11th Annual Award Year

11th Annual Award Year
2014
Dear Members and Supporters:
Recognition motivates us to reach our potential, reinforces self-esteem
and boosts self-reliance. For individuals with disabilities, the William B.
Joslin Outstanding Performance Awards Program provides a respected
forum to be honored for personal success through NYSID Preferred
Source employment.
The choice to work in Preferred Source jobs leads New Yorkers with
disabilities to new challenges, increased independence and recognition
for a job well done. The sense of accomplishment from being named a
Joslin Outstanding Performer becomes a defining moment for those so
honored and a foundation for even greater self-sufficiency in employment,
community living and interpersonal relationships.
This year’s Joslin Outstanding Performers continue a tradition of
excellence, with 59 individuals nominated by NYSID member agencies
and private sector business partners. We commend our membership
for reinforcing this annual recognition of deserving New Yorkers
with disabilities.
Congratulations, 2014 Outstanding Performers, for your jobs well done.
Robert W. Schwartz
Chairman
Ronald P. Romano
President & CEO
2014 Joslin Outstanding Performers
Name
Member Agency
Timothy Austin
Bridget Bailey
Constance Bard
Marlena Bialy
Steven Boddie
Matthew Bossert
Cody Botha
Krzysztof Bramski
Jonathan Brooks
Willard Broughton
William Brown, Jr.
Mary Bruce
John Bruggeman
Katie Caban
Matt Case
Marc Chindemi
Kerry Crumble
Jacob DeWolfe
Stephen Egan
Jason Evans
Cynthia Fillmore
Ontario County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Pathways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Liberty, the Montgomery County Chapter NYSARC, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
American Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Allegany County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./PWI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Human Technologies Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Maryhaven Center of Hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Schoharie County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Toe Path Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Fedcap Rehabilitation Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fulton County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Lexington Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Warren, Washington & Albany Counties Chapter NYSARC, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Gateway Community Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Herkimer County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Herkimer Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Madison Cortland County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Alternatives Industry . . . . 15
Schenectady County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Pine Ridge Industries. . . . . . . . . 16
Wayne ARC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Jawonio, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Altamont Program, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Focused Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Terranova Landscapes, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
A.V.R.E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Seneca-Cayuga Counties Chapter NYSARC, Inc./
Seneca-Cayuga Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Rehabilitation Support Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
The Osborne Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Lifespire, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
CDS Monarch/Unistel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
St. Lawrence County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Seaway Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Northeast Career Planning/The Norton Center, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Genesee County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
The Arc Otsego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
The Arc, Oneida-Lewis County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./
Progress Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Nicholas Center for Autism/Spectrum Designs Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Southeast Works, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
AHRC New York City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
F•E•G•S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
AHRC Nassau County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
JM Murray Center, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Onondaga County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Monarch Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Oswego Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
David France
Eric Fuller
Antonio Gonzalez
Miriam Gonzalez
Javis Harris
Adam Hicks
Benjamin Hunt
David Johnson
Beverly Kelly
Christopher LaComb
Brent Matthew Lillard
Mark Linden
Edwardo Lopez
Kenya Lyons
Joseph Mandella
William Mariano
Kahran McLean
Mike Mills
Page
1
Name
Member Agency
Page
Kathy Muller
ACHIEVE and Country Valley Industries/Broome Tioga
County Chapter NYSARC, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Susan Nicol
Jefferson Rehabilitation Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
James Ormsby
Saratoga Bridges, NYSARC, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Victoria Ortiz
Occupations, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Jermaine Parrish
The Corporate Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Randy Peterson
Cattaraugus County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./The ReHabilitation Center . . . . 47
Adam Rabideau
Essex County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Mountain Lake Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Patricia Reed
Community, Work & Independence, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Robert Rowe
eBizDocs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Rosemary Russo
Sullivan Arc/Sullivan Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Lourdes Santiago
Goodwill Industries of Greater NY & Northern NJ/GoodTemps . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Jeffrey Schuster
Chautauqua County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./The Resource Center. . . . . . . . . . 53
Jean Mary Shields
Ulster-Greene Arc/Pilot Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Kimberly Simons
Arc of Westchester/eDocNY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Rick Tobia
Steuben County Chapter NYSARC, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Neil Vatsyayan
Center for Disability Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Vernell Washington
Image Data, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Jamie Weaver
Columbia County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Coarc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Ted Williams
Lifetime Assistance, Inc./LAICO Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Dianna Winnie
Chemung County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Southern Tier Industries . . . . . . . . 61
Past Joslin Award Winners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
The Joslin Awards Program annually recognizes employment
excellence of New Yorkers with disabilities working on NYSID
Preferred Source contracts. NYSID fulfills a mission of “Turning
business opportunities into JOBS for New Yorkers with disabilities,”
personified by those nominated as Joslin Outstanding Performers.
Over 11 years, the Joslin Awards Program has chronicled the
achievements of 534 individual Outstanding Performers, honoring
William B. Joslin’s unwavering commitment to Preferred Source
employment opportunities. Bill Joslin was Chief Executive Officer
of Human Technologies Corporation in Utica, and served on
NYSID’s Board of Directors for many years.
“The best social program is a good job. ”
~ President Ronald Reagan
Timothy Austin
Ontario County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Pathways
Canandaigua/Ontario County
A leader can be great, even if he is quiet by nature, when
he leads by example, does things right and garners the respect of those around him. That
neatly sums up the leadership qualities of Timothy Austin, the Joslin Outstanding Performer
from Ontario Arc.
Tim began working on the custodial enclave as a 19-year-old in June 2006. Over time,
Tim has become a reliable worker with a drive not only to succeed, but to excel. His key
seems to be a genuine affinity for his work and consideration for his co-workers.
Tim has worked on NYSID custodial contracts since day one, but his original duties were
quite limited. He was a light-duty specialist, which meant that he collected trash, dusted and
wiped down horizontal surfaces in a specific scripted routine in several buildings each night
as a member of the training crew. He soon became proficient enough at his specialty that
when an opening occurred, Tim advanced to a higher-paying, faster-paced crew and, soon
thereafter, to the highest-paying, fastest-paced crew. With each earned advancement, he rose
to the challenge of increased requirements and displayed outstanding work abilities.
Eventually, it became an expectation of all enclave members to
be cross-trained in each of the four specialties, a grand departure
from the prior philosophy which had emphasized specialists. For
Tim, that meant learning and mastering the additional skills of
backpack vacuuming, utility work and restroom specialties. Not
only did he meet those expectations, he truly sought excellence in
each specialty. To co-workers and staff, it came as no surprise that
Tim quickly became a top-ranked custodian at each specialty.
Tim’s skills are only a part of why he is an outstanding
performer. His work ethic is as impeccable as his attitude is
admirable. When asked to do something, Tim never questions, he
just does what is needed. It also seems that Tim always manages
to find time to help his teammates when he has completed his own duties. He genuinely
seems to enjoy helping others as much as he can, and that is quite often, indeed. Tim’s
attendance is fantastic; he comes to work every day, ready and happy to work. His personality
is absolutely delightful.
Tim lives in Phelps with his mom. His primary diagnosis is mild mental retardation.
Less than a year ago, tragedy struck and Tim lost his dad. At 26, Tim became the man of the
house. With his mom in poor health, Tim’s job is extremely important to the household.
Tim temporarily put his goal to get a job in the community on hold because he felt that it
was important at this time to maintain the security of doing something that he knows and
does well.
His crew chief refers to Tim as “My Superstar.” Anyone who has filled in on that crew,
either as a participant or on staff, echoes that same opinion of Tim. A recent substitute crew
chief, who had only run the crew once before, said that he would have no problem “as long
as Tim Austin was there. He knows the buildings, he knows all of the procedures and he
makes sure that everything is right.” Tim’s team is considered the top crew, and his presence
assured the substitute crew chief that everything would go smoothly.
3
Bridget Bailey
Liberty, the Montgomery County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Amsterdam/Montgomery County
Bridget Bailey has displayed tremendous determination in overcoming disability challenges and is deserving of such important and significant
recognition as the NYSID Joslin Awards Program.
Bridget has worked in Liberty’s subassembly area since May 2011, where GOJO and
Purell products are produced for food service, healthcare and hospitality customers. A very
versatile worker who is able to complete the many different products, her duties include
labeling the Purell Liquid pump bottles and individually wrapped hand sanitizers. Bridget
makes sure that the boxes/bottles are labeled correctly, and she checks each completed box
to ensure that the order has been completed correctly by the assemblers.
While in high school, Bridget participated in Liberty’s school-to-work program, completing
weekly job tasks in the community with support from a job coach. She graduated from high
school in June 2007 and was enrolled in the ACCES-VR employment program. She attempted
some employment through this program, but was unsuccessful. Initially, she displayed poor
expressive and receptive vocabulary skills and had difficulty retaining new and present
information, multitasking, and focusing. When Bridget entered
the Liberty subassembly area, she required support and assistance
with learning new work tasks and improving social skills and selfesteem. Her supervisor utilized specialized learning techniques
by introducing new tasks slowly, repeating and reviewing learned
tasks, breaking down large and complex tasks, using verbal and
visual prompts to assist with concentration, pointing out strengths,
and providing praise and positive reinforcement. With this assistance and positive reinforcement, Bridget was able to overcome
challenges and acquire acceptable work skills and behaviors.
Bridget has blossomed into a very important part of her
current work area. Her supervisor reports that she has taken the
daily position of leading and assisting the other assembly workers. Her fellow workers follow
Bridget’s example, allowing them to be successful in their work environment. Bridget displays
a positive self-image and is someone her supervisor depends upon to take charge of the
daily work task, easily following new and existing directions. Occasionally, her work area has
new and current work orders that need immediate attention, and she completes these
orders efficiently, accurately and according to the production timeline. It is Bridget’s job to
check all finished work for quality control before it is put on the pallet to be shipped to the
warehouse for distribution. This responsibility has given Bridget the opportunity to develop
a more positive self-image.
Bridget’s work success has also benefited her personal success. Her positive self-esteem
has produced a mature and responsible adult. Bridget has three beautiful children with her
live-in partner, George. She deals with her home life as she does her work life, making sure
her family is taken care of personally, medically and safely. She has developed independent
problem-solving and decision-making skills, always taking into account the welfare of her
three children. Bridget has overcome huge disability barriers to become a valuable member
of her community and a wonderful mother and care provider.
4
Constance Bard
American Maintenance
Babylon/Nassau County
Constance Bard is a winner in every sense of the word.
In her own words, “I have only just begun.”
Constance had a troubled youth and ran away from home to find the affection that was
missing from her life. At the age of 15, she became pregnant with her first child. When she
turned 16, her mother took her to court to have her emancipated. At this point, Constance
became involved in drugs, beginning a one-way path toward self-destruction at 19.
Sixteen years later, Constance finally found help through a rehabilitation program.
Five years later, she is gainfully employed and building a future.
Constance now works at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse cleaning the
pediatric operating rooms. When asked why she likes her job, she replied, “I have lost so
much in my life through my own choices. Now I see children in the pediatric unit who face
a hard life through actions they were not responsible for.” Working for the children,
Constance feels that she is contributing to their lives in a meaningful way.
Without the highest level of cleanliness in an operating room, a child could get an
infection and face a potentially life-threatening situation. An
exemplary employee, Constance is critical to the SUNY Upstate
Medical University pediatric wing. When speaking about her
paycheck, she responded, “Nothing in this world is free, and I
need money to buy essential things. But if I could have those and
not get paid, I would still show up for work. I just love what I do.”
Constance loves the fact that she is nominated for this award.
According to her, “This job is like being with the family that I
never had. Working in such a caring and connected environment,
I feel that this is what I have been lacking all of these years.
The sense of value and contribution and pride make it seem not
like a job.”
When asked what she would be doing if she didn’t have this job, Constance said she
would do more for her community. “The community was there for me, I will not turn my
back on them. If there is something that I can do to help, I am more than willing, even if it
is money out of my own pocket.” When asked what she would like to do in the future,
Constance said she would like to earn her degree and become a social worker to assist
people. She would like to help people avoid the mistakes that she made in her own life.
Constance embodies the spirit of the Joslin Award. She is a person who faced life’s
darkest situations, only to pull herself out through strength and courage. She was given a
second opportunity and is making the most of it. She is independent and giving back to
the community, keeping children safe by creating a clean environment.
“This job is like being with the family that I never had.
Working in such a caring and connected environment, I feel
that this is what I have been lacking all of these years. The sense
of value and contribution and pride make it seem not like a job.
”
5
Marlena Bialy
Allegany County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./PWI
Wellsville/Allegany County
To Marlena Bialy, life should have purpose and everyone
should have a reason to get up in the morning. When you see Marlena walk into work at PWI
every day with a bounce in her step, a huge smile on her face, and a happy “Good Morning”
to all, it’s difficult to imagine the struggles she has faced in her life.
Marlena dealt with the realities of growing up with intellectual/developmental
disabilities: the teasing, the fake smiles and the feeling of being totally dependent upon
others. Marlena was born in Rushford and started in special education at age 4. School
was a struggle, but she received her IEP in 1988. Uncertain of the future and nervous
about the changes ahead, she entered the Allegany Arc Vocational Work Center/PWI in
1990 and participated in community-based assessments and work-adjustment training.
Initially, she had difficulties with following directions, remaining on task and controlling
her anger. Over time, her work skills and job performance improved as Marlena learned
to work more independently and increase her productivity. She worked hard on
developing coping skills, controlling her anger and improving co-worker relationships.
At PWI, Marlena was able to match her skills with her
interests while also learning to effectively handle interactions
on the job. She worked on the Henderson Smith State Office
Building cleaning crew and various light hand-assembly jobs.
Marlena discovered what she really enjoyed was assembling
the many medical/testing kits that PWI produces. She worked
on various NYSID Preferred Source contracts, including the
sexual assault evidence collection kits, New York City DOH
medical kits and the New York State DNA databank specimen
collection kits. Marlena has an outstanding work ethic and
takes great pride in her work.
Marlena proudly serves as the secretary of the Allegany Arc
Self Advocacy Group. She has gained the confidence to speak up to promote her own
well-being and best interests. Marlena has developed a large social circle and enjoys
going on vacation trips with People and Places, a not-for-profit organization which
creates travel opportunities for individuals with disabilities. She has traveled to Disney
World, Dollywood and Dallas. Marlena is a passionate bingo player and avid Buffalo
Bills and Buffalo Sabres fan.
Marlena has demonstrated a tremendous strength of character and perseverance.
She has faced challenges in her life and used them to become a stronger person.
Christopher Koehler, VP of business operations at Allegany Arc, says, “Marlena has a
pure enthusiasm that comes from the heart. She has individuality with a touch of
spunk, which I truly admire. Her joy is contagious and her zest for life is so sincere.”
Marlena inspires others by showing that with courage, tenacity and enthusiasm,
anything is possible. Employment has provided Marlena with the opportunity to
develop social skills, forge relationships outside her family and take on a leadership
role in self-advocacy. The NYSID Preferred Source Program has provided Marlena
with the opportunity many of us take for granted: the chance to be employed and to
experience the pride of earning a paycheck. More importantly, it gives her a sense of
belonging and a reason to get up every morning!
6
Steven Boddie
“Success is the result of perfection, hard work,
Human Technologies Corporation
learning from failure, loyalty and persistence.
Utica/Oneida County
”
~ Colin Powell
If that is the case, then Steven Boddie is one of the most successful people at Human
Technologies. Steven has spent most of his life trying to find his place. Up until two years ago,
Steven was living in his mother’s basement and floating from job to job. He recalls that he
couldn’t maintain steady employment due to the fact that most companies aren’t equipped
or willing to deal with a person with an intellectual disability. So there Steven sat, day after
day, night after night, playing video games and collecting SSI.
About five years ago, Steven was introduced to Human Technologies and his life was
changed in a great way. He came to the team a shy, guarded, quiet part-time janitor.
Two years passed, and due to his strong work ethic, Steven
was asked to take on a full-time position at McPike Addiction
Treatment Center. At first, the transition and new responsibility
were a lot to handle, but with persistence and dedication, he
began to shine. Steven, who was convinced that he was incapable
of learning new skills, was transformed. His supervisor, Randy
Barber, stated that Steven is always the first one in line to learn
and try something new. Fast forward five years, and he still excels
at his NYSID Preferred Source job. New employees assigned to
work at McPike will learn from the best, as Steven is the official
staff trainer at that facility.
Along with Steven’s professional growth came personal
growth. With a new sense of confidence and independence, he was lucky enough to
find the woman of his dreams. His financial situation also improved with his employment, which allowed him to move from his mother’s basement to an apartment in
Utica. What’s more, Steven’s girlfriend is now his wife!
