Working Hard: The Faces of Supported Employment
Finding a job that’s a perfect fit takes time and energy, and with the help of our Supported Employment team, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are assisted through the application and interview process as well as coached after they get hired.
Matching the right individual to an environment where they can succeed, make friends, and grow is always the goal.
Supported Employment Specialists regularly check in with their clients and their managers to help them find the best way to accomplish milestones and keep making progress.
Pizza Business: Micayla Ascolese
It’s easy to see why the staff at MOD Pizza love working with Micaela.
She brings fun and dedication to the restaurant, and one day at work, her fox hat became a lively conversation starter with customers.
Though she had to pause her work in 2020 due to the pandemic, MOD Pizza has proven to be a great match for her. “I like the food and the customers,” said Micaela.
Micaela started working for the restaurant in 2015 and moved to her current location in 2016. When she’s not working, she prefers to spend her time gardening, watching TV, and working on her business homework.
Micaela’s manager, Michael Carden said that working with her as an employee has been a treat.
“Micaela is goofy and brings a good environment with her to the store. She’s a super hard worker and gets along with everyone,” he said.
Chuckles at the Checkout Line: Tim Burkhardt
With a big personality and boisterous laugh, Tim can often be seen brightening up the day for customers and coworkers alike by making them laugh at Albertsons grocery store.
He’s been on the job as a courtesy clerk for more than a decade and his favorite part is the social element of working in a busy hub of activity.
“Being around customers and helping them out to their cars and being around coworkers. I couldn’t really be doing anything else,” he said. “I started back in 2009 and took off from there, and just stuck with it. I have to keep things cleaned up around here, you know.”
His supervisor, Holly Bergman said that Tim keeps the mood light when things get busy, and he’s always willing to take more tasks on to help the team.
“He’s got a consistently good attitude. If I need a project done, he’s Johnny-on-the-spot. He keeps spirits up when we’re tired,” Bergman said.
The Supported Employment program at The Arc is proud that Tim has carved out a place for himself in a job that so well suits his outgoing nature.
Movie Magic: Matthew Pretz
There's always an air of magic during a trip to the movies, and as you arrive to take in the silver screen at Regal Cinemas, Matthew is there to greet you.
Matthew has been working at Regal since October of 2019 and enjoys guiding people to their movie destinations.
He is meticulous when it comes to movie titles and trivia, and though he loves a lot of movies, his favorites are Disney or animated films or those with a positive storyline.
One of his managers, Brady Jones said that he can always count on Matthew.
"He can handle interactions really well and he's a lot more reliable than some of our other team members. He's a hard worker and knows what his strengths are,” Jones said. “He knows what he needs to do and does it, it's nice having that reliability with Matthew."