We first met Angela Ward in 2011 and promptly found her a job close to her home at Dari Mart on the corner of W. 11th & Oakpatch. Angela took to her new job and it soon became clear that she would make herself indispensable as an employee.
When her family moved, her supervisor was worried that they would lose Angela to another Dari Mart, but she was determined to learn the bus route to keep her job at the same location.
With a store as busy as the W. 11th/Oakpatch Dari Mart, having someone, like Angela, come in during the day to take out trash and recycling, stock the milk and drink coolers, and sweep the sidewalks outdoors, takes the pressure off of the her coworkers, leaving them time to wait on customers and attend to other areas of the store.
Angela’s supervisor, Brenda, made it clear that she does not want to lose Angela, because she is a hard worker, keeps on task, greets customers, gladly helps her coworkers – going the extra mile, with a smile. And it seems customers return just to see Angela, possibly because she has a special gift of making people feel welcome.
Do you remember your first job? Remember either hearing those precious words – “You’re hired!” or receiving an acceptance letter to a job or to a higher education institution? Not everyone gets to have these types of experiences, and even fewer people who experience a developmental disability.
The following video’s depict these ‘Priceless Moments’
Watch Ben’s reaction to reading his acceptance letter for an internship. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rvORQbS5hg&w=560&h=315]
And Rion’s reaction to learning that he has been accepted into college. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXGCROvEfGA&w=560&h=315]
Here is Noah’s enthusiastic response to realizing that he will be attending college as well. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EocjzC3vsE0&w=560&h=315]
And finally watch Nicolas’ reaction to getting offered a job at Walmart[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uftkRErGuHU&w=560&h=315]
We have had the pleasure of working with many outstanding businesses. Pearl Buck Center Community Employment Services would like to take the time to thank our business partners for being willing to hire some amazing people who have turned out to be pretty spectacular employees!
Cottage Grove DMV
South Hills Center (in the Tamarack Building)
Center for Dialogue and Resolution
Springfield DHS
Kellermeyer Bergensons Services (KBS)
Total Facility Services (ERMC)
Please help us thank them by supporting these organizations with your business and contacting them to let them know that you appreciate that they have hired a person who experiences a developmental disability, through Pearl Buck Center.
We often come across people like; parents, teachers, friends, family members, employers,…humans who see and interact with people who experience a developmental, intellectual, or physical disability as limited by their circumstances. But what if we stopped seeing the limitations? What if we expected more of each other (people with disabilities included)? Can you imagine what the world would be like if we treated EVERYone as if they could, be, do or have what they chose?
If you say your child isn’t capable of doing much, then s/he can’t. If you say your student can’t learn, then s/he won’t. If you say your friend isn’t capable, then s/he isn’t. If you say a person can’t work for you because they can’t learn the job, won’t be able to be safe, and aren’t able to contribute, then guess what…you’re going to be right.
But here’s the thing, in our quest to shelter, protect and avert disappointment we have extinguished possibility. Our good intentions have turned into barriers, much larger and longer lasting than those the people we are shielding were born with.
When we interact with people as if they are capable, amazingly…They Are! They won’t have the conversation-“I can’t.” In fact, they won’t even know what you are talking about.
If we expect more from people they will rise to the occasion because they see possibility and strive to achieve it. Life becomes Limitless, and that’s much more inspiring, don’t you think?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyBk55G7Keo&w=560&h=315]
http://www.ted.com Activist Caroline Casey tells the story of her extraordinary life, starting with a revelation (no spoilers). In a talk that challenges perceptions, Casey asks us all to move beyond the limits we may think we have.
Caroline Casey has dedicated the past decade of her life to changing how global society views people with disabilities. In 2000, she rode 1,000 kilometers across India on an elephant to raise funds for Sight Savers. Then, as founding CEO of Kanchi in Dublin, she developed a set of best practices (based on ISO 9000 quality standards) for businesses, to help them see “disabled” workers as an asset as opposed to a liability. Hundreds of companies have adopted the standards, changing their policies and attitudes.
In 2004, Casey started the O2 Ability Awards to recognize Irish businesses for their inclusion of people with disabilities, both as employees and customers. The initiative has received international praise and, in 2010, a parallel program was launched in Spain.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmwXNy-RpwE&w=560&h=315]
Randy Lewis has acquired many titles; Peace Corps volunteer, Arthur Murray dance instructor, Ernst and Young partner, Fortune 50 senior executive and accidental advocate. Before retiring in 2013, as Senior Vice President he led Walgreens’ logistics division for sixteen years as the chain grew from 1,500 to 8,000 stores with the most advanced logistics network in its industry.