Before moving to the city, Steven was a member of the West Edmeston Volunteer
Fire Department and an honorary member of the Ossining Fire Department. Since his
move, he has stepped down from his fire department post due to the distance, and is
now a volunteer with the local Red Cross Disaster Relief Team. Steven can be called out
of bed any time disaster strikes and he is ready to assist. When asked why he volunteers,
he simply stated, “Because not many people are willing to get out of bed at 2 a.m. to
help a complete stranger. I love giving back to my community and being able to give
someone a place to lay their head, something that everyone deserves.”
When Steven is not volunteering with the Red Cross, he can be found volunteering
for Faith Furniture, delivering furniture to low-income families who couldn’t afford it
otherwise. In one instance, he helped someone on a disaster relief call and then was
delivering them furniture a few days later. There should be more individuals like
Steven Boddie in the world.
7
Matthew Bossert
Maryhaven Center of Hope
Port Jefferson Station/Suffolk County
Matthew Bossert, 37, is diagnosed with mild
intellectual disability, Prader-Willi syndrome and an unspecified vitamin D deficiency.
Although a quiet individual, his work ethic and actions speak volumes.
Matt initially came to Maryhaven Center of Hope’s vocational training program after
his graduation from high school in June 1997. Micrographics was his area of choice and
in October 1998, he was ready for competitive employment. Assisted by our supported
work department, Matt found a job working in a travel agency. After the tragedy of 9/11,
business declined, his hours were reduced and the company eventually relocated. Matt
decided to take a break.
In 2007, he was again ready to work and chose to come back to the micrographics
department on a part-time basis, three days a week. Being part of duplication and
imaging has been crucial to building Matt’s self-esteem. The experience of working on
NYSID Preferred Source contracts has given him the opportunity to develop many
skills, make significant progress and become proficient in many ways. The contracts
include Suffolk County District Court, Suffolk Appellate Court,
Suffolk Surrogate Court, Half Hollow School, Brooklyn
Grievance Committee, Western Suffolk BOCES, and Stony
Brook University.
These contracts require close attention to detail, and Matt
is able to maintain a steady pace with complete, thorough and
accurate work. He is an awesome prepper who has mastered
all the various customer prepping requirements and is always
eager to learn new tasks. Matt has a positive attitude in
everything he does. The theme in micrographics is “Matt is
our man,” and he lives up to this. Besides prepping, he assists
the entire department in retrieving and putting away the boxes
of work needed on a daily basis for production. In an environment where limited abilities
inhibit many from lifting heavy boxes, Matt is always on the lookout for anyone who needs
help. He performs this cumbersome task with gracious professionalism and a smile.
Siobhan, his supervisor, said, “Truth be known, our department is successful because
of Matt’s abilities.” A versatile employee and a role model for all, Matt also helps in the
micrographics warehouse, where there are hundreds of boxes that need to be shelved
and moved on a weekly basis. Matt is a vital part in coordinating this task. Staff cannot
speak highly enough of his work ethic, attitude and willingness to help. Matt’s attendance
on a full-time basis is excellent.
Matt is part of a close-knit, supportive family. He enjoys outings and trips to California.
Since May 2010 he has resided with his brother and enjoys spending time with his two
nephews. In his free time, he likes playing strategic games on the computer, Nintendo,
watching Suze Orman and the History Channel. Matt gets up early each day to play Wii
Fit for the exercise routine and enjoys bowling.
At this time, Matt is very happy working in the micrographics area and is not looking
to change his plans anytime soon. His dream is to meet Queen Elizabeth II; with his
very special personality and outlook, it could be possible.
8
Cody Botha
Schoharie County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Toe Path Industries
Schoharie/Schoharie County
The year 2013 was pivotal for Cody Botha, a young man
who has been working at the Toe Path Industries (TPI) work center since September 2012.
Cody, who has a mild intellectual/developmental disability and autism, grew up in Jefferson
with his family. In his final year of high school, Cody worked as part of the janitorial staff.
While he enjoyed working with his supervisor and developed some basic job skills, Cody
readily admits that he was “not fond of” custodial work. He expressed an interest in cooking
and learned about food preparation and different types of cuisine; he has always wanted to
work at a restaurant.
Cody came to TPI to gain work experience and improve the soft skills necessary to
secure and maintain a job in a competitive setting, but his shyness and reticent nature
made it difficult to find a comfort zone. He was reluctant to try different types of work,
did not readily or easily interact with others, and lacked motivation when it came to
exploring opportunities for community-based employment.
In January 2013, Cody began working on the layout of reflective vehicle markings
produced by TPI for the NYS Police. Production of these
trademark graphics requires meticulous attention to detail,
solid judgment skills and a high degree of hand-eye coordination.
The work is performed by a comparatively small number of
people who primarily work alone and independently. In this
setting, Cody was soon producing graphics sets at an impressive
rate. The interaction with supervisors responsible for checking
the quality of each set of graphics began to erode the barriers
that had previously inhibited Cody’s full participation and
integration into the workplace. Cody was slowly opening
himself to accept new work assignments on other products
produced by TPI.
And then in the middle of 2013, Cody’s mother died suddenly. He missed a lot of work
in the ensuing months, electing to stay at home with family. Returning to work in the fall,
he came back highly motivated and with a new sense of independence and confidence.
Cody also carries himself with a sense of maturity initiated by tragedy, yet burnished
by overcoming that adversity. He moved in with a friend to shorten his work commute
and maintains a regular schedule at TPI.
In the last two years, Cody has personally produced the door graphics for more than
one-third of the 1,000 sets of vehicle markings produced and shipped by TPI to the NYS
Police. Maria Braender, one of the production supervisors responsible for quality checks,
remarked, “Cody is a very kind person. He’s willing to work hard on our contract for
the State Police and is great under pressure, making sure we get these products done
by our deadlines. He continues to grow every day.”
Cody now readily accepts new job assignments, learning to operate several die-cutting
systems that produce floor maintenance pads for NYSID and the RF sealer system used
to make hunting and fishing license holders. He has also counted and sorted bottles
and cans in the agency’s redemption center. Cody feels that he is now ready and able to
pursue a competitive job in the community. With his newfound strength and growing
confidence, there is every reason to believe that the next step in his career might be
into the kitchen of a restaurant.
9
Krzysztof Bramski
Fedcap Rehabilitation Services
Manhattan/New York County
Krzysztof Bramski was born in Bialistok, a small town in
northeast Poland, where a childhood illness left him deaf. There were limited opportunities
for deaf children in Poland during Krzysztof’s childhood. It’s been a remarkable journey for
Krzysztof from his native Poland to New York City, where he is a project team leader for
Fedcap. He has overcome many challenges with ongoing support from the Fedcap team.
“Maria Pardo and Reaghan Smith have been extremely supportive,” Krzysztof said of his field
counselor and supervisor, respectively.
In 1987, when Krzysztof was 8 years old, his father moved to New York City. The rest
of the family joined him in 1994. He attended PS 47, the American Sign Language and
Secondary School, and from there transferred to Lexington School for the Deaf, the
largest school for deaf students in New York State. Krzysztof began to learn American
Sign Language (ASL) during his two years at Lexington. It wasn’t until he transferred to
the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) at Gallaudet University that he began
to make real progress and fell in love with ASL.
Landing at Fedcap, Krzysztof enrolled in the data entry
training program. He also filled in for people in the mailroom,
where he eventually accepted a permanent job.
Reaghan Smith, Krzysztof’s supervisor, has known him
since joining Fedcap three years ago. When Reaghan joined
Fedcap, Krzysztof was working on a separate floor, folding,
stuffing and posting mail for Fedcap’s fulfillment project for
the NYC Department of Housing, Preservation and Development
(HPD). He essentially trained her on the project, and as soon
as she became a supervisor she made him the project’s team
leader, which he’s been running end-to-end ever since.
Krzysztof helps file and process much of the paperwork for
HPD. “Everything has to be perfect with numbers and accounting,” he said.
Krzysztof is engaged in other mailroom projects, such as packaging books, scented
beads, teeth-whitening strips, and other products, according to customer specifications.
Not only is he savvy with computers, he also trains Fedcap’s deaf clients, a job that
Reaghan used to do. His effectiveness as a team leader stems in part from his ability to
communicate problems as they arise. If inventory is running low or there are glitches
with equipment or HPD electronic files, he notifies Reaghan.
Communication challenges in the workplace were daunting for Krzysztof, who had
to adapt not only to a non-deaf world, but also to a new language and culture. Reaghan
learned the basics of ASL so she could speak to Krzysztof on his terms. As their mutual
trust grew, they began to understand each other. They learned to supplement their
communication with notes for other workplace issues that needed to be addressed.
Krzysztof is the only deaf member of his family and is proud of being deaf and
providing for his close-knit family. He shares a house with his mother, father and
sister in Maspeth, Queens. He is currently enrolled in night school and hopes to become
an ASL teacher. “My goal is to become a teacher,” he said. “I know it is hard, but I also
know I can do it.”
10
Jonathan Brooks
Fulton County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Lexington Center
Gloversville/Fulton County
Jonathan Brooks has had an integral role in producing
adult briefs and care kits for the past two years. These jobs were historically done in
Lexington’s work center until the organization chose to relocate the work to Universal
Warehouse, where Jonathan is employed. He earns competitive wages and works in an
integrated employment setting.
Jonathan’s supervisor, Rose Simpson, describes him as fast, productive, efficient, and
above all, very neat and organized. His attention to detail and quality of work is unmatched.
Rose states that Jonathan is extremely reliable, and can always be counted on when
work needs to be done. He is prompt and always willing to go above and beyond to
help his co-workers and supervisor.
When working with the adult briefs, Jonathan is most often assigned the duties of
packing and material-handling, a perfect match because of his outstanding quality of
work and organizational skills. He is able to palletize his own finished goods, and can
be counted on to ensure all pallets are stacked neatly and securely. One of the most
important things about Jonathan’s role is that he must be able to
keep up with the pace of the brief line. Many of his co-workers
are extremely efficient on the line, and he must be able to pack
as quickly as they are producing. Jonathan’s supervisor reports
that he keeps up while remaining calm and maintaining a
positive attitude at all times. Packer/material handler is a role
that Jonathan has worked toward. He has proven to his supervisor and co-workers that he is one of the best at this job, and
can always be counted on.
As a result of his employment, Jonathan’s life has changed
in many ways. He is now able to contribute financially to his
household by buying groceries. It is important to Jonathan
that he feels he is helping out and taking care of his loved ones. Jonathan’s supervisor
also states that he has become much more social since beginning his job. He now feels
comfortable in the work environment, and can be found joking around and making
co-workers laugh. Jonathan is a positive role model for his co-workers and friends
because he takes control, helps as needed and goes above and beyond to ensure work
is done in a timely, neat and organized way.
Jonathan is a true success story. His hard work and dedication have improved his life
and helped Lexington to excel at producing NYSID Preferred Source adult briefs.
He had proven to his supervisor and co-workers that he
is one of the best at his job, and can always be counted on.
11
Willard Broughton
Warren, Washington & Albany Counties Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Slingerlands/Albany County
Willard Broughton has a great attitude, always greets
people politely and with a smile, and is well liked by his supervisor, co-workers and customers.
He has worked as a janitor for six years, carrying out his job duties in the lobbies of Building
8 and 9 of the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, a NYSID Preferred Source contract. At
face value, this description may sound very ordinary and not one to describe an outstanding
employee, but it is necessary to understand that Willard is legally blind.
Willard describes his early years as growing up in Albany with his family, where he
attended public schools and began working when he was 12. He was drafted into the Army
infantry two weeks after turning 18. During his service, he enjoyed traveling to many places
in the world, having been stationed in Korea and twice in Alaska. His service in Korea had
an enormous impact on the rest of his life. While training in the local rice paddies, the
polluted water in the rice fields resulted in his developing eye infections that began the
downward spiral of his vision.
After five years of service, Willard settled into family life in 1965, including having one
son. He attended school to become a machinist and joined the
National Guard in 1982 where he continued his travels for
another 15 years. In addition, he worked at Albany Medical
Center, General Electric and in construction. With his vision
progressively deteriorating, Willard essentially retired.
In 2008, the NYSARC agency’s (formerly known as Albany
Arc/New Visions) janitorial department entered into a partnership with the Northeastern Association for the Blind. Willard
was the first employee hired. Armed with the confidence
that he would succeed and with the repetition of his job duties,
he prospered.
According to Nick Panagopoulos, site supervisor, Willard
completes his assigned work and routinely reports for more. He is open to try anything,
liking and accepting any challenge that occurs. His work assignment is in the public areas of
the buildings where he encounters many different people. Nick has received only positive
feedback concerning Willard’s job performance and great attitude.
Willard enjoys working and being independent. “It is harder to do nothing than it is to
work,” he said. As to his best day at work, that was his first, and they continue to be good
ones. Of course, Willard’s paycheck is important because it allows him to take care of
expenses, better enjoy his free time and share a little with his grandchildren. It is his habit
to buy a lottery ticket before he begins work. On an especially lucky day, he won $32,000
and didn’t miss a day of work.
Willard’s nomination has given him a feeling of self-satisfaction and he feels honored.
In the future, he would not rule out moving up to a supervisory position. He proudly stated,
“People who think individuals with disabilities cannot do good work do not know what
they are talking about.”
12
William Brown, Jr.
Gateway Community Industries, Inc.
Kingston/Ulster County
William Brown, Jr., 32, is a tall, quiet man with a big
heart who resides in his own apartment in Kingston. William has been involved in Gateway
Community Industries (GCI) since 2003. At that time, he had untreated health issues and
was going through financial duress. He was in the process of being approved for Social
Security Benefits and had very little work history.
Through hard work, opportunity and enduring hope, William has turned his life around
and is currently a full-time staff member of GCI’s housekeeping department, living on the
enhanced wages of NYSID Preferred Source contracts. William has also become mindful
of his health; he now has his diabetes in check, has lost over 70 pounds and follows a
healthier diet.
William was referred to Gateway for supported employment services by ACCES-VR in
June 2003. His diagnosis at the time of referral was anxiety D/O, psychotic D/O, obesity and
a learning disability. He was subsequently diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. Due to his
learning disability, William experienced great difficulty reading words and numbers and had
many functional limitations, including negative self-image, lack of
focus, slow work speed, and limited decision-making skills.
At this point, William’s work history had been erratic with
significant difficulty maintaining employment. On his first time
study, William was assessed at 70 percent of the prevailing wage
for cleaning contracts. Due to his cleaning skills and ability to
work without constant supervision, he was placed on NYSID
Preferred Source contracts at Pine Grove Center and at the NYS
Thruway toll booths.
In early 2004, William joined the cleaning enclave team at the
historic Roosevelt Library and Visitors’ Center in Hyde Park. In a
short period of time, he had gained the skills and confidence to
meet the productivity expectations of this and other prestigious NYSID contracts. William’s
work evaluations were stellar, and he eventually increased his time study rate to 100 percent
of prevailing wage.
In August 2012, William was chosen to work on NYSID’s NYS Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) cleaning contract in Kingston as a back-up cleaner. Once again, due to his
solid job performance, perfect attendance and increasingly honed job skills, William was
offered permanent full-time hours on the DEP contract by the end of 2012. In July 2013,
as part of Gateway’s work center transformation, William was offered an opportunity to
apply for a staff position at Gateway and has since worked in this capacity.
As a testament to his many achievements, William received Gateway’s inaugural Personal
Achievement Award last October, presented by the Gateway Foundation, Inc. to an individual
who has made a significant transformation to their life by setting and successfully obtaining
personal goals in vocational, employment and independent living skills. He attended the
Foundation’s Annual Gala with his mother to accept the honor, prompting a poignant
standing ovation from those in attendance.
Considered the hardest worker on the cleaning team, William now supports himself on
his earnings. He proudly said that becoming a member of the full-time Gateway staff was,
“the biggest accomplishment in my life.”
13
Mary Bruce
Herkimer County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Herkimer Industries
Herkimer/Herkimer County
Chronic back pain coupled with ankle and knee
problems resulted in Mary Bruce leaving her previous job. She came to the Herkimer
Area Resource Center in 2009 with many standing limitations, a major barrier to work
success. “I came here in physical pain and lacking the confidence to carry on in any type
of occupation. The fact that Herkimer Industries was able to make accommodations to
the limits in my life helped me to become more confident each day that I tried something
new,” Mary said.
Today, Mary’s outstanding attitude for quality of work made her the overwhelming
choice of the floor supervisors who work with her daily. Ed Jackson, facility manager for
Herkimer Industries (HI), describes Mary as “our go-to person” when it comes to various
NYSID Preferred Source products handled at HI. Mary has performed very well cutting
wires for many of the LED signage jobs over at Fiberdyne labs. She has been a key
component in the folding and inspection of the various uniforms that are made for the
NYS Police and many agencies of the NYS Department of Conservation. Mary is one of the
few people entrusted to assemble and label the hard hats for
the NYS Department of Transportation. There really isn’t a job
Mary cannot succeed at. She is HI’s utility infielder who can be
put in any place and perform a job well done.
