Celebrating Our Successes!
Reflecting the important role that different perspectives play in workforce success, this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) theme is “Inclusion Drives Innovation.” Observed each October, NDEAM celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and educates about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents.
The Philadelphia “Employment 1st, Employment NOW!” Steering Committee is celebrating this year’s event with a month of employment success stories. Each day you will be receiving an email containing a new story about someone who is contributing to their community through employment. We invite you to join us as we celebrate their successes!
Kimmy Ewing – Florist!
Kimmy is a friendly woman who loves to laugh, dance, and makes friends easily. Kimmy had been a long-time participant in a day program and was initially hesitant to look for her first job. She was nervous about people being mean to her and not knowing what to expect. Kimmy and her mother had goals of Kimmy becoming more independent in many areas of her life and was working hard with her home staff to develop these skills. Her hard work paid off, because these new skills made her an ideal candidate for a floral assistant position at a local floral shop, Stein’s – Your Florist.
Kimmy was hired to maintain the showroom and workstations, make bows and decorative signs for arrangements, and assist with the floral designers as needed. This job is a perfect fit for Kimmy, because it is a small family owned business where people truly care about each other. Kimmy is very intuitive and perceptive of other people’s feelings. She felt right at home in the friendly atmosphere at Stein’s. Her new manager and coworkers welcomed Kimmy right from her first day. Kimmy loves her job at Stein’s and has been happily employed for almost 5 years. Kimmy says it best, “I like the flowers. I like working and I like my coworkers and boss, Patrick, because he helps me do my job.”
~ Submitted by SPIN