Customer Stories: Holy Childhood

Customer Profile

Name: Holy Childhood

Location: Rochester, New York

Size: 250 Individuals

Service Offered: Article 16 Clinical, Respite – Intensive & Recreational, Supported Employment (SEMP), Community Based Pre-Vocational, Day Habilitation Without Walls (WOW), Site Based Day Habilitation.

How They Use Kibu: Reading group, educational content, interactive games, vocational skills, exercise experiences, cultural education, job development..

At Kibu, we believe learning should carry over into the places where it matters most, like the grocery store aisle, the job site, or a conversation with a coworker. We spoke with Lukes Carter, Team Leader at Holy Childhood, about how his team uses Kibu to keep that learning going in their Bridges program.

Picking Up Where Volunteering Leaves Off

Holy Childhood’s Bridges program serves 8–10 individuals who are building vocational and job related skills as they work toward greater independence. Most of their days start with volunteer work in the community, and Lukes says Kibu has become an instrumental part of what happens after that.

“Oftentimes, opportunities to develop vocational and workplace skills can end once our volunteer activities are complete for the day,” Lukes explained. “Kibu gives us another way to continue that learning.”

For the Bridges team, Kibu also covers life skills that volunteer shifts don’t always have room for. One example is learning which grocery aisles hold which foods and how to tell similar items apart.

“When shopping in the community, we may not always have the time to slow down and fully explain why certain foods are located where they are or how to independently navigate a store,” said Lukes. “Having Kibu help reinforce those concepts has been a tremendous resource for both the individuals we serve and our staff.”

A Book Club Worth Showing Up For

After three to four hours of volunteering followed by coursework, Kibu’s reading group sessions give the Bridges group something to look forward to. The group has read titles like Holes and The Hunger Games together, which Lukes says he never could have imagined working into their programming before Kibu.

“The books are very well read, certainly better than my own narration,” Lukes said. “I truly believe the delivery and pacing of the reader play a huge role in keeping individuals engaged.”

The visuals and movie clips woven into each session help bring the stories to life and hold the group’s attention from start to finish.

Skills That Travel Into the Community

Kibu’s educational content covers morning routines, ordering food politely and professionally, conversation skills, self advocacy, and how to avoid interrupting others. For the Bridges group, these lessons connect directly to the community integration work that sits at the center of their program.

“When an individual has the ability to understand, recognize, practice, and eventually implement these skills independently, we want to provide every opportunity for them to do so,” said Lukes. “Kibu thoughtfully explains community-based skills, expectations, and useful information, and that benefits both the individuals and the staff who support them.”

Content That Feels Current

When we asked Lukes about his favorite part of the new Kibu app, his answer was its modern design. He described the app as fun, easy to navigate, and visually engaging, which matters for individuals who learn best through interactive, visual content.

“The individuals we serve deserve access to educational content that feels current, engaging, and thoughtfully designed for them,” Lukes said. “Kibu delivers that experience.”

More Than an App

For the Bridges team, Kibu takes some of the load off direct support staff while reinforcing the same skills they teach every day.

“Kibu has become more than an app we turn on,” said Lukes. “It’s another tool in our toolbox for helping the individuals we serve learn, grow, engage, and become more independent.”

We’re grateful to Lukes and the Holy Childhood team for sharing their story, and we can’t wait to see where the Bridges group goes next.

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