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Woman Motivated to Succeed

FT. PIERCE, FL - Gayle Hons walks to her job at the Goodwill Thrift Store from her apartment a few blocks away. She is never late and rarely sick. Hons works behind the scenes as a clothes processor making sure items offered for sale do not have any flaws. She is a dependable employee who makes a positive difference to her boss.

Goodwill Processing Supervisor Rebecca Barnhart says, "Gayle's a joy to work with and always ready to help. Her objective is to help other people. She is very observant. Gayle lets me know immediately when something isn't right."

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is highlighting the contributions of people with disabilities to their community.

Hons has a developmental disability that makes her speech hard to understand. She has been at Goodwill three years and is hoping to use the experience as a stepping stone to another career. "I try to show other people with disabilities---it can be done. That is the reason I work so hard. Anyone can work," says Hons.

Hons has been in the workforce for more than 20 years. She recently received her Graduate Equivalency Diploma from Indian River Community College and is taking other classes. She has an interest in American Sign Language interpreting. Hons says, "I love to learn and don't want my mind to go. I want it to be stimulated."

APD provides services to Hons, such as supported employment and supported living services. These services are paid for by the Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver.

The agency currently serves about 35,000 Floridians with developmental disabilities of mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and Prader-Willi syndrome. For more information on the agency, call 1-866-APD-CARES or visit www.apd.myflorida.com.

Gayle Hons enjoys being industrious at GoodWill Industries.

REMINDER FOR MEDIA---When reporting on stories about people with disabilities, remember to use language that puts the person first, rather than the disability. For example, use phrases such as "persons with disabilities" (instead of "the disabled") and "person who uses a wheelchair" (rather than "wheelchair bound").