The income Mary earns for her work is gratifying and
helps her and her young daughter afford some of the things
previously unaffordable to them. For example, her daughter is
very active in the Girl Scouts, so Mary is able to help her out
with group trips and assist as a volunteer with the troop
activities. Mary enjoys working with young people very much,
and fondly remembers babysitting for relatives when she was
much younger. She still holds an interest in working with young
people and would like to eventually work in a day care center.
Starting at Herkimer Industries was a challenge for Mary, who suffered from long-term
spinal problems, resulting in pain and discomfort. She was very nervous about the change,
as she had worked a number of years in her former job before worsening conditions with
her spine resulted in her leaving. As time went on, Mary has grown to like her new job
because of the great variety of assignments, which presented their own little challenges.
“A good day for me is when things go right and the material is easy to work,” Mary said
with a smile.
“I hate to think what my life would be like without this job.”
14
John Bruggeman
Madison Cortland County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Alternatives Industry
Oneida/Madison County
John Bruggeman started working at Madison Cortland
ARC’s Alternatives Industry (AI) work center in February 2001, when he was only 22 years
old and just out of high school. Now 35, John has grown over the years and shows skills and
maturity that many would not have thought possible.
Early in his working life, John had difficulty handling stressful situations. An incredibly
friendly, playful person who was easily wounded by the comments of others, John took
some minor things too much to heart for his own good. This, along with difficulty understanding how work affects benefits, meant that for years John only worked one day per
week – minimal income, minimal stress and the most that he felt he could handle.
John’s performance on the job was always good, and ARC staff encouraged him to take
on more days and responsibilities to test himself. John gradually expanded his availability,
taking on extra days at the work center. He tried new jobs, including the coveted NYSID
work that allowed him to increase his wages and try more challenging work.
Heartened by his AI successes, John signed up for an ACCES-VR-funded work readiness
class. The class provided an eight-week “crash course” in job
development and retention skills. John did well in the class, but
because he was still having difficulty handling his emotions in
stressful situations, ACCES-VR determined that he would do
better in a program with extra on-site support. John was referred
to the new ESEMP pilot, and working with his job coach, Pamela
Cox, he found a job at Canal View restaurant in Sylvan Beach.
Canal View turned out to be a wonderful experience for John,
who was instantly accepted as one of the team. He put in hard
work and, in return, he received respect and admiration from his
supervisors and co-workers. After only a few weeks, it was clear
that John would not need the ESEMP supports, which involved
100 percent on-site coaching, for long. John took the winter season off and returned in May
with minimal supports. His employer was enthusiastic about his return, and John is excited
to see his co-workers, make money and contribute to the team again.
John loves where he is and what he’s doing right now. When asked, he says that he’s
good at both his jobs. He enjoys his friends in both places, and he loves the fact that he is
now making his own money. He hopes to fix his father’s van with his earnings. John knows
that if he keeps working, he can dream bigger and bigger each year.
A lot of people helped John get to where he is now. The skills he gained working with
NYSID contracts, and the confidence he built along the way, have helped him to achieve
more and more. Instead of quietly attending a program one day per week and doing
just enough to get by, John is working three full days at the work center, and a few nights
per week at Canal View. He’s excelling in all that he does, and will go a long way in the
days to come.
15
Katie Caban
Schenectady County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Pine Ridge Industries
Schenectady/Schenectady County
Katie Caban is a true reflection of the qualities
evidenced by the William B. Joslin Outstanding Performer Award. She is not only a hard
worker, she is also dedicated and grateful for the opportunities that she has found.
Katie’s favorite part of any week is getting ready to go to work. For Katie, it is not
just the motions of getting there, but also the ability to perform her job well while she
is working. Katie works at the NYS Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) preparing and
scanning documents into a storage database. She has spent four years working on this
NYSID Preferred Source contract and has shown tremendous growth, both socially and
professionally. Katie has become such a proficient employee at the functions and duties
of her job that, routinely, her advice is sought. Her Schenectady ARC supervisor would
go so far as to say that she is clearly an expert in the area. Katie enjoys the demanding
environment that her work and routine provide.
She would describe her work as a routine that she has set down in stone. Get to
work, take the elevator, put on her ID badge, and get to her desk: staple remover…
check; scissors…check; notepad…check. Then she is off to
work in “the zone” as she would say. Nothing seems to disturb
Katie once she starts pulling apart documents for scanning.
The phones and noise can buzz all around her, but she stays
adeptly focused on the task at hand until the shift ends.
Katie has most definitely surprised herself with her abilities
to handle the employment opportunity at the OSC. She is
constantly pushing herself to do more and to take on more
challenges in her day. She is profusely thankful to the
pre-vocational staff and the Pine Ridge Vocational Center for
suggesting that she try this new employment opportunity.
Katie is happy with the balance that her employment provides
to her lifestyle. She enjoys the people with whom she works, the environment of her
employment and the paycheck she earns.
othing seems to disturb Katie once she starts
N
pulling apart documents for scanning. The phones and
noise can buzz all around her, but she stays adeptly
focused on the task at hand until the shift ends.
16
Matt Case
Wayne ARC
Newark/Wayne County
Matt Case began work at Wayne ARC following
his high school graduation in 1987. He worked a couple of factory jobs before
deciding he wanted a change of pace. Matt then secured a spot on the mobile janitorial
crew at Key Industries of Wayne ARC. He liked the work and earned a position on the
cleaning crew with the NYSID Preferred Source contract at the DDSO Newark Campus
Vienna building.
For many years Matt did a satisfactory job cleaning. Two years ago, when a co-worker
became ill and was out of work, Matt decided that he needed to help out and began
covering some of his co-worker’s areas after completing his own daily tasks. After the
crew was back to full strength, Matt continued to do extra work without being asked.
He took more care in detail cleaning, and buffed floors when he saw they needed it.
This improved quality of work was noticed by the site supervisor and especially the
staff at Vienna.
Matt really enjoys his job, and is proud to earn a paycheck which he uses to pay for a
home and a car for himself and his wife. He likes having extra
spending money for trips with his family and friends. Matt
also likes to help out his neighbors by babysitting their
children if a last-minute concern arises. He also helps his
landlady who was injured recently, taking out the trash,
collecting mail and bringing in groceries.
Matt is very happy with all aspects of his life, including his
work and hopes to continue working as long as possible with
the crew at Vienna. Most of all, he likes being independent and
providing for his family.
att continued to do extra work without being asked.
M
He took more care in detail cleaning, and buffed floors when
he saw they needed it.
17
Marc Chindemi
Jawonio, Inc.
New City/Rockland County
“Life has always been difficult because I’m a bit different,”
said Marc Chindemi, but that hasn’t stopped him from being determined. Marc always
seems to see the glass half-full. Whatever he does, he gives it 100 percent and does it
with a smile.
Marc began to build his work skills at the Jawonio Work Center on February 2012,
as a paid production assistant. He had the pleasure of working on a major account, DHS
Systems, working diligently crimping together mechanisms which helped to secure tents
used by the military. It gave Marc a sense of pride being able to work on something that
directly supported our troops. He constantly tried to improve his performance and
was very reliable. A hard worker, Marc also developed a very strong camaraderie with
a co-worker, and they developed a healthy competition to see who could do the most
work in a day.
Marc is always eager to try new things. In June 2013, he took advantage of an opportunity
when a position in Jawonio’s document-imaging department opened up. Wanting to
work more hours, Marc also did some per diem work for
Jawonio’s cleaning company as his second job during that same
time. Marc really seemed to like both jobs, and was still eager to
work more. A permanent position soon opened in the cleaning
company, and Marc seized the opportunity to work for the
cleaning company, a job he loves.
“He is always polite and has a smile on his face,” said Ricardo
Lagerre, Marc’s supervisor. “I have no complaints. He is an
excellent employee. He never calls out sick. He is always on
time, and always asks if he can help with other tasks. He has a
great relationship with the other guys. We are like family.”
Marc considers his grandfather to be his greatest source of
support. He also receives ongoing support at work from his employment counselor,
Wladimir Joseph, with whom he has formed an excellent relationship. “No matter what
Marc may be going through in his personal life, you would never know it. He goes to
work, focuses, and gets the job done,” Joseph said.
Outside of work, Marc has also had some great volunteer experiences, including his
work as a counselor assistant at Camp Venture. Marc really likes working with and
helping other people, so this was a particularly fulfilling experience for him. He also
volunteers at his church for bingo night and cooks for the event.
When asked about the future, Marc expresses his desire for further education to pursue
photography or video editing. On weekends, he can often be found making his own movies.
It is his long-term goal to pursue video editing and production and follow his passion, but
it has been difficult to move forward with his goals without a GED. Due to his disability,
Marc has difficulty grasping the material and becomes frustrated. His employment
counselor has secured a private tutor for Marc in preparation for when he is ready to try
again. We have no doubt that when he is ready, he will excel at this, as well. Marc is like
Tom Cruise in “The Last Samurai” – whatever he does, he puts in 100 percent to do it well.
18
Kerry Crumble
The Altamont Program, Inc.
Schenectady/Schenectady County
If you ask Kerry Crumble what he likes most about
his job and achievements, he answers, “Living each day with honor, respect and dignity is
the greatest achievement of all.” Foremost on Kerry’s mind is the critical importance a job
plays as the essential and fundamental basis of his successful recovery from substance
abuse and the dignity that a paycheck provides.
“Being employed through the Preferred Source contracts at NYSID is so much more than
just a job,” he said. “Every day, I am around happy, good-spirited people who I respect and
who provide me with a sense of worth and self-esteem. I am so fortunate because the
people I work with are more of a family to me than just co-workers.”
While Kerry does not ever seek the spotlight, he visibly swells with pride remembering
when he and his team prepared the Empire State Plaza Convention Center for a recent
State of the State address and both Governor Cuomo and the Legislative Black Caucus
recognized and praised the preparation efforts. Kerry says that this moment was the best
day he ever had at any job because it was the day that he realized he was doing the right
thing for the first time in his life.
“Since day one, Kerry has been a totally reliable and hardworking employee who has also served as a role model to his
fellow employees,” Peter Stone, Altamont Program NYSID
Contract Administrator said. “He has shown remarkable
development in the time he has been with us, has been promoted
to a team leader and has demonstrated an outstanding sense of
responsibility and dedication.”
Those, like Kerry, who are introduced to drugs and alcohol
during their adolescent years, face an immense challenge.
Patterns of abuse become ingrained and a tragic way of life. Even
those who are mandated into treatment programs by the courts
are often unsuccessful. A familiar pattern emerges where they become estranged from
family, enter a revolving door to prison, and steady employment is impossible. But Kerry
was not mandated by the courts. He voluntarily chose to do something about his addiction.
Through sheer willpower, he pulled himself out of the abyss of addiction, beat the odds
and turned his life around.
Today, he is reunited with his family, is financially stable, lives independently in his own
apartment, and has a bright future ahead of him. He is an outstanding example of the
immeasurable value of the meaningful employment opportunities provided by the NYSID
program. “I would tell others who face disabilities that seem to be an insurmountable
barrier to success that there is hope, that if you are determined about doing something
to improve yourself, it can happen because it happened for me,” Kerry said.
Kerry’s story is a living testament of the power of positive thinking and the rewards
that flow from programs like NYSID Preferred Source employment that provide a second
chance and the tools to succeed. As the old saying goes, “Strong winds create giant waves;
strong wills create giant men.” In the eyes of those who know him best, Kerry Crumble is
indeed a giant.
19
Jacob DeWolfe
Focused Technologies
Menands/Albany County
Jacob DeWolfe works as a document-imaging specialist
at the Focused Technologies (FT) branch at the NYS Insurance Fund (NYSIF) and has been
a model employee ever since joining the FT team in 2008. Diagnosed with Tourette’s
syndrome (a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by physical and vocal tics), AD/HD
and visual impairment at a young age, Jake has worked hard to become the dedicated,
charming and hardworking young man he is today.
Beginning in the prep area, taking apart and reconfiguring hundreds of documents a
day, Jake quickly emerged as one of the fastest and most efficient workers in the office.
Jake moved between the various FT offices, demonstrating his hardworking attitude and
detail-oriented approach everywhere he went. Today, Jake works with a highly skilled
group of FT employees at its satellite office at NYSIF. From the very beginning, Jake’s focus
and drive were unparalleled, and he promptly showed he was ready to take on more
responsibility. He now distributes office supplies daily to all of his co-workers, and is the
only employee at NYSIF to run the duplicator, creating bar codes for each of the more than
8,000 documents that cycle through the office every day,
essentially providing everyone at the NYSIF office with the
necessary documents to organize work on a day-to-day basis.
Recalling his best day at Focused, Jake replied, “Most days!
I feel comfortable here, I don’t make a lot of mistakes, I have a
really great job. Without Focused, I don’t know what else I’d be
doing.” Over the past four years, Jake has become a crucial part
of the Focused family. Having won the company-wide “Star of
the Week” multiple times, truth be told, the FT team doesn’t
know what it would do without Jake either.
A lifelong resident of the Capital Region, Jake previously
worked at a local market with the help of Northeast Career
Planning, and selling car parts at an automotive store. Jake was comfortable with his work
in the past; he’s had a lifelong passion for stock cars and monster trucks, attending shows
in Lebanon Valley and other cities around the Northeast, as well as drawing and assembling
stock car models. Four years ago, however, Jake decided he wanted something more. With
the loving support of his family, he was ready to take on full-time employment and, through
NYSID’s Preferred Source Program, found Focused Technologies to be a perfect fit.
Thea Hines, onsite manager at NYSIF, loves that Jake “is always asking for more responsibility, he never complains and he isn’t afraid to ask questions.” Jake’s kind and amicable
nature is an inspiration to peers. He consistently pushes himself to become the best
employee he can be. Jake will admit that looking at a pile of thousands of documents can
be intimidating, but, humbly, he says it’s rewarding to have such a big task before him.
“I’m not better than anyone else here. I just do what I can to help get all the work done,”
he said.
Jake was “surprised and honored” to be nominated and said he feels like the Focused
Technologies work environment has allowed him to thrive. “Jake is a great role model in
the office,” Thea Hines said. “He’s got a great work ethic and is always helping people out.
You never have to worry, Jake’s on top of it. He’s an ideal Focused Technologies employee.”
20
Stephen Egan
Terranova Landscapes, Inc.
Center Moriches/Suffolk County
In Terranova’s fourth consecutive year participating
in NYSID’s prestigious Joslin Awards Program, a very deserving team member is being
recognized for his outstanding efforts. Stephen Egan is a United States military veteran, a
seasoned and true professional and an absolute asset to the Terranova Landscapes team.
Beginning his Terranova career at Stony Brook University and the recreation fields at
Stony Brook, he then branched out to the Long Island DDSO and CUNY Baruch for special
projects and beyond. There are no boundaries to his capabilities and willingness to learn.
Steve has been with Terranova since August 2012. Over time, he has proven to be a
gracious leader and has used his skills and education to further his career with Terranova.
Steve came to us as a laborer with plenty of malleable experience, having spent years in
the service and hospitality industries. Steve is organized, takes direction well and does not
shy away from challenges. Steve is an exemplary candidate for this award, based on his
personal and professional attributes and what he continues to contribute to the team. He has
such a diverse background that it actually works to his benefit here, as he has transitioned
into a foreman position and proven to be a productive and integral
company asset.
Steve entered the F•E•G•S employment program while working
at the Northport Veterans Administration. This is a common
route for so many Terranova employees, a powerful alliance that
brings real jobs to the working veterans in the community. Steve
has proven to be a capable leader and has earned his promotion.
His goals are to excel personally and professionally. He says that
it feels good knowing he is contributing to the growth and success
of the company, truly making him a team player.
After interviewing Steve, any preconceived notions about him
proved to be incredibly true. He is hardworking and goal-driven,
in addition to being a great help to the company. He also shared that he spends a great
deal of his time giving back to the community and helping out with the homeless and
disabled veterans. Steve is a model employee and just another example of why Terranova
is proud to participate in this award year after year.
his is a common route for so many of Terranova employees,
Ta powerful
alliance that brings real jobs to the working veterans
in the community.
21
Jason Evans
A.V.R.E.
Binghamton/Broome County
Jason Evans has been employed at A.V.R.E. in the
sheeting department converting roll stock paper into copy paper since July 2011. Jason
has been a member of the team that produces copy paper as a NYSID Preferred Source
item since A.V.R.E. began producing paper for New York State in 2013.
Prior to A.V.R.E., Jason held a number of jobs, including paper carrier as a young man,
attendant in a local pharmacy and tractor-trailer driver. He says he truly enjoyed driving
a truck and misses it to this day. Jason stopped driving when he developed multiple
sclerosis, which led to legal blindness and short-term memory limitations.
