Working with Unique Abilities

By Director Barbara Palmer

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. This is when our state and the nation focus on job opportunities for people with disabilities.

For the 14th year, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), Vocational Rehabilitation, Blind Services, Department of Economic Opportunity, and other organizations will gather at Tallahassee City Hall on October 11 to recognize 12 employers from around the state who have shown their commitment to hiring people with disabilities. The Exceptional Employer Awards are another opportunity for Florida to salute businesses that are making a difference.

At APD, we serve many people with developmental disabilities who are also making a difference. They are earning an income and contributing to the state’s tax coffers.

This spring, Jeremy Richard began a path toward employment through an internship in Lively Technical College’s administration office. That work experience led to a position as an office assistant. Richard said, “I like helping students and having my own income.”

Richard works five mornings a week. His duties include shredding documents, vacuuming common areas, and delivering mail to the instructors’ boxes. He also helps in the bookstore by unloading boxes and organizing books on the shelves. Supervisor Shelly Bell said, “Jeremy is a hard worker with a strong work ethic. He wants to please and brings an infectious personality to the job.”

Richard is part of the Adult and Community Education (ACE) Transition Program at Lively Technical College, a division of the Leon County School system. The program focuses on helping students with disabilities successfully move from school to work, securing real jobs in the community, and developing independent living skills.

Richard said his goals both personally and professionally are simple: “Be successful.”

Renee Taylor wasn’t sure what career path she wanted to follow. Her mother convinced her to volunteer at St. Joseph Hospital South in Riverview, near Tampa. She tried a few positions in different areas and found she was the most successful in the cafeteria. Taylor learned the responsibilities of a variety of cafeteria jobs and demonstrated she was a hard worker and eager to do well.

After a year of volunteering in her position, Taylor applied for a paid position as a Food Service Representative. Taylor was the only candidate who had knowledge of the job and the skills to perform them, so she was selected.

Taylor said, “I like working with food. It’s the first job that I wanted to do because I am helping people. Also, the people I work with are nice. It’s a good job.”

Taylor has a great relationship with her supervisor, Food Service Coordinator Wilma Hodby, whom she calls Ms. Wilma. “Ms. Wilma is very good. She tells me what I need to do. She also lets me know suggestions to improve my work,” said Taylor.

Hodby said, “I am really proud of Renee. She has stepped up and is excelling. She recently celebrated one year of employment. I was telling her that it’s good to take more classes to better yourself and she called me her Work Mom. I like that.”

Hodby says that Taylor shows great teamwork because when she completes her tasks, she asks others how she can help them. With her variety of skills, she can step in to offer a hand when needed.

When asked about her future working at the hospital, Taylor said, “I’ve been thinking I would like to try being a cashier.” She is always willing to learn more.

People with unique abilities just want to be given a chance. We would like more companies to be willing to offer jobs to those who are able to perform the work. APD and other programs are here to help the organization and the individual achieve success. We will be there in the future, too. We want businesses to have dependable and reliable employees like Jeremy Richard and Renee Taylor.