Empowering Lives Through Meaningful Employment
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This October marks the 80th year of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Established in 1945 to recognize the employment of people with physical disabilities, NDEAM was officially named by Congress in 1988, expanding its focus to include mental health and other nonvisible disabilities. Today, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) leads NDEAM, working to create unlimited job opportunities for people with disabilities year-round.
Heartshare is proud that its comprehensive employment programs not only offer an opportunity for community members to experience financial stability, some for the very first time, but also provide a sense of purpose, dignity, and inclusion. Our programs meet individuals where they are, offering tailored vocational training, job placement assistance, and ongoing support. We work with participants to identify their strengths and interests, develop essential work-ready skills, and navigate the journey to competitive employment.
Heartshare currently has 16 participants employed with 8 different employment partners throughout New York City and recently celebrated the opening of its second Pre-Vocational Program in Queens, NY, with several participants excited to explore potential career goals.
In celebration of NDEAM, we wanted to offer a direct perspective from our community. To do this, we sat down with two members of Heartshare’s Employment Program, Mitchell Coleman and Matthew Felder, and asked them to share about their current jobs, how they found them, and the personal growth they have experienced along the way.
Heartshare
To start our conversation, could you please share your name and your current place of work?
Mitchell
I’m Mitchell, and I’m the Office Administrator at Heartshare.
Matthew
My name is Matthew. I work at Trader Joe’s.
Heartshare
How did Heartshare assist you in finding your job, and how long have you been working there?
Matthew
At Heartshare, we have an employment program to help us find jobs. We go out into the community and look for jobs. I saw my friends, Ruben and Nicholas, working at Trader Joe’s and I thought I could join. I’ve been working at Trader Joe’s since 2022. It’s the first job I’ve ever had.
Mitchell
I started a couple of months ago.
I worked at McDonald's for a long time, and then after McDonald's, I worked for a cleaning service. I wanted to work in an office and do office work. I like paperwork and computer work. It helps to stimulate my mind.
Originally, I was just bringing the mail over, and I saw nobody at the desk. So, I told my job coach, “Who should I talk to? I could come over here and be the receptionist.” I just took control. I told myself, just go for it. Cause my mind said go for it, and my heart was pushing it more. And when they say, go for it. You got to go for it. It was an opportunity for me.
Heartshare
What are your main responsibilities in your current role?
Mitchell
I set up the café, making sure everything is organized, making sure the phones are clean before I use them, answering the phones, and greeting people when they come in. It's nice. In the morning, you wake up, have a fresh mind, and then you know, it's going to be a beautiful day today.
Matthew
I do everything. I do customer experience work, and I stock up all the products on the shelves.
Heartshare
What was your training process like, and how did you prepare for this role?
Mitchell
I used to do office work at my other jobs, so that helped me. And my Heartshare partner Jake helped me.
Matthew
My training started out as a test to see if I could get the job, for example, organizing and assembling stuff. I did the test and passed.
Heartshare
Tell us about your Job Coach at Heartshare and how they support you.
Mitchell
I told my job coach when I saw the job available. He talked to somebody in the office, and they got back to me, saying they were on board. He checks in with me all day. If I need help, I know I can ask him.
Matthew
My job coach always helps me get the job done and stay on task. He shows me things again if I get confused.
Heartshare
What aspect of your job do you enjoy the most?
Mitchell
Answering the phone. Doing paperwork. And if people need something, they come to me. I help them out. I’m comfortable here. I feel relaxed. Other jobs have felt overbearing. Here, I can be independent.
Matthew
Everything! Talking to customers. Making all the little kids happy when they come into the store and to ensure everyone is having a good day. I just want to put a smile on their faces. I like my coworkers. Teamwork makes the dream work.