So why nominate Jason as a Joslin Outstanding Performer? The better question is, why
not nominate Jason? He’s the type of worker any employer would be eager to have as a
member of their team. Jason shows up every day eager to work, with a smile on his face
and a kind word for all who will listen. He has an amazing sense of humor and is dedicated
to not only doing his job, but doing it well. Jason approaches his daily routines with an
upbeat, positive spirit that is infectious! He inspects and packs NYSID reams of paper
directly from the machine and then readies them for shipment,
a process which can be quite intense at times with a machine
speed set at 30 reams per minute. When palletizing boxes and
then wrapping a pallet, Jason is one of the best at stacking
cartons evenly and hand wrapping the finished pallet to ensure
stability during transportation. During downtime, Jason is
always willing to support fellow employees with their tasks and
assist machine operators during roll changes.
When asked what he likes about his job, Jason said that he is
able to use his top-notch communication skills, allowing him to
communicate effectively with co-workers and perform his job
well. Work is also where he met his significant other, Judith. He
says that having a job gives him a sense of freedom in many aspects of his life and that it
provides a sense of purpose. Jason also feels that the paycheck he earns is an important
part of that freedom, as it allows him to take Judith and her daughter out for their
favorite, blueberry pancakes. When asked what he would be doing if he did not have his
job at A.V.R.E., Jason displayed his quick wit and sense of humor, noting that being
employed beats the heck out of staring at the same tan wall alongside his television
screen all day long.
All joking aside, Jason believes that his position with A.V.R.E. provides something that
is of utmost importance to him: stability. He was shocked when approached about being
nominated for the Joslin Award, but noted that he is very proud to be recognized.
h
… aving a job gives him a sense of freedom in many
aspects of his life and…provides a sense of purpose.
22
Cynthia Fillmore
Seneca-Cayuga Counties Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Seneca-Cayuga Industries
Waterloo/Seneca County
When Cynthia Fillmore began receiving supportedemployment services from Seneca-Cayuga ARC in 2012, it was evident from the beginning
that she is a “go-getter.” She has an incredible level of motivation, which comes in handy
when she tackles cleaning an entire alcohol rehabilitation facility by herself. Cindy was
proud to be nominated for the Joslin Awards Program as “It confirmed my suspicions that
I am doing a good job. It feels good to be recognized for something I enjoy.”
A number of challenges have tested Cindy’s strength and perseverance. Holding down a
job and getting through the day-to-day routines can be extremely difficult for an individual
like Cindy with bipolar disorder. When a doctor delivered the words “you have cancer” to
Cindy, she battled the disease and today is in remission. Another major life challenge for
Cindy is living as a recovering alcoholic. She is proud of the fact she is seven years sober.
Today, she attends a regular Alcoholics Anonymous program and volunteers to bring
other recovering alcoholics to meetings, as well. Her future goal is to volunteer in an
addiction clinic.
These struggles held Cindy back for a long time, but today she
has two jobs and is very dedicated to her work. She is extremely
proud of her seven grandchildren and her four-legged friend,
Abbie, who she loves to spoil. She has a passion for outdoor
activities, such as camping, gardening and fishing. As a member
of the Ladies Auxiliary at the VFW, Cindy helps to coordinate
fundraising events for veterans and other people in the community
who are disadvantaged.
Cindy is a fantastic role model for others. Her work ethic is
admirable, as she is very dependable and hardworking. Her life
achievements are a testimony of incredible courage and strength
of character. Cindy stated that she felt a sense of pride when
she heard of her nomination, and the Seneca-Cayuga agency team agrees that she can
certainly take pride in all she has overcome and accomplished.
“It confirmed my suspicions that I am doing a good job.
It feels good to be recognized for something I enjoy.
”
23
David France
The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming
Mt. Morris/Livingston County
For 45-year-old David France, NYSID Preferred Source
contracts for janitorial services are a daily relief from the pain of a rare genetic disorder that
affects movement in his legs. “I have to push myself,” said David, who suffers from Hereditary
Spastic Paraplegia (HSP). “Movement is really the only thing that makes my legs feel a whole
lot better.” HSP is a group of inherited diseases whose main feature is progressive stiffness
and contraction in the lower limbs as a result of damage to or dysfunction of the nerves,
making it painful to walk. David’s condition is classified as a “rare disease” by the National
Institutes of Health, meaning that it affects fewer than 200,000 people in the US. There is no
specific treatment and its severity varies.
“I started feeling it pretty bad in late 2002, but I didn’t get it looked at until 2012,” admitted
David, who walks with a noticeably abnormal gait. “At that point, I had a series of MRIs, where
doctors diagnosed my HSP and also removed a bad disc in my back. The doctor who performed
my surgery said that my HSP might not progress beyond what it is right now, or it might land
me in a wheelchair someday.”
Shortly after his surgery, David enrolled at Hilltop Industries,
The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming’s vocational rehabilitation program. David, who also has a diagnosed learning disability, had held
various jobs throughout his life, but janitorial work was in his blood,
as both his mother and father were custodians. After demonstrating
his work ethic as part of a Hilltop enclave at a local print shop, David
soon began taking on NYSID contracts with determination. “I like
the challenge of my job,” David said. “I like trying to meet the needs
of what has to be done, and trying to improve each time.”
Today, David’s cleaning skills are in high demand, and he is able
to earn a living wage juggling multiple Preferred Source cleaning
assignments, including the NYS Department of Transportation
(DOT)/Livingston County site and the Finger Lakes DDSO Dogwood Day Services location.
Hilltop also entrusts David with its in-house cleaning, and to clean at KidStart, its sister
children’s services program.
“Even with his disability, he can outwork most people,” said Diane Parker, Hilltop
supported employment manager, who supervises David. “It’s like he can see dirt a mile away.
He’ll just look at something and know that it needs dusting. David takes great pride in his
work.” David typically works as part of a team of two to four Hilltop workers, servicing
offices, bathrooms and hallways. David’s friendly demeanor and eye for quality set a
positive example for his peers.
David uses his earnings for food, rent and medicine needed to manage his HSP. Equal to
the dedication that he shows at work is his passion for helping others. Over the years, David
has cared for family members and friends, including an elderly uncle who currently lives in a
nursing home. “I like to do it, and the fact that it is on a steep hill helps with my Hereditary
Spastic Paraplegia,” David said. “I walk as much as I can when I’m up there.”
David continues to face life’s challenges with positivity and good humor. Last summer,
while on a short walk from Hilltop to a neighboring restaurant, David took a fall. The
resulting injury kept him from his job for close to two months. “I couldn’t stand it,” David
said of medical leave from work. “I sat still for three days, and then I couldn’t take
anymore. Before you knew it, I was going all over town in a wheelchair.”
24
Eric Fuller
Rehabilitation Support Services
Altamont/Albany County
Prior to becoming ill, Eric was living independently,
working in the communications field armed with a bachelor’s degree he received from
SUNY New Paltz in 2001. During school, Eric had an internship at TBN Christian radio
which led him in 2003 to Clear Channel Radio for employment.
It was during this time that Eric experienced his first psychiatric hospitalization, an
experience which was rather devastating for Eric. He was discharged from the hospital in
2004 and realized that he needed to redevelop the skills he lost due to his illness. At this
point, he moved to the Rehabilitation Support Services (RSS) South Randolph Community
Residence in 2008. During this time, Eric worked to redevelop his community living skills.
In January 2010, Eric began working for Dutch Treat Cafe, an RSS affirmative business.
While working at Dutch Treat, Eric proved time and time again to be a dependable,
hardworking individual.
When RSS was awarded janitorial contracts with Metro North through NYSID in 2012,
Eric immediately was the first individual approached about working on this contract.
Quickly learning the cleaning-job duties, Eric again proved
himself to be dependable, hardworking and extraordinarily
flexible. Over the past two years, additional NYSID contracts
have been developed with RSS in Dutchess/Ulster Counties. Eric
has a valid driver’s license, allowing him to go to any site where
he might be needed. He has worked at each of these seven sites,
filling in just about wherever and whenever he is needed. He is
precise with the work he completes and is well regarded by
customers, supervisors and co-workers.
Eric stated that he likes to work because he feels good about
doing something for himself and accomplishing a task. He feels
that work gives him pride, and he feels triumphant that he can
do a job. Eric said it is not so much about earning a paycheck or for money, but that he
works a job, performs well and gets recognized for the good work he has done. All of this
is integral to his ongoing recovery.
When Eric was told why he was being nominated for the Joslin Awards Program, he
just beamed with pride. He appreciates RSS for commending the work that he has done,
stating that the recognition is his reward.
w
… ork gives him pride, and he feels triumphant
that he can do a job.
25
Antonio Gonzalez
The Osborne Association
Bronx/Bronx County
Antonio Gonzalez began working with Osborne’s
Janitorial Maintenance Services in March 2010. Since that time, he has shown tremendous
growth and is now an experienced porter and team leader. But while his personal and his
professional growth have been impressive, what marks Antonio as exceptional is his
attention to detail and willingness to pitch in to deliver exemplary service to NYSID
Preferred Source clients.
For many years, Antonio’s life was unstable and chaotic. His childhood was marked by
parental addiction and the early death of his mother and stepfather. As an adolescent,
Antonio felt “the world was a dark place, and I was alone. I had to fend for myself and I
made some mistakes along the way. I started using drugs and spent six months in jail.”
Released from incarceration, Antonio was a recovering addict who felt like he was facing
a wall of rejection. “People don’t want to hire you if you have a conviction,” he shared.
“They think you’re just the same person who hasn’t grown or changed.” During this time,
Antonio struggled to find and keep a job as he faced the issue of his criminal record and
prior substance addiction. When he applied at Osborne, he
knew he would not be judged solely by his past. “They gave me
an opportunity, and I grabbed it with both hands,” he said.
“I like going to work every day. It’s an energetic field and it
challenges me,” Antonio said. “It gives me a sense of responsibility
and when I get praised, it makes me feel good. And I love being
able to support my family.” Antonio is well liked and well respected
among his peers and customers. He is quiet, hardworking,
dependable, takes pride in his work, and consistently demonstrates a willingness to help others.
Antonio is the father of six children and a graduate of
Samaritan Village’s Intensive Residential Treatment program.
He glows when he speaks about his children, and has clearly dedicated himself to providing
a sense of family stability that was missing from his own childhood. Antonio has a clear
focus on work and his family, and this has led to a new sense of pride in himself. His
favorite day on the job was his past birthday when it really sunk in he has been able to
consistently keep a job. “I felt like patting myself on the back,” he said.
Antonio’s four years with Osborne Janitorial Services have been marked by growth
and steady improvement. With Osborne’s encouragement, Antonio has been preparing
himself for the next step of his career. He has worked with his supervisor to learn what
it takes to run a janitorial services contract, and now plans to apply for the next open
supervisor position.
“They gave me an opportunity, and I grabbed it with both hands.”
26
Miriam Gonzalez
Lifespire, Inc.
Manhattan/New York County
Miriam Gonzalez is a rare individual, and the Lifespire
organization is exceedingly fortunate to have her as a team member. Her energetic and
charismatic personality make Miriam an asset to the team. “If I didn’t have this job, I would
be home alone and unable to get a paycheck,” she said. And Miriam loves to work.
According to Carlos Nunez, activities manager, Miriam exemplifies hard work,
devotion, commitment, and an unwavering drive when packaging commodities for
NYSID Preferred Source contracts. She demonstrates a willingness to help others and
consistently takes the initiative on work assigned to the facility. The following are some
examples of the packaging work she performs on the NYSID contracts: tube and crew
socks, men’s briefs and jackets, and putter pants and sneakers. She has also worked on
various NYC Housing Authority contracts.
Once you meet Miriam, you simply have to embrace her spirit, enthusiasm for learning and compassion for others. She is a leader and mentor who sets a positive example
for her fellow co-workers. Miriam’s work ethic has made her the top wage-earner in
the facility, which she proudly embraces. The partnership with
NYSID has given Miriam a greater sense of independence and
has helped to enhance her self-esteem and value as a productive
member of the community. The attributes she has fostered
through Preferred Source employment have helped to develop
her social and cognitive skills, resulting in what she describes
as better interpersonal relationships and reduced time in
learning new tasks.
“My paycheck is important because it makes me feel independent,” Miriam said. According to Miriam, the money she
earns gives her the ability to go shopping for decorative items
for her apartment, collect porcelain dolls, window-shop, and
take walks around the neighborhoods. Miriam expresses pride that NYSID provides her
the ability to afford the things she enjoys most in life.
Miriam’s commitment to working hard, assisting co-workers and following directions
has provided her the opportunity to stand out from other candidates. She consistently
earns the respect and support of her team. The recognition through NYSID’s Joslin
Awards Program makes Miriam happy because “I want my family to feel proud of me.”
“If I didn’t have this job, I would be home alone and
unable to get a paycheck…My paycheck is important because
it makes me feel independent.
”
27
Javis Harris
CDS Monarch/Unistel
Webster/Monroe County
To the entire CDS Monarch organization, Javis Harris is a
man of very few words who comes across as shy. Javis has worked at the Unistel prevocational
program for more than six years, an eager worker who can do many tasks related to filling
spice orders, such as working on the automated spice line, semi-automated spice line,
filling various sizes of spice bottles, bottle labeling, bottle weighing, packaging and material
handling. Javis contends with Tourette’s syndrome, which causes him to demonstrate quick
movements. Since being assigned to the spice lines, Javis has learned to work with his
disability and has developed a more consistent work pace, becoming one of the most
reliable workers in the spice room.
Javis is always a gentleman – compassionate, caring, polite, and respectful. He brings
joy to everyone he meets. Javis enjoys being at work and sets an example of meeting each
challenge with determination and humor. The three things that Javis really enjoys about his
job are using a hand jack, packing orders and capping spice bottles. Javis is motivated and
determined to achieve excellence and quality in his work. He is proud to be contributing
to the military by supplying great spice products. Javis stated that
if he weren’t working, he would probably be sitting at home
doing nothing. Javis went on to say, “working here I get to earn a
paycheck for my hard work and I get to interact with everyone,
people with and without disabilities.” When asked what has been
his best day on the job, Javis shared that during Christmas 2013,
he received a bonus check. “I felt happy and excited to get this,”
he said.
Javis stays close to home outside of work, but his cheerfulness
remains evident in his personal life. Javis enjoys being around
family and friends. He enjoys going to his neighborhood recreation
center for activities and socialization, and is also exploring other
extracurricular activities outside of the recreation center. This year, Javis was excited to join
a self-advocacy group, where he enjoys learning how speak up for himself.
Javis is a team player and has become a role model for the people he works with. He has
proven to himself that with diligence, self-determination, and staff support, all his goals can
be achieved. Javis is an example of how hard work in the face of obstacles leads to success.
When he learned that he was nominated for this award, Javis responded, “I’m happy and
proud of doing good work and I like to hear ‘thank you.’ I would say that I’m not different
from anyone else, and I can do anything!”
“I’m happy and proud of doing good work and
I like to hear ‘ thank you.’ I would say that
I’m not different from anyone else, and I can do anything!
28
”
Adam Hicks
St. Lawrence County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Seaway Industries
Canton/St. Lawrence County
Adam Hicks has come such a long way since becoming
employed at Seaway Industries in December 2010. He started as a very shy young man and
has grown into a hardworking, outgoing, personable adult with goals and ambitions.
Adam works as a janitorial crew member (dusting, mopping, vacuuming, scrubbing
bathrooms, washing windows, etc.) on several different contracts for St. Lawrence NYSARC,
two NYSID Preferred Source contracts and two federal contracts. During the summer
months, Adam splits his time among these four contracts and also works on the grounds
and maintenance crew, assisting with spring cleanup and lawn and garden maintenance.
When he was first hired, Adam’s performance reviews described a person who “lacks
initiative and independent judgment in his work” and “needs regular reminders to complete
his work to the employer’s standards.” The evaluator also commented that Adam “needs to
improve his social interaction, sensitivity to others and appropriate language and discussion.”
Today, Adam’s review reads very differently: “Adam has pushed himself to improve his
work skills and has shown improvement in ALL respects. He is very reliable and his supervisors count on him to get the job done. His communication skills
have improved, and he takes responsibility to independently
provide notice to his employer of any scheduling concerns or
other issues as required. Communication with his supervisors,
co-workers and employment specialist is also good, as Adam
works cooperatively and effectively with others, as well as alone.”
One of Adam’s biggest strengths is the amount of energy he
puts behind his work. He is physically fit and capable, and this
is apparent when observed on the job. His excellent level of
productivity is an asset to the mobile janitorial division and
has earned him an Employee Recognition Award.
Adam is ambitious and looks ahead to the future. He works
diligently on obtaining an EDP diploma and takes preparation classes at the St. Lawrence
County One Stop Career Center. Not long ago, Adam obtained his driver’s license and
purchased his very first vehicle with money he saved from his wages. Adam enjoys the
freedom and independence this affords and understands this will improve future job
prospects and employability.
