SANTA ROSA, Calif., July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Becoming Independent, the North Bay’s leading nonprofit serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has been named No. 17 on The NonProfit Times’ 2026 Best Nonprofits To Work For list — the only Sonoma County nonprofit recognized nationally this year. The honor caps a milestone year for the 59-year-old organization, which annually serves nearly 500 throughout Sonoma and Marin counties.
On the Fourth of July, Americans celebrated independence, however, for Becoming Independent, independence isn’t a holiday — it’s a daily practice, a hard-won achievement and a fundamental human right. Becoming Independent has been building the pathways that make independence possible: pathways to a job, to a home, to a voice, to a life lived with dignity on one’s own terms.
“Independence means something different to everyone we serve,” said Luana Vaetoe, CEO of Becoming Independent. “For one person, it means learning to ride the bus alone for the first time. For another, it means holding a job, living in their own home, or speaking up for themselves in a meeting. That’s what we do every day. We make independence real, one person at a time. That’s something worth celebrating on the Fourth of July and every day of the year.”
Building Pathways Since 1967
Founded by a small group of determined parents who refused to institutionalize their adult children with disabilities, Becoming Independent has grown into one of the most respected nonprofits in California. With locations in Sonoma County and Marin County and a staff of more than 140 Becoming Independent annually serves nearly 500 adults in three core areas of programming: Education, Employment and Living Services.
- Education Programs offer tailored learning experiences in health and wellness, self-advocacy, socialization and communication, art and music, vocational skills, and volunteer opportunities. These are all designed around individual goals, preferences and interests.
- Employment Programs include Tailored Day Services, which provide one-on-one support for vocational exploration, paid internships and micro-enterprise development; and Supported Employment Services, which focus on job placement, coaching and the communication and travel skills to secure and keep a job.
- Living Services include Independent Living Services (ILS), which help build skills toward greater autonomy, including driving, money management, and cooking; and Supported Living Services (SLS), which provide flexible, person-centered support for people living in their own homes, including 24-hour emergency response.
A Social Enterprise Leader
Becoming Independent has long modeled what it looks like to integrate people with disabilities into the economic fabric of the community — not as charity cases, but as colleagues, employees, and contributors. Becoming Independent’s Social Enterprise Division creates real competitive employment for the people it serves:
- Becoming Independent’s Secured Shredding business has employed adults with disabilities for decades, serving Sonoma County and North Bay businesses.
- The Buzz Café at Kaiser Permanente’s Mercury Way Medical Office Building in Santa Rosa is staffed in part by adults with disabilities.
- Becoming Independent runs The Backdrop, an event space for a variety of community celebrations and events.
Nationally Recognized, Locally Rooted
In 2026, Becoming Independent was named No. 17 on The NonProfit Times’ 50 Best Nonprofits To Work For list. Becoming Independent is the only Sonoma County nonprofit recognized this year. This honor reflects a culture built on dignity, belonging and purpose.
Becoming Independent has also been named one of the North Bay Business Journal’s Best Places to Work for more than a decade running, and its leadership team has earned a shelf full of additional recognition: CEO Luana Vaetoe received the 2024 North Bay Leadership Council “The Light Bulb Went On” Innovation Award; former Board Secretary Bonnie Burrell received the 2024 Heart of Sonoma County Legacy Award; and Becoming Independent leaders have received multiple North Bay Business Journal Forty Under 40 honors, including Service Director Stephanie Rodriguez, who was recognized in 2026.
Connecting Community Through Annual Events
Becoming Independent brings its mission to life not only in its programs but in the community events that celebrate the people it serves—and invite the public to be part of the story.
Indulge Sonoma is BI’s annual signature event, drawing more than 50 of Sonoma County’s finest restaurants, wineries, breweries, and distilleries together for an afternoon of food, wine, and community. The 2026 event takes place September 12 from 1–4 p.m. (noon for VIP early access) and benefits Becoming Independent. With culinary ambassador Chef Dustin Valette and wine ambassadors Clay and Carrie Mauritson, Indulge Sonoma has become one of the North Bay’s most anticipated food and beverage events—and a direct expression of Becoming Independent’s belief that inclusion belongs everywhere, especially at the table.
The Annual Crab Feed is a beloved North Bay tradition—an evening of unlimited crab, live music, raffles, a live auction, and performances by Becoming Independent participants. The 2026 event sold out. It is one of Becoming Independent’s most community-centered fundraisers, bringing together supporters, families, staff, and neighbors in celebration.
The Annual Talent Show showcases the extraordinary creative abilities of Becoming Independent participants and is held at The Backdrop, Becoming Independent’s event space at its Santa Rosa headquarters. The 2026 show took place on April 24. It is a joyful reminder that independence includes the freedom to create, perform, and be seen.
What Independence Really Means
As clients Janet R., Joel P., Scott K., Carla M., and Jose S. put it on Becoming Independents’s own website:
“I like Becoming Independent because it helps me keep my independence while I focus on my goals and my job.”
“Everybody at Becoming Independent is always nice to me and makes me feel good about myself.”
“Becoming Independent means safety and a place I can be myself.”
That is what independence means. Not a date on a calendar — but a feeling, a right, and a daily reality that Becoming Independent has been working to make possible for 59 years.
ABOUT BECOMING INDEPENDENT
Becoming Independent is a nonprofit community benefit organization supporting the full spectrum of needs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the North Bay, including education, housing, access to healthcare, food security and mental and emotional health support. Since its inception in 1967, Becoming Independent has been committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Learn more at http://becomingindependent.org.
Media Contact:
Robin Carr
Landis Communications Inc.
Phone: (415) 766-0927
Email: bi@landispr.com
