A study by the Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute reveals that only 37.6% of adults with disabilities were employed in Florida in 2007—compared to 78.9% of the able-bodied population. (1) With unemployment numbers in Florida reaching record highs in 2009, the plight of workers with disabilities has become more dire than ever.
Hiring people with disabilities makes good business sense,” says Tom Feurig, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, an agency which was founded in order to help people with disabilities find valuable employment. “Their commitment to the job, high attendance record and desire to do good work can help any business compete better in today's environment.”
Those people with disabilities include Anthony Acovski. Anthony is 22 years old and has a developmental disability. As a student at Goodwill’s L.I.F.E. Academy charter school, Anthony was invited to participate in the school’s transition program, which helps students acquire the skills they need to hold down a job.
This June, Anthony was one of the proud graduates of the Class of 2009. “When he was three years old, I thought he’d never even walk or talk,” says Sylvia. “I’m the happiest mom in the world.”
Three days a week, Anthony wakes up early, puts on a uniform, and rides the bus to North Fort Myers, where he is employed as a sorter at Goodwill Secure Shred. For Sylvia, just seeing her son leave for work every morning brings a tear to her eyes. “Anthony finally has something to be proud of,” she says.
For more than two decades, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida (http://www.goodwillswfl.org) has been providing job training and employment services to people with disabilities like Anthony Acovski. Goodwill’s mission is to help people with disabilities and other disadvantages overcome their barriers to employment—barriers such as education, training, transportation, and housing. In 2008, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida provided vocational or social services to 1,831 people with disabilities in Southwest Florida.
To learn more about working with people with disabilities, visit http://www.goodwillswfl.org or call (239) 995-2106. To find out more about Goodwill Secure Shred, contact Patrick Smith at (239) 995-2106 ext. 235, or visit http://www.goodwillswfl.org/
(1) Bjelland, M.J., Erickson, W. A., Lee, C. G. (2008, November 8). Disability Statistics from the American Community Survey (ACS). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics (StatsRRTC). Retrieved September 28, 2009 from www.disabilitystatistics.org