If that weren’t enough to keep moving forward in life, Adam also volunteers as a
“Wood Bee” through his church and community to cut wood for people in need. Through
this worthwhile volunteer effort, a load of logs is “sponsored” for a needy family, delivered,
and then cut and split by the “Wood Bees” like Adam. At home, Adam has household chores
that he is responsible for, and helps his mother with the wood stove.
During his interview, Adam was asked what he would say to someone who felt that a
person with a disability couldn’t do the job that he is currently doing. His reply was: “It would
be a tough question to answer but I would just say, I’ve put up with a lot more heartaches
than you have, like my Dad leaving when I was 16, and I can do anything!” Just think of
what the future holds for Adam with this type of determination and will to succeed.
29
Benjamin Hunt
Northeast Career Planning/The Norton Center, Inc.
Menands/Albany County
Throughout 12 years of on-the-job experience, Ben
Hunt has mastered the finishing end of the printing process. A member of Northeast
Career Planning’s team at the NYS Education Department, Ben’s typical day consists of
loading packets on book binders, changing rolls on the shrink wrapper and stacking and
organizing various print jobs. In addition, he maintains the machines on the finishing end,
which includes cleaning and greasing the equipment. Ben is knowledgeable about the
paper and can tell you the dimension, weight – a single roll can weigh 1,275 pounds – and
how certain extreme temperatures can crack a roll in two.
Tom Vojnar, Ben’s supervisor, says that Ben is a hard worker who shows up for work on
time and ready to put in a solid day’s work, day after day. In addition, Ben is an important
part of his team and is well liked and respected by the entire unit. A while back, Ben was
afforded the opportunity to become trained to operate the forklift. Ben completed the
OSHA certification for forklift operator and has been re-certified every three years since.
He is very proud of his achievements, and so are his team members.
Ben graduated from supported employment a little over a
year ago. In addition to working at the print plant, he has taken
the initiative to become re-certified with the NYS Civil Service
55-B Program. One of Ben’s goals is to become a state employee,
receiving NYS benefits and saving for retirement. Ben is also
working with his family to find housing grants that he may be
eligible for and saving money to make his dream of independent
housing a reality.
Ben has achieved a lot already, and has admirable goals for
the present and the future. Ben is more knowledgeable about
the work he does, and continues to be a valuable employee and a
great person to work with. About recognition through the Joslin
Awards Program, Ben said, “It feels good to be recognized for the work I perform and the
quality of my work.”
“It feels good to be recognized for the work I perform
and the quality of my work.
30
”
David Johnson
Genesee County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Batavia/Genesee County
David Johnson is a kind, gentle soul who takes pride in a
job well done. He has been a reliable and exceptional member of the Genesee ARC janitorial
cleaning crew since 1977 and has been working on NYSID contracts for the past 25 years.
His reliability is reflected in his attendance record; he virtually never calls in sick, and
when time off is needed for appointments or vacations, he always gives plenty of notice.
Cleaning crew supervisors report that when David has completed his assigned work,
he is the first to seek out his co-workers and help them complete theirs. No task is too
daunting for David. Since he works in the evenings, his daytime routine includes riding
his bicycle all over the city of Batavia. He even has a part-time, independent day job
cleaning bathrooms at a local restaurant.
While he prides himself on his work, David’s passion is traveling. He loves going to new
places and has been on a Disney cruise and has traveled to a number of other exciting
places, including Jamaica, Hawaii and California. Collecting deposits from discarded soda
cans helps him finance his trips, so it’s obvious David knows the value of a nickel saved.
In 2012, David was recognized at the Genesee ARC Annual
Banquet with an astounding 35 years of service to the organization. His commitment to the agency has helped Genesee’s cleaning crew establish an exemplary reputation in the community, as
is evidenced by a growing list of satisfied customers. With these
accomplishments, Genesee’s Vocational Services Department is
pleased to single out David and honor him for overcoming limitations and succeeding through employment.
H is commitment to the agency has helped Genesee’s
cleaning crew establish an exemplary reputation in the community,
as is evidenced by a growing list of satisfied customers.
31
Beverly Kelly
The Arc Otsego
Oneonta/Otsego County
Ask Beverly Kelly what it takes to be nominated for the
William B. Joslin Outstanding Performance Award and her answer is immediate and
assertive. “You have to be a hard worker. You have to be at work on time and you have
to get along with your co-workers,” she replied.
Beverly should know. For the past 16 years, she’s held not just one, but two jobs:
machine operator on the NYSID Preferred Source briefs line at The Arc Otsego’s Vocational
Training Center, and dining room attendant at the local Burger King. Throughout this time,
she has demonstrated characteristics of motivation, dependability and teamwork that
mark all Joslin Award nominees.
At work, Beverly is “a human dynamo,” in the words of Mike Brown, Burger King
manager. He noted that customers have commented numerous times on how clean the
dining room at Burger King is compared to other fast food establishments. He gives
Beverly credit for that customer praise. Arc production supervisor Sandra Mark observed
that Beverly “is very particular to make sure that she and her team perform their tasks well.
She is a good team player.” Beverly has won perfect-attendance
awards at both work places.
When Beverly first came to the Arc, she had just graduated
from high school and was living at home. Gradually, the shy
worker-trainee blossomed into a real go-getter who approached
work assignments with obvious energetic enthusiasm, becoming
more outgoing and assertive in advocating for her needs and
desires. Her work at the Arc helped to reinforce those skills
at her job at Burger King. Beverly also moved from her home
to her own apartment. Initially, she relied on her mother or
support staff to take her places throughout the neighborhood,
but as she gained in confidence it allowed her to travel more
freely throughout the community.
Today, Beverly cares for her apartment, budgets her finances and cooks her own
meals. The money that she earns allows her to enjoy life. She likes to buy CDs, especially
those by Phil Collins. She enjoys crafting and purchases birdhouses, keepsake boxes and
picture frames to paint. And, she loves to eat out at Oneonta’s famous Brooks House of
BBQ restaurant where she always orders “nice and delicious barbecue chicken.”
In the future, Beverly, who is a faithful fan of the New York Yankees and NASCAR,
hopes to be able to attend one of those events. Through working, Beverly has gained
independence and developed important skills that enable her to enjoy a full, independent
and rich life.
“You have to be a hard worker. You have to be at work
on time and you have to get along with your co-workers.
32
”
Christopher LaComb
The Arc, Oneida-Lewis County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Progress Industries
Utica/Oneida County
Christopher LaComb is a 34-year-old man who has
been confronted with many obstacles and challenges from a very early age. Almost 15
years ago, at the age of 20, Chris was involved in a snowmobile accident in which he lost
the regular use of his right arm. Chris chose to let neither the accident nor his diagnosis
define him. He works very hard and so ably that many would never guess the magnitude
of the struggles that he’s overcome.
Chris was referred to Progress Industries nearly four years ago from The Arc OneidaLewis Chapter NYSARC Options program, and has since worked on the custodial crew in
the community. He works three days a week and is always willing to fill in on his days off.
Chris has obtained a driver’s license and is now able to drive himself to and from work.
His many great employment attributes include good attendance, punctuality, ability to
effectively communicate his wants and needs, and completion of various crew duties.
NYSID Preferred Source opportunities have opened Chris’ eyes to see what developing
his vocational skills could give him in life and help him to realize his potential. “My paycheck
is important to me because it helps me support my family,” he
said. Chris has achieved a lot, and has reached a point where he
can live independently with his wife and children. He works
hard to deliver for his family and his desire to be a provider
shows in his effort at work. Chris’ supervisor describes him as
enthusiastic and eager to please.
Through Preferred Source employment, Chris has made
positive choices in life, focusing on his financial obligations and
working with his treatment team to move toward his goals. He
has moved into a larger apartment within the community and is
making a solid effort to achieve positive outcomes. Although
Chris continues to face obstacles in his life, he addresses them
with more confidence. He feels his success comes from the success he has experienced by
working on a NYSID contract.
“M y paycheck is important to me because
it helps me support my family.
”
33
Brent Matthew Lillard
“The more you like yourself, the less
Nicholas Center for Autism/Spectrum Designs Foundation
Port Washington/Nassau County
you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.
”
~ Walt Disney
Brent Matthew Lillard came to Spectrum Designs Foundation three years ago looking for
employment. He studied graphic design in New York and wanted to work part-time as a
graphic artist. During the interview, he barely made eye contact and spoke in a whisper.
He preferred to work alone or in a different space than others, which would be fine if he
did not have to work with clients discussing their artwork. Brent is a very talented young
man who was never properly diagnosed, and struggles with the challenges presented
by Asperger’s syndrome.
Initially, Spectrum Designs started off only doing direct-togarment printing. Even though Brent was hired as a graphic
artist, he learned the entire process of printing a garment. As
Spectrum Designs expanded into silk-screening and embroidery,
Brent took the initiative to learn about the operations of the
new machines via online tutorials.
One of NYSID’s newest members, Spectrum Designs has
provided numerous Preferred Source customers with customprinted apparel. The company motto is exceptional products
made by exceptional people – like Brent and his co-workers.
One of the largest NYSID orders was a difficult one for the Town
of Oyster Bay. The quality of the town logo file was unacceptable,
and Brent worked meticulously to redraw the logo and make the screen himself to assure
the graphics were perfect. He did such a great job that the Town of Mamaroneck sent its logo,
and Brent reformatted it to fit on a sleeve. Patrick Bardsley, Brent’s Spectrum supervisor,
said, “Brent is responsible for the graphics on $45,000 worth of contracts in our first year
of NYSID membership. We wouldn’t be here without him.”
What makes Brent a Joslin Outstanding Performer? Three years ago, Spectrum interviewed a young man with poor work habits and organizational skills who could not work
independently with a client. Since then, Brent has developed time-management skills,
operates any machine in the shop and sits independently with clients to develop their
concepts into graphics. The area of greatest growth has been his involvement with fellow
employees. Brent has become an amazing role model. Over the years, he has risen to the
challenge of more responsibility and is an integral part of Spectrum’s success.
The other day, Brent was at his desk working on a new project when he looked up and
said with a smile: “This is so great. I just learned about this technique in class. I can’t wait
to tell my professor.” That he loves his job and serves as an outstanding role model to the
exceptional Spectrum team is evident every day. “I want to find a way to improve myself
and take advantage of my disabilities, and find ways to use them,” Brent said.
34
Mark Linden
Southeast Works, Inc.
Depew/Erie County
Mark Linden, 39, is a friendly and outgoing gentleman
who is well liked by everyone he meets. He is polite, courteous and always willing to lend a
helping hand to his co-workers. Mark enjoys work life and has an incredibly positive attitude. Diagnosed with an intellectual disability, he came to Southeast Works after
graduating high school in 1996 and participated in the Personal Adjustment Training
Program. He displayed good work skills but needed to develop confidence, focus and
overall social appropriateness.
Mark chose to begin his vocational career in the production area to obtain the basic skills
that would eventually lead to working in the community. He worked hard on developing
the skills needed on each task to be successful, as well as his soft skills, such as being more
socially appropriate by focusing and listening to those around him, how to enter and exit a
conversation, taking turns in a conversation, and making decisions independently. When
Mark first came to Southeast Works, he displayed very low self-confidence and would
often over-apologize whenever he made an error. This was an area in which he needed the
greatest development.
Mark moved out of his parents’ home and into a group home
in January 2006, a step forward which allowed him to gain
greater confidence and independence. The house proved to be a
great placement as Mark worked on enhancing his independence
by learning money skills, planning and preparing meals and
becoming more socially appropriate.
A year later, Mark’s persistence and drive for work success
paid off. After 10 years of developing his employment skills,
good work ethic and self-confidence on the production floor, he
decided that he was ready for the Southeast Works’ communitybased program. Mark still needed the additional supports of staff,
but this would be the next best step for him in achieving greater work independence.
Leaving the comfort and confidence he had developed with his current position behind,
Mark was clearly up for the challenge of the roles and responsibilities involved with being
a janitor.
Mark began learning basic janitorial skills at churches and local businesses. Although
he needed a great deal of support in his new role, he took any constructive criticism with a
positive attitude and used it to drive himself toward reaching his goal. Mark stated that he
“loves work and working with his friends.” He quickly learned the duties of a janitor and
improved his work pace. Wanting to keep pushing forward, Mark looked to becoming a
member of the NYS Thruway team, a more demanding assignment, which he readily took
on in early 2011.
When Mark is not working, he likes to go shopping to spend the money he earns and
go bowling with his friends. He hopes to return to Disney World, his favorite travel
destination. He is very active in swimming, playing basketball, baseball, going for walks,
or just being outside. Mark collects lighthouses, Irish collectibles and Notre Dame Fighting
Irish memorabilia.
Over the years, Mark has always worked on improving his abilities, never giving up.
His hard work and dedication have paid off with recognition as a Joslin Outstanding
Performer.
35
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.
Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened,
Edwardo Lopez
AHRC New York City
Manhattan/New York County
ambition inspired, and success achieved.
”
~ Helen Keller
When selecting a 2014 Joslin Outstanding Performer, Edwardo “Eddie” Lopez was
unanimously endorsed by the AHRC NYC team of co-workers, customers and managers.
Edwardo has truly shown what it means to never give up and keep moving toward your
goals. In his own words, struggles just make him want to work harder and achieve more.
Eddie is one of the hardest-working employees at AHRC NYC’s Metropolitan Transit
Authority (MTA) sites. He is always there on time, in a good mood and ready to provide good
customer service. “I love this work because I need to be hands-on; it would be so boring to
be just standing around. I love this job,” Eddie said. Every morning, he gets up at dawn to
commute from the Bronx to the Arthur Kill Bus Station MTA site
on Staten Island. His one-way commute is more than two hours,
but Eddie is always on time. Although offered a job closer to
home, for now he wants to be with his family in the Bronx.
Eddie has overcome many struggles and is a young, goaloriented individual with a sense of responsibility and pride in his
work. Living with his family in a Bronx shelter, he is one of only two
family members out of 13 with a job. Eddie was diagnosed with
mental retardation at a young age and attended special education
classes. When he was 19, he left school to help his family. Four
other siblings have disabilities and require extra care.
Becoming the head of the household at a young age, Eddie
is a good employee and sets a great example for his family. He
recently brought one of his sisters to AHRC NYC for its work readiness program, from
which she successfully graduated and became employed. He sent his brother to the same
program, and hopes to help the rest of his siblings become self-sufficient.
Eddie knows it is difficult for him to do well academically, as he reads and writes at a
first-grade level, but he does not want to give up. He earned his IEP diploma in 2009, completed
AHRC NYC’s work-readiness program and then started working for Hudson River Services,
the agency’s social enterprise, as a floating porter. This helped him acquire skills, improve
performance and secure a permanent position. Sometime later, he was assigned the
permanent spot at the Arthur Kill site, doing a wonderful job ever since.
Eddie has a plan to move out of the shelter to his own apartment; he already has saved
enough money, and AHRC staff is assisting him. In addition to moving on his own, he wants
to become foreman at one of the sites. From all reports, he works hard, does quality work,
has a good relationship with customers, and is very flexible, all good attributes of a potential supervisor.
When asked about the best thing in his life, Eddie smiled and replied, his 1-year-old
daughter. She is the joy of his life and the reason he wants his own place and a good paying
job, to provide her with a bright and promising future. Knowing his determination for the
past five years, the AHRC NYC team has no doubt he will achieve every goal he sets. Edwardo
Lopez has shown that life’s setbacks cannot hold back someone with a disability and living
homeless from finding the way to becoming successful.
36
Kenya Lyons
F•E•G•S
Manhattan/New York County
“Have you ever felt like you couldn’t breathe?” This is
how Kenya Lyons felt before she enrolled in services through F•E•G•S. Kenya moved
around a lot, and only depended on herself to get by. Hitting a few rough patches along
the way, she was unsure of ever having a secure future. After serving 11 months in a
correctional facility in upstate New York, Kenya returned home. “I needed to start from
scratch. I had no housing, no clothes, and needed employment to help support myself and
my disabled son,” she said.
From asking friends in her local community and doing research, Kenya heard about the
Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) program through F•E•G•S. She enrolled
as a self-referral in the PROS in December 2012. Kenya desired some stability in her life
and knew this was the first step needed to get there.
After six months of services, Kenya was referred by her PROS counselor for a new
enclave work-site project with F•E•G•S Work Services Division in May 2013. Kenya
received 10 hours of on-the-job site training for several months, working on a team with a
staff member assisting.
Kenya excelled during the training and was immediately hired as
the full-time female daytime porter on a NYSID Preferred Source
contract, utilizing the training opportunities and applying them
to permanent employment. Kenya is responsible for cleaning
floors and serving the ladies’ restrooms in the NYS Office
Building, where she is seen as reliable, consistent and dedicated
to her work. She has grown as a person and an employee, and is
being considered for a promotion as a team leader.
“With the guidance from F•E•G•S, I can breathe again,”
Kenya said. Thanks to the collaboration of services through
PROS and Community & Employment Supports Division,
Kenya has been able to rebuild her relationship with her son, create stability in her life
and gain independence.
