LAMN'S ACCESS INITIATIVE
Investing in a More Accessible Bethlehem, PA
At Laughing At My Nightmare (LAMN), we know accessibility extends far beyond the home. It belongs in our sidewalks, storefronts, restaurants, and gathering spaces, the places that bring communities together.
That's why we're proud to introduce the Bethlehem Community Access Initiative, a new program that helps local small businesses make meaningful accessibility improvements through direct funding and support.
We chose to launch this initiative in Bethlehem because it's where LAMN began more than fourteen years ago. While our mission has grown to support thousands of families nationwide, Bethlehem has always been home. This initiative is our way of investing back into the community that helped shape us while creating a more welcoming and accessible city for everyone.
Bethlehem Partners In Access:
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What this Initiative Aims to Do
Through the Community Access Initiative, LAMN will provide microgrants of up to $10,000 to eligible small businesses in Bethlehem that need support making accessibility improvements. But this initiative is about far more than simple ADA compliance or checking a legal box. It is about helping create a community where disabled people can fully participate in everyday life: shopping at local businesses, dining with friends, attending events, working, and navigating their city with dignity and independence.
For many small businesses, accessibility barriers are not rooted in unwillingness, but in cost, uncertainty, historic building limitations, or not fully understanding where barriers exist. This initiative is designed to help bridge that gap by positioning accessibility as both a community value and a practical investment in inclusion. Accessible spaces benefit not only wheelchair users, but also parents with strollers, older adults, people with temporary injuries, individuals with sensory disabilities, and countless others.
Ultimately, this initiative is about helping Bethlehem become a more welcoming, usable, and inclusive community for everyone while empowering local businesses to be part of that progress in a meaningful and achievable way.
Funding may be used for projects such as (but not limited to):
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Ramps and entryway access improvements
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Widened hallways or doorways
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Bathroom accessibility modifications
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Adult-sized changing accommodations
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Improved interior navigation and mobility access
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Other structural or physical accessibility enhancements
What Does Business Accessibility Look Like?
"Bethlehem's small businesses are a defining part of the City's unique character. Through LAMN’s support via the Community Access Initiative program, we’ll be able to help local businesses make critical accessibility and infrastructure improvements while ensuring that Bethlehem’s vibrant restaurants, shops, and service providers remain welcoming to residents and visitors alike - whether it’s their first visit or their hundredth."
"People come to Bethlehem for all kind of reasons, but the reason we are considered one of the most livable cities is because we strive to be intentional about making Bethlehem a city for all. Availability and accessibility are not the same thing, and we know that the more we work together to create opportunities to make our businesses and our public spaces more accessible, the more our ‘welcome’ means something."
"Accessibility is one of the simplest ways we can show people they belong. When our communities are designed so everyone can participate, we send a powerful message: you are welcome here, you were considered, and you are part of this community."
"I was using an older model elevator to get in a restaurant and I got stuck halfway up. Of course it was raining and my ventilator was exposed to the elements…two staff members alternated between calling a maintenance person (long after hours) and making sure I was good with an umbrella. The maintenance person finally showed up and found the issue was the door of the elevator wasn’t completely latched. Everything went smoothly after that and even received an appetizer for free. I found it very refreshing how helpful the employees were."
