Garner Solutions

Continuing my series on EMPLOYMENT, here are a few of the many creative and truly innovative model programs Created to Employ People with Disabilities. If you’d like to chat more about this issue or discuss anything in this blog post, please e-mail me Teegarner (at) aol (dot) com and let me know if you’d like to start a similar opportunity. I’m currently looking for parents who desire to do something similar.

Dogtag Bakery

Cameron’s Coffees and Chocolates

Sunflower Bakery

Sugar Plum Bakery

Blossom Daily Cafe

Wildflour Caterers

While the above are local to where I lived, I’m certain you’ll find similar models/organizations near you.

Man Starts Company with His Son In Mind

What do all of these companies and the folks that created them, have in common:

1. Their child couldn’t get a “regular” opportunity in our community. This is sad and we have to consider and OWN our role in this – that’s the blatant perpetual promotion of what people with disabilities are able to do and the time and care we are willing to give to teach them. The largest barriers are attitudinal. That’s it. I tell people this all the time. If you’re in a position to hire folks, you should go through a series of education programming where you challenge your own bias and limits YOU place on others. It’s that simple. What’s more, you as a hiring manager may have let one experience with a person with a disability be the scape goat for future opportunities with other potential applicants with disabilities. Your experience should not eternally label future persons.
2. Parents sought real solutions – KNOWING and BELIEVING their child(ren) had value, were capable of working and with supports could do the work required to be successful
3. They created something out of nothing or at least very little (start up cash). Most of these parents and regular folks didn’t have managerial skills, and likely never worked in HR. What was better than skill was a dream and a burning desire to do anything, whatever it took, to create something for their child or fellow veterans and provide a unique opportunity for employment.
4. Their efforts didn’t impact ONE person, their own child, it IMPACTED many more just like them so that even others would have an opportunity to learn skill, gain value and contribute to their society and community.