“With the guidance from
F•E•G•S, I can breathe again.
”
37
Joseph Mandella
AHRC Nassau County
Freeport/Nassau County
Joseph Mandella is a 57-year-old man who has worked
with the AHRC commercial cleaning crew since June 1995. When Joseph started working
as a commercial cleaner, he required full attention and direction from his supervisor.
Today, he is a dedicated, hardworking and self-motivated employee.
Joseph has learned how to use the upright and backpack vacuum, steadily increasing
the quality and speed of his work. Some of his specialties are high dusting, window
cleaning and furniture polishing. Joseph goes above and beyond expectations by helping
his co-workers when they are having difficulty cleaning detailed areas or getting the
job done. He is a committed employee who sets a high standard and is a great example
to others.
Over the past 19 years, Joseph’s independence has improved greatly. He drives to and
from work, arriving early every day and assisting in the preparation of the crew’s day by
preparing equipment in the cleaning van. His hard work and determination have helped
the AHRC cleaning program renew the NYS Department of Labor and NYS Department of
Motor Vehicle NYSID Preferred Source contracts. He has been
maintaining these properties by dusting, vacuuming, sweeping,
mopping, picking up garbage, and wiping tables. Joseph’s cleaning
skills and excellent personality have made our customers very
happy. The opportunities provided by NYSID contracts have been
instrumental in helping him become an outstanding cleaner and
very sociable in the community.
Joseph demonstrates this determination in his personal life.
Although faced with some recent challenges, this has not
impacted his work performance. Joseph has lived with his wife
in her family home for nearly 20 years. Unfortunately, the family
will be selling their home, as they are unable to keep up with
the household needs. Joseph will soon be moving back to his mother’s home.
Additionally, his wife’s physical and medical needs have significantly increased these past
few years, and she will be placed in a nursing home. While Joseph sometimes struggles to
process these significant changes, the one constant for him has been his employment
with AHRC. Without the structure and familiar routine of his job, Joseph would have an
extremely difficult time handling these many changes in his life.
AHRC salutes Joseph Mandella for making positive changes in his life that have
resulted in personal independence and satisfaction.
a
… committed employee who sets a high standard and is
a great example to others.
38
William Mariano
JM Murray Center, Inc.
Cortland/Cortland County
William “Will” Mariano is employed as a janitor at the
Whitney Point rest area on Route 81 South in Broome County. He works under a NYSID
contract for the NYS Department of Transportation. Will’s duties include cleaning all bathroom facilities, lobby areas, outside picnic grounds, and pet-walking areas in all types of
weather, year-round. This may not sound like much, but when taking into consideration that
he has Cerebral Palsy and must wear a leg brace just to walk, it’s quite an accomplishment.
Will demonstrates his extraordinary personal drive every day. He always wants to
help others and seems to have a special knack with kids. He shows his commitment to
serving others by working at The Magic Paintbrush in the Oakdale Mall. This is a program
for autistic and special-needs children that allows them to work on arts and crafts. Will
also accompanies groups of children on outings to Binghamton Mets baseball games and
other activities.
Will has a love of archery and participates in a bowling league in his spare time. He also
enjoys the latest action-adventure movies or learning his way around a new video game.
Before working at the rest area, Will attended a BOCES work
study program. He was first employed at Wilson Hospital in the
mailroom, at the sheltered workshop doing production work
and then at McDonald’s. His mom urged him to do better, which
Will took as a challenge. He now prefers working at the rest area
because of the greater variety and opportunity to assist travelers
and have a much more diverse day-to-day work environment.
Will has always set goals for himself that started at an early
age. At 5, he wanted to be a “Transformer,” G.I. Joe at 10, a fireman
at 15 and then to be involved in construction work. He found
that his disability prevented him from following that path, but
he has succeeded in his own right.
Will has been living with a family care provider for the last 15 years, and supporting all
activities within the household. When asked what goal he wants to tackle next: he wants
to own a home.
He always wants to help others and seems to have
a special knack with kids.
39
Kahran McLean
Onondaga County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Monarch Industries
Syracuse/Onondaga County
“I was very shy in high school and very shy when
I started here,” said Kahran McLean, 24, between breaths as he continued to talk about
all the jobs he works on five days a week. His first job ever, Kahran joined the Monarch
Industries team right out of high school in 2009 and has worked five days a week ever
since, all on Preferred Source contracts.
“It’s amazing how far he’s come,” said Jim Pitts, Enclaves manager for Monarch. “When
he started, he was extremely quiet, never spoke up and kept to himself. Now, he’s the ‘go-to’
on most sites. He not only has more confidence socially, but has become comfortable
around all types of people, and has learned to speak up when he has questions, which has
really helped to develop his problem-solving skills.”
Although Kahran is still bashful, he’s anything but shy today. He loves to talk and loves to
work. He’s a fast and conscientious employee who always lends a helping hand to his peers
after he is done with his tasks. Kahran has become so skilled at what he does that he is one
of the few employees Monarch can utilize to the maximum. He manages the responsibilities
of working at many different sites, knowing the needs and
demands of each one, and their differences. He works for the NYS
Department of Transportation at its signal shop and bridge maintenance center, at the Joslin Diabetes Center with minimal to little
supervision and at the DSO’s Gateway Day Hab and work center.
In fact, Kahran’s skills and ability to adapt on the worksites
have become so impressive that he has been chosen as one of the
first Monarch employees to work at a site on his own without a
group. “We’re trying this for the first time,” Jim Pitts said. “On top
of all the skills we are already seeking for someone to have their
own site, including being dependable, reliable, trustworthy and
helpful, Kahran also possesses two of the most important skills:
mastery of equipment and impeccable attendance. He always shows up for work on time
and always communicates. If we didn’t remind him to use his vacation time, he’d never take
a day off.”
“I clean a worksite like I clean my house,” Kahran said. “It’s what drives me and keeps me
stable.” Kahran says that since he started working at Monarch, he has gained confidence
and comfort in learning and knowing a job. “I’m a good worker, and I like to be able to help
my co-workers learn the same skills I did so they can become good at their jobs, too,” he
said. Kahran says having a job with Monarch makes him feel proud. “I’m able to achieve
things. I feel useful.”
Since Kahran has started working at Monarch, he has been able to accomplish one of his
two life goals and has moved into his own apartment, allowing him to live a more independent
life. Although he admits he still receives a little bit of help from his mother, Kahran is able to
pay his rent, buy his own food and pay bills, a goal that he is proud to have achieved. Next
on his list: obtain a driver’s license. Although he says he’s not ready to take the test just yet,
he does admit that he reads the driving test book every night to study.
In his spare time, Kahran likes to play video games, draw and sketch. “I took some art
classes at Onondaga Community College,” he said. “Being a cartoon artist would be my
biggest dream in life. But I’d also like to get certified in CPR so I can be a supervisor one day
as well.”
40
Mike Mills
Oswego Industries, Inc.
Canton/Oswego
Mike Mills joined the Oswego Industries custodial
operation fresh out of high school, having graduated the year prior. He started in the very
busy and muddy month of April, and had to dive right into learning how to mop, vacuum
and clean bathrooms. Mike never shirked these job tasks, always trying his best and
taking instruction good-naturedly.
Despite the challenges presented by Aspergers syndrome, Mike has improved and
matured wonderfully over the past 12 months in support of customers which include the
Arc of Oswego County and NYSID Preferred Source contracts. While developing a routine
and following procedure were initially difficult for him, he has never received any complaints
and always does a great job.
Mike has had a very exciting year and has grown and matured into a responsible man.
He has learned how to run cleaning machinery and how to strip and wax floors. He always
makes himself available and will come to work with short notice just to help out. Mike has
also taken on inventory and helps gather and record stock usage for the cleaning crew.
When Mike joined the cleaning team, he had not worked with
other adults before and was unsure about proper behavior. Over
the past year, he has made leaps and bounds in this regard.
Mike merits this recognition because he is a success through
employment, becoming independent and sure of himself.
Earning his own income has changed Mike’s life in many ways,
including buying his first car. He looks forward to contributing to
his parents’ household, just as he looks forward to moving into
his own place in the future. He aspires to raise and support his
own family as well.
Mike feels as though his success shows others who may
have disabilities or personal struggles that anyone can succeed.
Of being nominated as a Joslin Outstanding Performer, he said, “I like that people with
disabilities are recognized for their hard work and dedication to be a part of society like
everyone else. One last reason, I’ll have a plaque!”
“I like that people with disabilities are recognized
for their hard work and dedication to be a part of society
like everyone else. One last reason, I’ll have a plaque!
”
41
Kathy Muller
ACHIEVE and Country Valley Industries/Broome Tioga County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Binghamton/Broome County
On a cloudy, wintry morning, the frigid air whips
furiously across the pale grey snow. A row of dirty, salt-stained cars drudge along Front
Street, carrying commuters engrossed in the daily grind.
In a tiny production facility, the air is silent and still. A door whips open and a rosycheeked blond woman, Kathy Muller, barges in. She breaks the silence by loudly exclaiming
“Good morning!” She smiles wide and proclaims, “I’m ready for another great day of work
at ACHIEVE!”
She proceeds to a small group of workers and greets each person by name. “Good morning,
Sheila! What would you like me to work on today?” she asks her supervisor. As she heads
toward her workstation, she happily greets her peers and brings a much-needed warmth to
the dreary, cold winter morning.
Most people would admit that this is not their demeanor in the morning, let alone a
winter morning in upstate New York. But, most people are not Kathy Muller. Kathy greets
each day this way!
Kathy is a young woman with a delightful personality who
always has something nice to say about everyone and everything.
She graduated from BOCES in 2012 and arrived for the first time
at the Country Valley Industries (CVI) Cutler Pond vocational
program in May 2012. Nervous and overly cautious at first, as
time went on she developed confidence and skills and has since
proven to be a diligent, reliable worker with excellent skills.
Kathy has worked on a variety of jobs since starting at CVI, but
her preferred job is Bates Troy laundry. She performs all areas of
the NYSID Preferred Source Bates Troy contract work. She inspects
and stacks washcloths, inspects and folds blankets and contours
and is able to weigh scale and tie wrap completed bundles. “I like
everything about Bates Troy,” Kathy said.
Kathy is often called upon to substitute for other workers in maintenance and recycling.
She’s equally enthusiastic about taking on these responsibilities in order to learn new tasks
as she is to come into work each day and complete her normally scheduled work routine.
Kathy has developed an excellent work ethic and will perform any task that is needed
with great focus and attention to detail. She takes pride in her work, as evidenced by the
excellent quality she is able to produce, along with the manner in which she speaks about
each job she is assigned. Kathy proudly tells anyone who will listen about all the jobs she
works on each day, noting that she is excited about what the next day may bring.
A role model to her peers by displaying a positive attitude and great work ethic, Kathy
has been called on to assist others in learning skills such as folding blankets. Her patient
demeanor and attention to detail make her a great partner to learn from.
Kathy lives in Binghamton with her parents. Her other interests include playing
Nintendo DS games, drawing cartoon characters, singing, playing the piano and listening
to a wide variety of music. Kathy has a beautiful singing voice and will often serenade her
co-workers at the end of the day.
Kathy is truly deserving of recognition due to her outstanding work ethic, her continued
growth, her positive attitude, and her ability to act as a role model in inspiring others each
day. These are the reasons we nominate Kathy Muller for the 2014 Joslin Outstanding
Performance Award.
42
Susan Nicol
“I enjoy hard work;
Jefferson Rehabilitation Center
Watertown/Jefferson County
I love setting goals and achieving them.
”
~ Jewel
Susan Nicol and the singer Jewel have something in common. Susan takes pride in the fact
that she is a hard worker and is able to work on a variety of jobs. Without her work, she
would be “bored, and I don’t want to do that, that is no fun.” She enjoys her work, likes to
keep busy, and has exemplary attendance at work.
Susan has worked on a NYSID Preferred Source contract for approximately 10 years and
has had a goal of enhancing her vocational skills. She was recognized as the “Trainee of the
1st Quarter” at Jefferson Rehabilitation Center’s Production Unlimited in 2010, for her
success and accomplishments at work. Susan demonstrates
flexibility by being willing to work wherever she is assigned, and
she works on many different tasks involved in the production of
three-ring binders. She is a hard worker and is able to maintain
high production with minimal waste. Susan has improved her
productivity, thus increasing her pay. She likes to make money,
because she likes to go into the community “to shop, go out to
eat, and to go on trips.” Susan also has demonstrated improvement with communicating concerns to the supervisor and with
accepting constructive criticism.
In 2006, Susan was recognized by NYSID as an Outstanding
Performer. Since then, she has continued to make progress and
has established herself as a role model for her co-workers and others through her involvement in activities outside of work. She was involved in the North Country Self-Advocates’
group, and she continues to be a member of the Residential Advisory Board committee.
Susan is always willing to work hard, help out, and do what is needed to get the job done!
43
James Ormsby
Saratoga Bridges, NYSARC, Inc.
Ballston Spa/Saratoga County
James “Jim” Ormsby is an individual who doctors
diagnosed with mild mental retardation, hand tremors and Intermittent Explosive
Disorder. After being employed in various other vocational settings, Jim returned to
Saratoga Bridges in 2008, and has been working the fire bag component of Alpha
Industries ever since.
Although Jim has a history of losing his temper and other negative behaviors, he has a
great sense of humor, is able to read and can clearly communicate his wants and needs.
When Jim returned to the Alpha Industries production team, they developed a plan to
help him express and effectively handle potential frustrations. Each morning, Jim meets
with his staff person and then again after breaks, lunch, and at the end of the day. The
rapport between Jim and his staff liaison makes a big difference in his productivity. Rather
than focusing on negative situations, he is learning constructive coping techniques and
positive social interactions. This routine has helped him become much more successful
throughout the day.
As a result, Jim has been able to steadily improve his daily
work output. He thoroughly enjoys processing and packaging
kiln-dried firewood into mesh bags. Even though this job is very
physical and presents challenges to Jim’s physical disabilities,
he keeps up a competitive pace with his co-workers. Jim is
achieving feats he and the Saratoga Bridges organization did not
believe he could. Everyone continues to encourage him to reach
his full potential and have an optimistic, happy future.
a
… chieving feats he and the Saratoga Bridges organization
did not believe he could.
44
Victoria Ortiz
Occupations, Inc.
Middletown/Orange County
Victoria Ortiz is currently employed by Occupations on
several Department of Transportation (DOT) contracts held with NYSID. She began her
association with Occupations in 2000 seeking clinical services. With these supports in
place, she began working in the Scotchtown work center on a fast-paced bottle-filling
operation, where she remained for nine years. Through the encouragement of staff and
her “can do” attitude, she applied for a contract worker position at the DOT Rest Area
contract and was hired. She has worked there for the past four years.
Throughout her employment, Victoria has been flexible, reliable, punctual, and responsible
at all times, showing up regardless of weather or other circumstances. She always volunteers
to work extra shifts, helps others and maintains a safe and clean job site. Victoria excels
in customer service and enjoys working with the public. She is part of our snow team and
has learned to use snow blowers and shovels, and has even spent the night on location, to
ensure that the customer was getting the service they require when road conditions
prohibit travel. Spring is her favorite time of year, and after this past winter, the reason
is evident!
Victoria thinks on her feet, and within the past year she has
responded to emergency situations in a caring and professional
way without delay. She always displays integrity in her work
and has proven it time and again. Victoria has taken phone
numbers from visitors who lost something while at the rest
area, and has called to reunite them with their property.
Occupations management received a letter from DOT in
which a patron contacted them to report that she went above
and beyond to return a lost hearing aid.
Victoria enjoys her work because it has made her financially
independent. Her earnings have enabled her to obtain an
apartment and maintain a car, all without dependence on her family. She has grown
tremendously over the past few years and has gained the confidence to drive to the job site
via major highway, which is something that she had never done before. At first, she started
driving to one rest area and then added a second. She is optimistic that as time goes on,
she may even begin driving to others that are much further away.
Victoria is very proud of her accomplishments, and she recently earned her GED. She
wants to continue to grow in her position and stay with the agency in some capacity. She
looks forward to career advancement into a higher-paying job and is optimistic about her
future. Her drive, positive attitude and performance will support her goals and enhance
career opportunities for others with disabilities.
Her drive, positive attitude and performance will support her
goals and enhance career opportunities for others with disabilities.
45
Jermaine Parrish
The Corporate Source
Manhattan/New York County
Jermaine Parrish has been an employee of The
Corporate Source (TCS), a division of the YAI Network, since June 2006. As one of the
original team members at the important Suffolk County Cohalan Court complex site from
day one, he has been a consistent and integral part of this Preferred Source janitorial team.
One of Jermaine’s trademark qualities is that he always comes in at 2 p.m., even though his
shift doesn’t start until 3 p.m.
