At LAYA, our mission is to show one another that we are all loved just as we are. LAYA stands for “Love As You Are” making room for individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, races, religions and abilities. At LAYA, we aim to cultivate an environment where all are welcome; to embrace their own individuality, to feel safe in their own skin, and to create lifelong friendships with their peers. Everyone is invited to work together to build this space of community, acceptance, and inclusion.
LAYA is a non-profit organization that was founded to support the social lives of people with disabilities. We are here to provide safe, fun, organized activities in various settings. At its core, LAYA was created after each of us consistently experienced love and respect between inter-abled friendships. These friendships were models for never ending and genuine (albeit, sometimes specific) curiosities, an authentic sense of self, and the ability to love ourselves and those around us just as we are. It is because of these experiences that we have dedicated our lives to varying fields to help provide this community the support they need to thrive; either through delivering behavioral and/or speech therapy, or by teaching exceptional student education.
We are so excited that you are getting to know more about us. Feel free to contact us if you would like to know how you can contribute to our cause!
With love,
Team LAYA
Meet Samantha Jennings! Samantha fell in love with working with people with disabilities when she was a teenager and has dedicated her career to working with them since. She has done several camps and volunteer groups such as Best Buddies and Special Olympics throughout her high school and college career. She decided to pursue a masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology and graduated in 2022. She has worked in private practices with children with autism and other developmental disorders, and now works at Caminiti Exceptional Center, a school for children and adults with disabilities. Samantha loves what she does on a daily basis, and decided to create LAYA to curate an environment for people to be loved just as they are.
Meet Casey Johnson! With over a decade of experience in education and community work, Casey has built a career centered around fostering inclusivity and empowering diverse populations. Casey holds an Exceptional Student Education Certification and has been a Science Teacher at Newsome High School since 2018. Recognized with the Ida S. Baker Award for his commitment to diversity, Casey is known for his fun, patient, and authentic approach when interacting with others.
LAYA reflects the culmination of Casey’s experiences and lifelong passion for creating spaces to celebrate what makes each person unique. Guided by the motto Love As You Are, Casey’s vision is to create a welcoming family that fosters genuine connections and unconditional love for all.
Greg Rusch is the youth pastor, radical hospitality leader, and operations manager at Grace at Lithia. He has a degree in mechanical engineering from University of South Florida and is a 2013 graduate of YMI. He is the Program Director for Boys With Confidence and Board Member.
He has been at Grace since 2002 and has been on staff since 2011. He also leads a ministry called Young Life in the Lithia area.
He is married to Cindy, a registered nurse. They have 2 children, Emily and Derrick.
Grace is a church that seeks to love God, embrace people, grow spiritually, and serve selflessly in order to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We do that through our four values: Communal worship, authentic community, missional witness, and generosity. No matter who you are, you belong here.
