The Philadelphia “Employment 1st, Employment NOW!” Steering Committee is once again celebrating this event with a month of employment success stories. Each day we will be posting another success story about someone who is contributing to their community through employment. For those who have requested to receive our employment announcements, you will receive the link to the story in your mailbox. We invite you to join us as we celebrate the successes of people with disabilities working in our communities!

Watch Out World – Smiley’s On a Roll!

October 6 – Robert B.

Robert loves working at Dave & Buster’s, where he has been a valued employee for nearly two years. He is responsible for maintaining a clean, orderly, and safe environment for patrons, which can be challenging with such a lively atmosphere!  Robert always gets the job done with focus, attention to detail, and unshakeable positivity.

Robert was previously working for a fitness club, distributing promotional materials throughout the surrounding neighborhood. Though he appreciated the work and always did a great job, there were very limited hours available. Robert wanted to work more hours, and sought an environment where he could work as part of a team. He was hired to his current position in January 2017, and dove right into a schedule of 20 hours per week. Robert initially received support for every shift, but quickly learned all of his responsibilities and gained independence. He now receives only a weekly check-in from his job coach.

Robert’s pleasant nature is appreciated by customers, coworkers, and management alike. His supervisor even gave him the nickname “Smiley” – he never stops beaming as he gets the job done! Here’s Robert hard at work, sporting his trademark smile.

 – submitted by Community Integrated Services (CIS)