Jermaine can always be counted on to work in a thorough manner. One of his main
responsibilities is the building’s front lobby, the entrance for the general public, and he
also cleans other key public areas. Jerome is cooperative and motivated, and has benefited
greatly from instruction and support from supervisors over the years. This has allowed
him to partner effectively with co-workers in meeting this high-profile customer’s
expectations over many years.
About two years ago, Jermaine had a significant change in his home life; his mother
needed to move from the home she shared with Jermaine and his siblings to live with her
mother to better manage her own health issues. While the
change and subsequent adjustment had a big impact on
Jermaine, it never affected his ability to perform all of his job
responsibilities with the same level of excellence and reliability
our customers had become accustomed to from him. He continues
to be extremely reliable and one of our most conscientious
employees. Management and staff consistently receive good
feedback about his work performance and flexibility from
our customer.
Jermaine’s response to the harsh weather of this past winter
is a good example of his work ethic and commitment. During
numerous storms, he often worked an extended shift to ensure
that snow removal and janitorial duties were met. He would then sleep at the work site
between shifts in order to be there for his next shift. Jermaine is described by his supervisor as
a dedicated, conscientious employee who represents TCS and NYSID in impeccable fashion.
“I like being nominated for this award because it makes me feel that my hard work is
recognized and appreciated,” Jermaine said.
“I like being nominated for this award because it
makes me feel that my hard work is recognized and appreciated.
46
”
Randy Peterson
Cattaraugus County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./The ReHabilitation Center
Olean/Cattaraugus County
Randy Peterson was driving a cab in Buffalo in 2002
when he was confronted with a life-changing experience. A man pulled a gun on him and,
without a second thought, Randy grabbed the man’s arm, knocked the gun aside and managed
to escape unharmed. This event affected him deeply, and he sought emotional support at
the local counseling center. His therapist assisted him to deal with the anxiety and encouraged
him to obtain clinical supports through the mental health day treatment program and to
seek financial support through social security.
For the next eight years, while participating in the Guidepost program for treatment
of schizophrenia, Randy was a loving caregiver for his mother, a paraplegic who needed
significant help with meal preparation, laundry and personal care. Randy’s mother passed
away in April 2010, and he eventually started to think about a return to the workforce. He
recognized that productive work would be important to his mental health, and had a goal of
becoming self-sufficient. Randy applied for services through ACCES-VR, began a job search
and was hired as a cleaner for SCS in September 2011. He has worked for the NYSID contract
at the Cattaraugus County Office Building since April 2012.
The two-story county office building has multiple service
departments and 90,000 square feet to be cleaned five days per
week. The team leader reports that Randy demonstrates excellent
attendance and productivity, and is flexible with scheduling, as he
is willing to take on extra projects. He stands out as an employee
for two key attributes: a positive attitude and willingness to do
any job without complaint. This is a critical contribution to a team
that needs to move fast to get all the work done.
Randy uses his time wisely and works hard to meet the
standards of the contracts. He is a fast worker who is able to run
buffers and scrubbers, as well as step into any job as needed.
As a result, Randy has become one of the more experienced and able cleaners. Staff
members have assisted him with increasing his skills and independence at the work sites.
Randy’s friendly and joking manner has enabled him to develop positive relationships with
the county employees and to be a good representative of The ReHabilitation Center’s
cleaning team.
Randy shares his success with peers and the community. He was invited to be a member
of the employment steering committee for the local Foundations for Change program.
Randy also participated as a speaker for workshops on the benefits of work for recovery,
willingly sharing his story of challenges. His strong work ethic and experience as a cab
driver also assisted him to get hired as a back-up shuttle driver for the agency.
Randy has a strong faith and feels it is important to contribute to the community. His
lifelong employment goal is to own a radio station that is focused on Bible readings, along
with updates on news, weather and sports.
A major personal achievement that resulted from his two years of employment on the
NYSID contract is that Randy is now financially self-sufficient. Although this was a difficult
transition for him, he believed in the importance of independence, and he persevered
through the change from benefits to wages. Getting a regular paycheck is the key for Randy
to be able to achieve his goals and maintain self-sufficiency.
47
Adam Rabideau
Essex County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Mountain Lake Services
Mineville/Essex County
Adam Rabideau has worked in the wood production
center at Essex Industries for the past 14 months. This is the first job Adam has had, and
he is eager to express how happy he is to earn a paycheck and have the ability to buy the
things he wants.
In the brief time Adam has worked at Essex Industries, he has learned all of the steps
involved with picnic table construction, including assisting with unloading materials,
stacking and stickering lumber, molding the materials, drilling, assembling, and packaging
for shipment. Adam has transitioned from a man with no prior work experience and low
self-esteem to a dependable worker. He has a positive, enthusiastic attitude and has
mastered every step of producing and constructing the finished product.
Initially, Adam had difficulty getting along and working with others and following his
supervisor’s directions. He had a tendency to “supervise” his co-workers, which caused
conflict. Adam’s work habits and interactions with his supervisors and co-workers have
remarkably improved. Supervisors regard him as a dependable worker. Adam has
developed many positive work habits that include working with
others and being part of a team, plus working independently.
What’s more, he now has the ability to assist in training others.
Adam’s interests outside of work include fishing, baseball,
wrestling, and gardening. He is an avid fisherman and is a
member of the Mountain Lake Services Fishing Club. He enjoys
baseball and is making plans to visit the National Baseball Hall of
Fame in Cooperstown. Adam enjoys going to wrestling matches
and is actively involved in the vegetable garden at his home. He
especially enjoys visiting his parents every chance he gets.
In the future, Adam looks toward working in the community.
He has no special job in mind, but he knows he likes to earn
money and be independent.
d
… eveloped many positive work habits that include working with
others and being part of a team, plus working independently.
48
Patricia Reed
Community, Work & Independence, Inc.
Glens Falls/Warren County
There is something special about a person who goes
out of her way to make other people feel valued and appreciated at work. Patricia Reed is
one such individual.
Most of us go through our day and don’t wonder how others are faring, or how to cheer
someone up if they look like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. Most of us don’t
ask our supervisors how we can be of assistance to them, or offer to do more than we have
already been asked to do. Patricia is the exception. An outgoing, personable and friendly
individual who considers her job an extension of herself, Patricia’s employment at North
Country Ventures is evidence of her predisposition to excel and to go above and beyond in
her work performance.
For many years, Patricia resided with her mother and worked in the competitive sector
in a small restaurant until the establishment closed its lunch counter. She was disappointed,
as she liked working in a restaurant atmosphere, but she subsequently found employment
in a school cafeteria. Unfortunately, this experience presented the negative side of
other employees.
Prior to working in the community, Patricia had worked at
North Country Ventures, so she considered returning, especially
after learning that many of the jobs had become more challenging,
requiring skills she had learned and mastered while working
competitively. With this positive attitude, Patricia resumed
working at North Country Ventures in 2004; for the past 10 years,
she has contributed in no small way to the many NYSID Preferred
Source contracts at North Country Ventures. She has worked on
calendars, staple removers, labelled correction fluid, and
requested to work on the firewood contract. When asked why
she wanted to try working on the firewood, she replied, “I can
work just as hard as the guys and do just as good a job!” Truer words were never spoken.
Patricia loves to draw and make art with markers and multimedia, and shares her
finished pieces with staff and friends at program. She now resides with her sister at home,
and gets out in the community through respite services. When asked what she would be
doing if she were not working at North Country Ventures on NYSID contracts, Patricia
responded, “wondering how everyone else here is doing without me.” She truly values
her participation in the work center, and her supervisors and co-workers alike have only
positive things to say about her.
Without her job, Patricia added that she would feel lost and have no purpose. Without
her, CWI’s North Country Ventures team would be without a most caring, hardworking,
and conscientious employee.
There is something special about a person who goes out of her
way to make other people feel valued and appreciated at work.
49
Robert Rowe
eBizDocs
Menands/Albany County
At first glance, Robert Rowe evidently puts forth a quiet
determination. His smile and the gleam in his eyes are one aspect. Robert is also a perfect
gentleman, very appreciative of everything life has to offer. A quiet and reserved individual,
he believes in doing the right thing both on and off work.
Robert was born and raised in Troy and was diagnosed with moderate mental retardation at an early age. Over time, he worked very hard to overcome the obstacles standing in
his way. His main goal was to become independent while working in a local warehouse for
a small vending company. Robert came to eBizDocs in February 2013 with a willingness
and passion to do his job well. He is always willing to do more than what is expected and
wants to learn and jump in wherever needed to help the organization succeed. He is
independent and takes pride in being able to do things on his own.
Joining the eBizDocs team, Robert became a “go-to” person to assist in several areas,
including document preparation, pickups and deliveries, general maintenance, and building
and grounds. He is the type of person who would rather be 20 minutes early than two
minutes late. Robert can be found in the break room with the
other team members, known as the “coffee club”, visiting before
the start of his scheduled shift in the morning.
Robert has also overcome some medical issues that slowed
him down in the past. He enjoys walking every day and collecting bottles along the way. Robert also enjoys going to the library
to do some reading. During the spring and summer months, you
can find Robert frequenting garage sales. On Sundays, you can
find him at church.
A huge Tri-City ValleyCats fan, it’s rare that he is not wearing
his ValleyCats hat unless he’s cleaning it. He wears it very
proudly and can tell you almost anything you want to know
about the team. Robert even works at the stadium during the summer.
Ed Canary, eBizDocs director of operations, summed Robert up by saying, “We are
very lucky to have Robert Rowe as part of our team. He’s a very quiet, hardworking,
independent, quality-conscious person with a great outlook on life.”
e is always willing to do more than what is expected
H
and wants to learn and jump in wherever needed to help
the organization succeed.
50
Rosemary Russo
Sullivan Arc/Sullivan Industries
Monticello/Sullivan County
Rosemary Russo has been a dedicated employee of
Sullivan Arc’s employment service program since October 2011, working on a mobile
work crew serving NYSID Preferred Source contracts at both the NYS Department of
Labor and the NYS Department of Health in Monticello. Rosemary is profoundly deaf and
has borderline intellectual functioning.
A native of Puerto Rico, Rosemary moved to the Bronx when she was 13 years old. Her
mother taught her how to lip read at a young age. Rosemary is a very interesting woman
as she communicates with modified American Sign Language. She reads English and lip
reads Spanish. Rosemary completed up to the ninth grade at a school for the deaf in New
York City. A few years later, she received vocational training at a sheltered workshop in the
Bronx as a bench assembler, where she put in bolts to hold the bench together. Rosemary
then worked in another sheltered workshop for more than 10 years, during which she
learned to do various jobs to help her prepare for working in the community. From there,
she moved to Liberty, where she shares an apartment with her boyfriend. Rosemary has a
daughter and an 11-year-old grandson living in Puerto Rico. Her
son passed away when he was 2 years old.
Rosemary was introduced to Sullivan Arc Employment Services
through the local ACESS-VR office. In doing so, she transitioned
to community employment from the sheltered workshop as a
member of a mobile janitorial crew, with two other workers and
a job coach. As part of her various job responsibilities on the
mobile team, she mops, dusts, removes trash, and cleans the
bathrooms. Rosemary is a very hard worker who loves to work.
She takes great pride in her performance and is also very protective
of her cleaning materials, treating them as if they were her own.
Though Rosemary is profoundly deaf, she is able to make her
needs known. When Rosemary received her first paycheck as a result of working on NYSID
contracts, she tearfully explained that workers in Puerto Rico did not receive these same
good wages, a very rewarding moment for her and for the Sullivan team.
Rosemary strives on a daily basis to be as independent as she can be. She started out
with the training and guidance of a sheltered workshop where she gained the tools to help
her evolve into working in the community with support, living in her own apartment in a
committed relationship. Financial independence through NYSID Preferred Source wages
has helped Rosemary provide for her own needs as well as those of her household.
Aside from being a great and dedicated worker, Rosemary always has a warm smile for
those she meets. For those she loves, she often sheds tears of joy when she sees them. She
has a lot of love to give and concern for her supervisors as demonstrated with hugs and
kisses every time she sees them. Rosemary is an asset to the employment service team
and to the NYS government customers she helps satisfy.
s
… he transitioned to community employment from the sheltered
workshop as a member of a mobile janitorial crew, with two other
workers and a job coach.
51
Lourdes Santiago
Goodwill Industries of Greater NY & Northern NJ/GoodTemps
Astoria/Queens County
Lourdes Santiago was diagnosed with severe hearing
impairment at birth, which became progressively more pronounced as she grew up.
Today, the only way Lourdes can hear anything is with the use of a hearing aid.
Lourdes attended Lowell High School where, despite a curriculum that provided
accommodations for people with disabilities, she found it very difficult to keep up with
her classmates. She was also diagnosed as learning disabled. Lourdes describes hearing
loss as living in enforced silence. Unable to hear normally, she worked hard to learn how
to speak so people could understand her. She used her hearing aids as a window to the
world to learn how to form sounds, and later took intensive speech therapy classes at
Hunter College to further improve and enhance her speaking ability.
After her education was completed, Lourdes learned about an organization called
the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitative Medicine, which referred her to ACCES-VR for
employment support. ACCES-VR informed Lourdes about vocational opportunities
through GoodTemps. She registered, but found competitive work on her own at Bank
of New York at the same time.
Lourdes had a permanent job at Bank of New York for six
years, but was later laid off due to her disability, she believes.
Determined to bounce back, Lourdes sent out resumes and
went on interviews, without success. She cited one particular
occasion when she attended an interview with her hair down
covering her hearing aid earpiece. Lourdes felt confident going
into the second interview, so she wore her hair back in a pony
tail with her hearing aid visible. Shortly into the interview, the
company representative excused himself; two minutes later,
another employee informed Lourdes that she would not be a
good fit for the opening. She feels this was because the hearing
aid was noticed, and that perhaps it was assumed that she was less capable than
someone who could hear naturally.
Moving forward, Lourdes re-registered with GoodTemps in 2012; soon thereafter,
Mark Dixon, director of placement, called her about a potential clerical position at the
NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA). Excited but nervous because of past
disappointments, Lourdes knew GoodTemps was confident in her ability. She was
encouraged to be herself and focus on the value she brings, specifically her Excel and
Word skills, and her careful attention to detail. After the interview, she was selected and
remains a valued employee of HRA more than a year later.
Lourdes is also involved in her community, giving back to those less fortunate. She has
worked with the Dress for Success Program, where she advised disadvantaged job seekers
on what clothes they should choose for job searches and interviews. Lourdes has also
volunteered at the New York University Langone Medical Center as an office assistant,
assisting with administrative and clerical duties.
Her HRA supervisor characterizes Lourdes’ work performance and ethic as outstanding
in many ways: “Lourdes is detail oriented, careful and very reliable. She makes sure the
job is done right the first time so there is no need to correct mistakes. She also goes the
extra mile when necessary to get the best results possible.”
52
Jeffrey Schuster
Chautauqua County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./The Resource Center
Jamestown/Chautauqua County
Jeffrey Schuster loves his job, and his work shows it.
Initially starting in The Resource Center’s (TRC) production facility, Jeffrey longed for a job
in the community working with non-disabled workers. In July 2009, his wish came true
when he was placed on the NYS Thruway mobile janitorial crew, cleaning Interstate 90
toll stations.
Jeffrey’s case manager visited him on his first day on the job and asked if he was ready
for this exciting step. His response was, “the entire Schuster family is happy!” Although
Jeffrey was anxious about having time to eat his lunch, he made a plan to eat before work
every day, ensuring that he would be well fed for the work ahead in the afternoon.
Jeffrey has created many relationships with the Thruway employees and has become
friends with the toll booth workers. He keeps everyone informed of past employees and
frequently shares stories of their busy weekends, retelling his stories at each station to
ensure all of his friends hear. Jeffrey also assists in training other individuals who are
new to the crew, showing them all the tasks and how to complete them thoroughly. He
is an asset to the Thruway cleaning crew, and his work is
appreciated by all.
Although Jeffrey is busy every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
working on the cleaning crew, he continues his employment at
TRC, trimming for government contract work. He insists upon
being very thorough to ensure accuracy in his tasks, as it is a job
he truly enjoys, so much so that when word spread that the
work center may be closing, Jeffrey sprang into action. He was
so passionate about the cause that he obtained a petition for
supporters to keep it open and brought it to the Thruway for
everyone to sign.
Both of his employers report that Jeffrey’s attendance is
excellent, rarely having an unexcused absence. He requests time off well in advance so that
a substitute can be found. When Jeffrey needs time off, it’s often to travel. He generally
takes at least one vacation a year with the People and Places travel program for individuals
with disabilities. Jeffrey has been to several different states and hopes to be able to take a
vacation to Hawaii.
When Jeffrey isn’t working at TRC or on the Thruway, he enjoys spending time with his
family who live nearby. He also enjoys visiting with senior citizens in the local nursing
home, another example of his commitment to a better Chautauqua area community.
