“Businesses that employ people with disabilities turn social issues into business opportunities. These opportunities translate into lower costs, higher revenues and increased profits. Customers with disabilities and their families, friends and associates represent a trillion dollar market segment. Innovation is key to the success of any business. Employees with disabilities bring unique experiences and understanding that transform a workplace and enhance products and services. When individuals with disabilities integrate into your team they can bring these experiences to bear, helping to build your business and lead your company into the future, together.”
~ From the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities, (OPWDD),
We have always embraced the employability of the people we support. As businesses and organizations all over American make the choice to recruit and hire people with disabilities, America’s recovery will be powered by inclusivity. We took some time to catch up with three businesses in our community that employ three people that we support. They all had plenty of wonderful things to say that highlighted qualities and behaviors looked for in any candidate for employment. People with developmental disabilities represent a largely untapped pool of employees that are ready, willing, and able to fill many of the open positions existing in the workforce today.
Ann’s manager, Desiree Drake, at The Family Dollar, describes Ann as a sweet and kind employee who goes out of her way to assist customers. She is always on time, she is willing to come in when Desiree needs coverage and she never has to speak to her about some of the other issues she has had with other employees in the past such as proper uniform attire. Ann always looks great and is ready to roll. “The customer’s absolutely love her!”
Ann is featured in our newsletter this month as our 2021 Annual Achievement Award in our Employment and Transitions program. Mike Sikorski, Ann’s job coach adds, “Ann is appreciated by her now supervisor Desiree and co-workers more than she knows! Ann’s previous supervisor stated she is the “key ingredient” of Family Dollar and an important asset to the team.”
You may remember Tom Slavinski who we have featured as an Achievement Award winner in the past. The manager at the Tops Friendly Market where Tom works, John Herting, says “Tom is an excellent employee who is reliable, wants to work as many shifts as we have for him, takes a great deal of pride in his work and is very good at what he does. His attendance is excellent.”
David Nichols got started just recently in a position at the local Mirabito convenience store. When we met up with David
last July he was excited to talk about his job. With the help of his job coach he worked hard to make employment happen. David was recently offered more hours to add to his work week. The store manager and David’s supervisor, Georgia Protsko, describes David as reliable, dependable, always on time and very polite. She added, “Customer’s really love David. He helps people find things and keeps the store in order by cleaning and stocking. He is really good at cleaning windows.”
Take the EmployAbility Pledge and demonstrate that your business or organization is committed to the spirit of inclusivity by employing qualified people with disabilities and providing everyone full opportunities to be your patrons and customers.