervisor Kristen Fritzinger celebrated her 20th anniversary at KenCrest in March. She has spent the past two decades supporting individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability in creating new and enduring relationships that support the individual and create a familial bond.
KenCrest’s Lifesharing program began in 1985 as an alternative to community, independent, or supported living. Since its start, the program has connected more than 50 Lifesharing families in seven Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Philadelphia. Each family actively supports and learns from one another, helping foster interdependence and encouraging self-esteem in those supported.
According to the PA Department of Human Services, Lifesharing means living with and sharing life experiences with supportive persons who form a caring household. The PA Department of Human Services recognizes lifesharing as a close personal relationship and a place to live. Lifesharers offer individuals the opportunity to be part of a family and to participate in community life.”
“I am who I am today because of them. I’ve watched so many of our individuals thrive and grow from being in Lifesharing, whether because of the volunteer work they are passionate about, going on trips to the beach with their Lifesharing providers, working full time, or more. The growth they have in this program is incredible!”
Kristen Fritzinger, Lifesharing Specialist Supervisor
When Fritzinger began working in Lifesharing, she was in her 20s. She learned a lot from the people she worked with and their personal growth through their experiences at KenCrest and Lifesharing. She said, “I am who I am today because of them. I’ve watched so many of our individuals thrive and grow from being in Lifesharing, whether because of the volunteer work they are passionate about, going on trips to the beach with their Lifesharing providers, working full time, or more. The growth they have in this program is incredible!”
RELATED: Why Choose Lifesharing at KenCrest?
Lifesharing is about so much more than just welcoming someone into their home. It’s about opening one’s heart to someone with IDD in a shared, supportive family environment and supporting their physical, medical, emotional, and social needs. Lifesharing focuses on the growth and development of each person and finding ways for each person to reach their fullest potential.
As a Lifesharing Specialist Supervisor, Fritzinger works closely with the Lifesharing families and different specialists to think creatively and support and advocate for individuals in the program.
“The team in Lifesharing is one big team. We all work together, which is why I love it,” says Fritzinger. “I get to help bring individuals into Lifesharing and work with families interested in joining the program. I have developed great relationships with my families and individuals; some of them have even ended up becoming my extended family.”
“Being in this field for over 20 years, it does take patience and dedication for what we do,” she adds. “Some of our folks don’t always have a voice, so we need to continue to advocate for them so they can live the life they want to and deserve to live.”
Overall, Fritzinger’s dedication to supporting individuals with IDD in creating new and enduring relationships that support the individual and create a familial bond is impressive. Her passion for Lifesharing and the people she works with is evident in everything she does.