“The entire Schuster family is happy! ”
53
Jean Mary Shields
Ulster-Greene Arc/Pilot Industries
Kingston/Ulster County
The oldest of eight children, Jean Mary Shields’ universe
revolved around her mom with whom she lived in New Jersey for 60 years. As her aging
mother’s health declined, and with the family’s support and mom’s blessing, Jean was
encouraged to look into options that would promote her independence. In October 2012,
she opened a new chapter in her life by moving to Ellenville, where she began living in an
Ulster-Greene ARC supervised home with others her age. And that’s when Jean Mary
started working at the agency’s vocational program Pilot Industries.
To leave family, friends, a job, and all familiar things is quite overwhelming for many
people. So when Jean Mary appeared reserved and insecure at first, Pilot staff knew that it
may take some time for her to acclimate to all these changes. Within a few months, Jean
started to blossom. One of the first jobs that she wanted to learn was how to package
Preferred Source Drug Test Kits. When job coaches began to teach her how to package the
drug test kits, they also explained how the kits are used and why correct packaging is so
critical. “My best day at work was when I learned how to use the stamping machine for the
drug test labels. It is a very important job and I can do it,” said
Jean Mary. Packaging drug test kits has become Jean Mary’s
favorite assignment at Pilot.
Like all of us, Jean Mary enjoys the fruits of her labor in the
income she earns. When asked why she likes her job, she was
quick to reply that it was her paycheck. In celebration of her
hard work, Jean Mary is currently planning a limo ride to
New York City to see the musical “Jersey Boys”. After this trip,
she is looking forward to using her saved money to go on a
summer vacation.
In less than two years, Jean Mary has had her whole world
change, but she has succeeded. She has found work that she
enjoys, friends that make her laugh and a new place to live. What’s more, Jean is very
proud to be nominated as a Joslin Outstanding Performer and hopes that she may become
a role model to others who have experienced change in their lives.
“M y best day at work was when I learned how to use
the stamping machine for the drug test labels. It is a very
important job and I can do it.
”
54
Kimberly Simons
Arc of Westchester/eDocNY
Hawthorne/Westchester County
Kimberly “Kim” Simons is a sweet young woman
who takes pride in doing the best possible work. She is well mannered, very responsible,
reliable, hardworking, and able to handle multiple tasks. Kim is considered a dedicated
and valuable member of the County Clerk office mailroom team.
Kim started working at the Westchester County Clerk’s Office in April 1997. She has
been an essential member of the county clerk’s team, delivering mail and lighting up the
office with her positive energy and spirit. Kim doesn’t like to miss a day of work. “I like my
job because I get a big paycheck, I get to dress up and I get to meet people,” she said.
A people person who is well liked and always has a warm smile when delivering the
mail, Kim knows all the county employees by name and always finds time to make someone’s day a little brighter. She greatly enjoys her job and becomes disappointed if she has
to miss work due to personal appointments or bad weather.
“No matter what happens, Kimberly stays here,” said Tim Idoni, Westchester County
Clerk. “We depend on her every day.” Kim’s dedication proves that perseverance and
initiative are necessary to succeed. About being recognized
as a Joslin Outstanding Performer, Kim said, “It shows that I
am a very good worker and that makes me happy.”
“Ilike my job because I get a big paycheck,
”
I get to dress up and I get to meet people.
55
Rick Tobia
Steuben County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Bath/Steuben County
Since 1994, Rick Tobia has been a part of Printers Plus,
the Arc of Steuben’s screen printing and embroidery business. Printers Plus decorates
apparel for NYS Parks & Recreation, Syracuse Parks and Recreation, numerous schools
around the state, and hundreds of other customers.
After proudly graduating high school, Rick joined the Arc of Steuben Vocational Services
and tried working in many areas. Deciding that Printers Plus was best for him, he has
spent the past 20 years learning several jobs in screen print, such as squeegeeing apparel,
pulling and reclaiming screens, along with proper, safe cleaning techniques. Rick is quick
to offer help when setting up for a job as he and his team print thousands of pieces of
apparel each month. Rick stated that his favorite part of his job is the money he makes,
which he saves to go on vacations.
You can say that Rick has made a hobby out of traveling. He has been to such places
as Jamaica, Hawaii, California, Las Vegas, the Outer Banks, and to Florida several times to
visit his sister. When asked what his favorite activity in Florida is, he said going to Hooters.
Rick has a great sense of humor! He is the guy anyone would
love to have as a neighbor because he’s always happy, making a
joke or offering to help. Plus, he loves to bake cookies and try
new coffees.
Rick is a big help around the house, mowing the lawn and
doing yard work, and his next project is to paint the picnic table
to match the house. He is close to his family: three sisters, three
brothers and (he thinks) 22 nieces and nephews, which is
almost too many to remember. Rick does make sure that he buys
each of them a gift card for Christmas.
Rick is very much involved with his church and is the head
altar server at St Mary’s in Corning. His responsibilities include
money collection, carrying the cross and training kids to be altar servers. Rick very much
enjoys his involvement with the church. He also volunteers for the annual Rene Jones
Memorial Buddy Walk to raise awareness of Down Syndrome. Rick enjoys football and
NASCAR, rooting for the Indianapolis Colts and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
The Printers Plus team succeeds in satisfying Preferred Source and other customers
because of Rick’s dedication and team work ethic.
q
… uick to offer help when setting up for a job as he and his team
print thousands of pieces of apparel each month.
56
Neil Vatsyayan
Center for Disability Services
Albany/Albany County
Recognition for individuals can be a reflection of many
different facets of character and performance. For Neil Vatsyayan, it is his progress toward
becoming a mature member of the workforce.
Neil began his work history with the Center for Disability Services (CFDS) when he joined
the sheltered employment program in August 2003. Working primarily on inserting mail,
Neil initially needed a lot of help and was very error prone. With patience and persistence,
he progressed in September 2009 to Commercial Services, the for-profit mailing business of
CFDS, as a mailing processing clerk I, working mostly on NYSID Preferred Source contracts.
Neil moved from piecework in sheltered employment to minimum wage work, five days a
week, 20 hours total.
Although the promotion has been a slow learning experience for Neil, his productivity was
never an issue. Despite a tendency toward distraction, he has always been a steady worker
and does not like to leave work unless he has fulfilled his quota. His perseverance has seen a
great improvement in this area. Neil listened closely to advice and responded readily to it and
is now much closer to his goal of achieving greater independence
and responsibility in the community workforce.
Neil has a strong work ethic that he has inherited from his
family history and support. He lives at home and helps his parents with cleaning, laundry and cooking. Outside of the house,
he is very active. He goes to the gym regularly and attends Tae
Kwon Do classes. Neil likes many different sports and attends
summer camp every year.
Change is a challenge for Neil, but he clearly wants to improve
his skills and perhaps take computer lessons, since he has his own
computer at home. With continued support and encouragement,
there is little doubt that Neil can advance further toward his goals.
h
… e has always been a steady worker and does not like to
leave work unless he has fulfilled his quota.
57
Vernell Washington
Image Data, Inc.
Albany/Albany County
Vernell Washington is an outstanding performer in her
work and personal life. Her story is one filled with gratitude.
After almost five years, Vernell is still strengthened by the gratitude she gained after
completing a successful 28-day drug recovery program. Vernell started using drugs at the
age of 30 to help cope with a devastating loss she still feels intensely today. Her addiction
lasted 18 years with a consequence of “losing my children as often as I lost apartments.”
Vernell relapsed several times over those long 18 years but came through the other side,
now five years clean. It has left her with gratitude and a level of empathy that runs so
deep, she said, “I can actually feel another person’s pain when they are using.”
Vernell fought her way through to sobriety each time she lost her children. Because of
her love for her family and her determination, to this day her five children still stand by
her side, sympathetic to her journey. Her children live near and far, but they are still close
enough that one of them checks in with her every day.
Vernell remembers her last rehab program, almost five years ago, like it was yesterday.
She stated that it stays with her because she was doing it for no
one but herself. The day she left, her treatment counselor told
her, “As long as you keep your gratitude, you’ll be alright.” She is
grateful for that day in December 2010 when she was told she
had her first “real” job in 17 years with Image Data, a company
she feels gives second chances. Vernell’s job keeps her grounded,
gives her a feeling of family and, above all else, gives her courage
to live her life drug-free.
Vernell shows her gratitude every day at work by giving 110
percent effort. She has become one of the top indexers at Image
Data in speed and quality and does anything asked of her. She
sets an example every day that neither extreme arthritis pain,
physical restraints nor the emotional pull of her past will stop her from giving it her all.
Even with the victory of almost five years sobriety, Vernell still fears the possibility
of a relapse because she has seen others who have relapsed after decades of sobriety.
Her determination to leave her old life behind is fueled by the commitment and the need
to understand what makes long-term recovering addicts relapse. It is this fear combined
with her empathy and gratitude that drive Vernell to want to become a drug counselor in
the future.
ecause of her love for her family and her determination,
B
to this day her five children still stand by her side, sympathetic
to her journey.
58
Jamie Weaver
Columbia County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Coarc
Mellenville/Columbia County
Jamie Weaver is a quiet, shy young woman, but once
she gets to know you, she will open up to be a warm, funny person who always has a smile
on her face. She came to work at Coarc almost 10 years ago when she was still living with
family, and moved into the residential program. She had just come from school, so she really
had no work experience. As we all got to know each other, Jamie began to come out of her
shell, make friends and form some lasting friendships.
As her skill level grew in the workshop, Jamie was trained to be a material handler and
eventually learned the machines that are part of the molding operation. Over time, she
became a very reliable employee and has worked the NYSID Preferred Source custom
injection molding cups and trays. Jamie loves being productive and making an hourly
wage. She also has had several seasonal community jobs because she enjoys working and
making money to help pay her bills.
These earnings have helped Jamie move to her own apartment and become a very
independent individual. She is engaged to be married to her boyfriend, Russell, and they
are saving to move in together. Jamie is also working on getting
her driver’s license so she can have more freedom and independence. She continues to work with her job coach to find
community employment and wants to be a cashier.
Jamie was speechless when she learned that she was being
recognized for the Joslin Award, saying that it makes her happy
and proud to know that she does a good job.
o
… nce she gets to know you, she will open up to be a warm,
funny person who always has a smile on her face.
59
Ted Williams
Lifetime Assistance, Inc./LAICO Industries
Rochester/Monroe County
Don’t tell Ted Williams that there is something he can’t
achieve. When Ted first came to Lifetime Assistance in 2005, his goal was clear: he wanted
to work. And over the years, he has proven that he can reach this goal and excel as a leader
who is an integral part of a team.
Ted is a document destruction technician in LAICO’s Classified Shredding Services, a
NYSID Preferred Source vendor for secure document destruction. At first, he had challenges
with attendance and appropriately expressing frustration or anger. Over time, he improved
his attendance so significantly that he actually had extra days available to him this year. He
learned how to independently arrange transportation to and from work and plans ahead
for time off. Ted also worked very hard on expressing frustration in an appropriate and
professional way. The Ted of today is a dependable staff member upon whom his co-workers
rely, and his supervisor reports that she can always count on him. For this reason, Ted was
recently recognized as Employee of the Month, an accomplishment of which he is very
proud. Due to Ted’s reduction in work absences and improvement in work efficiency over
the years, his wages have increased by 44 percent in 10 years.
Ted has several medical issues that could limit his work
success, including a seizure disorder. Today, Ted consistently
takes his medication, and rarely experiences seizures while at
work. He also has limited use of one arm due to cerebral palsy,
but has never allowed this to hold him back. His supervisor, Karen,
reports that Ted has learned every role at classified shredding
and “there is no part of the job he can’t do.” He is involved with
every aspect of the job: helping to unload trucks when they arrive,
weighing each incoming “tote” and recording these weights. He
then labels and “stages” the totes by the date each job must be
completed. Ted also uses an electric power jack to transport
heavy loads and ensures that jobs run as requested. Once a job is completed, Ted scans the
empty tote and enters the appropriate information into the computer.
One of the more challenging jobs that Ted performs is baling large blocks of material
with wire once shredding is complete. Karen wondered whether Ted’s limited use of one
arm would make this job too difficult, but after seeing how responsible and successful he
had been in so many other areas, she gave him this opportunity. Karen now reports, “I have
people with two hands that can’t do this job as well or as quickly as Ted!”
Ted is very proud of his accomplishments and enjoys demonstrating his responsibilities.
“I like that I can do a lot of things at my job,” he said, adding, “I like to move around and
always be busy.” Ted is happy that Karen thinks he’s good at his job, and especially loves
it when she asks him to “help his co-workers learn how to do new things.” For Ted, the
motivation to go to work is because “Karen counts on me.” She agrees, saying, “When Ted’s
not here, it is a lot harder for me, because he helps me with so many things.”
When he’s not working, Ted enjoys going to Rochester Red Wings baseball games, and
doing things with his girlfriend. He takes much pride in making enough money to pay
his bills “all on his own.” Ted’s next work goal is to be hired by a company “that has a
warehouse, because I like unloading trucks and moving things to where they need to go.
I’m good at that!” There is no doubt that this hardworking, dedicated young man can
accomplish anything he sets his mind to.
60
Dianna Winnie
Chemung County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./Southern Tier Industries
Elmira/Chemung County
Dianna Winnie is considered one of the most dependable worker trainees on Chemung Arc’s mobile work crew at Southern Tier Industries.
She displays the capacity to reach even higher levels of quality and independence in her
job as she continues to challenge herself. Dianna has expressed a hesitancy to work
completely by herself in the community due to some anxiety. However, through the
assistance of occasional job coaching, Dianna has been independently cleaning the
City of Elmira Detective Office for more than six months. “I like the customers and I feel
comfortable with my tasks there,” she said.
Dianna also works at other NYSID Preferred Source contracts, such as Elmira/Corning
Regional Airport and Finger Lakes DDSO, without needing constant direct supervision.
She has shown her supervisors that she is very reliable, completing the daily responsibilities
of her job without a problem. She also demonstrates leadership qualities among her peers
and exhibits excellent teamwork by helping her co-workers with their tasks. Dianna has a
good sense of humor and offers to help with extra tasks, if needed. She is a hard worker
and is greatly appreciated on the crews.
When asked what she likes about her job, Dianna said,
“I like cleaning. I like my co-workers, my supervisors and my job
coach.” She added that she is willing to start working more
independently at the airport and other sites that require someone to clean by themselves. This is a big step for Dianna, but one
which will show her full potential. A hard worker with a big
heart for others, Dianna is an awesome asset to Southern Tier
Industries. When she eventually gets a job in the community, it
will be a bittersweet loss for the mobile work crew, but a huge
win for a most deserving individual.
“Ilike cleaning. I like my co-workers,
my supervisors and my job coach.
”
61
Past Joslin Award Winners
2013
Donald Huckins
“ set my goals really high and I am proud of achieving them.”
I
The Arc Otsego
Oneonta/Otsego County
Marc Smith
“These days I hold my head up high and eagerly
The Altamont Program, Inc.
Schenectady/Schenectady County
anticipate a future that I thought would never be possible.
”
2012
Ana Cortorreal
“To be able to support my family is wonderful. Thank you
Fedcap Rehabilitation Services
Manhattan/New York County
for the honor and respect of being given this amazing award.
”
2011
Nelson Hooper
“ love my job because every day
I
F•E•G•S
Manhattan/New York County
”
is a challenge and a new experience.
62
2010
Robert Wells
“This award is the highest honor I have ever received.
Gateway Community Industries, Inc.
Kingston/Ulster County
Nothing can top this!
”
2009
Mike Miles
“Anyone with a disability can achieve accomplishments. If you
Oswego Industries, Inc.
Fulton/Oswego County
can work, you should because it helps make you feel important.
”
2008
Linda Rollins
“Receiving this award made me feel special. I like my job and
Rochester Rehabilitiation Center, Inc.
Rochester/Monroe County
”
my co-workers, and my job helps me feel responsible and independent.
2007
Frank Lange
“I felt special…I can’t believe
Steuben County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Bath/Steuben County
I took the whole state of New York!
”
63
2006
Mark Daube
“I like having this award, even if I was speechless
Genesee County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Batavia/Genesee County
when my name was announced.
”
2005
Matthew Maxwell
“Even though I was very nervous,
CDS Monarch
Rochester/Monroe County
I was honored to be recognized for my good work.
”
2004
Kasey Knott
“I was very surprised and pleased to be awarded
Allegany County Chapter NYSARC, Inc./PWI
Wellsville/Allegany County
the Joslin Award…it made me feel like a movie star.
64
”
Committee Members
Chris Alex
Christopher Burke
Francoise Dunefsky
Jackie Gentile
Patrice Modell Joslin
Stephen Krown
Jennifer Lawrence
Eileen McCarthy
Ron Romano
Mary Jo Thorn
11 Columbia Circle Drive
Albany, NY 12203
800-221-5994
www.nysid.org