Believing that people with disabilities could do more, Randy Lewis also pioneered a disability employment model in its distribution centers that resulted in ten percent of its workforce consisting of people with disabilities (1,000+ PWDs). This initiative is being rolled out nationwide in Walgreen stores across America. It is changing the lives of thousands and serving as a model for other employers in the U.S. and abroad including large employers such as P&G, Lowe’s, Meijer and Marks & Spencer (UK).
He remains active in business and serves as a director of Wendy’s. In addition to maintaining an active speaking schedule, he lends his time and experience to the disability hiring movement. Over the past year, he has been developing the NOGWOG Disability Initiative, as an effective, low-cost and sustainable disability hiring model for employers. It a private/public partnership between employers, community providers and government to provide employers the qualified candidates they need and people with disabilities the opportunities they seek.
In a world where those with mental and physical disabilities are seen as “disabled,” what would it take to not only have those individuals contribute, but to also give them the same expectations, goals, and work at the same wage as those without disabilities? Can we actually design a system so creative that we can demand the same results from those with disabilities as those without disabilities? What could that system possibly look like and could it actually create value for a company?
Imagine if you will, a family out enjoying dinner at a local restaurant. One of the kids has a hard time keeping still. The child may even be disruptive, complicate this with a customer who is insensitive and vocal,…What would you do?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9NaTdzt4M0&w=560&h=315]
Now imagine a person who experiences an intellectual disability working at a place of business that you frequent. Some customer is being disrespectful and just plain rude to the employee,…What would you do?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc_K9c24R5o&w=420&h=315]
And lastly, watch a teenager with a speech impediment placing an order for ice cream and how she gets bullied,…What would you do?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fqgEjLu1mE&w=560&h=315]
These types of scenarios happen more often than anyone should have to imagine.
In order to live in a world where everyone is treated with respect and empathy, we each have to be willing to be respectful and empathetic. We also have to speak up and advocate for those who are unable to do so for themselves.
Primetime: What Would You Do? is an American newsmagazine and situational hidden camera television program that has been broadcast on ABC since February 26, 2008. It is hosted by news correspondent John Quiñones.
Using hidden cameras, host John Quiñones observes and comments on how ordinary people behave when they are confronted with dilemmas that require them either to take action or to walk by and mind their own business. Various scenarios are created, featuring actors acting out the scenes, that force people to make split-second — and often surprising — decisions and variations of the situation (such as changing the genders, races or clothing of the people involved) are often featured to see if different reactions are elicited.
Quiñones appears at the end of each scenario to interview bystanders and witnesses about their reactions. As the experiment goes on, psychology professors, teachers, or club members watch and discuss the video with Quiñones, explaining and making inferences on the bystanders’ reactions.
Often times the scenes are based on real life situations that people have written in about and Quiñones interviews the real victims and their reactions of how it compares to their own experiences.
What would you do if confronted with a similar situation?
The disabled can do far more for your company — and your customers — than you might think if you just give them a chance.
Look around and you will notice how different everyone is from one another. There are many distinctive qualities that you could point out. For instance; hair and skin color, height or weight, some people are better than others at sports, playing an instrument or performing certain job tasks.
Now take another look and notice how much everyone is really alike. People have to eat, sleep and earn a living to support themselves. We crave companionship, human touch, love and happiness.
“We are more alike than we are different. We all want the same things: Kindness, Compassion, Safety, Security, Happiness and Love. There is enough to go around. Give it away!” ~Susan Abrams Milligan, Author
Several years ago, Karen Gaffney, a woman who was born with Down’s syndrome, swam the length of Lake Tahoe in Nevada — 9 miles in 59-degree water. She did it to raise money for the National Down Syndrome Congress and to show others that people with Down syndrome are more like everyone else than different.
More ALIKE than Different
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cA3t1HW1Ow&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k65kwvFG4sY&w=560&h=315]
It just goes to show that no matter the differences between us, we can always find some common ground amongst ourselves.
And since we are masters of detecting the differences, I challenge each of us to seek out the similarities in our fellow human beings and see how it may change our view of ourselves and our world.
Tiana Swindall was looking for work in the retail industry, however, she mentioned that she loves to watch cooking shows and would like to learn how to cook. She didn’t think that she could even do something other than using the skills that she had acquired at Goodwill.
We found her a job at the Alpha Phi Sorority House, where she sets up their breakfast bar, stocks the girl’s little kitchen and washes dishes.
During the week Tiana works at Goodwill, but on the weekends she is in charge of the AΦ kitchen, where she has learned to make her own bacon and eggs on an electrical griddle, dice veggies, and wash dishes. All things that she has never experienced before, but well within her abilities.
It is clear that this job has taught Tiana so many new skills and given her evidence that she is capable of doing more than she thought she could do and confidence to try new things.
Can’t wait to see what she’ll cook up next in her life!
