Honoring the Value and Talent Americans with Disabilities Bring to the Workplace

True to our mission to relentlessly pursue opportunities that empower people, Mosaic’s personalized services are helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) achieve their dream of finding employment. 

This year marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). What began as a week-long observance evolved into a month-long celebration of the importance of increasing the number of people with disabilities in the workforce.

This celebration honors the value and talent American workers with disabilities add to the country’s workplaces and economy and how employment opportunities transform the lives of people with IDD. 

At Mosaic, we are fortunate to witness those transformations firsthand. Individuals like Vanessa Luna and Jill Taylor have not only gained new skills and confidence, but also found a sense of community and belonging with new friends and colleagues. 

Vanessa gains self confidence to thrive in her job 

There was never a doubt in Vanessa Luna’s mind that she had her family’s support in her quest to graduate from high school, attend a community college, and find a job in early childhood education.

But oftentimes self-doubt left her questioning her ability to reach her goals. 

“I never believed in myself, never thought I could be without my mom,” Vanessa said.  

Her daughter’s lack of confidence and independence often weighed heavily on Ana Sanchez’s mind, leading her to also question if Vanessa could maintain a job and live on her own.

“We never thought it was going to be possible,” Ana said. “Never in a million years.”   

With Vanessa experiencing challenges finding employment, the family began looking for support. That’s when they connected with Mosaic for employment services. Right away, Ana was drawn to the Mosaic staff’s enthusiasm and “let’s try it” attitude. 

“At first I thought they were just being nice, but they really embraced Vanessa’s wants and needs and they worked really hard [to help her achieve them],” Ana said. 

Nearly 15 years later, Vanessa is thriving. After earning a certificate from Community College of Denver, she is now an Early Childhood Education Teacher in the Discovery Link program at Denver Public Schools. She has worked for the district for 10 years.

Discovery Link is a before- and after-school program for children younger than 5 years old. Vanessa’s duties include working with students on art projects and other activities. With the help of a job coach, she also writes lesson plans and works with staff to submit orders for supplies. 

Ana is grateful to the Mosaic staff for the guidance and support they gave Vanessa during her employment search. 

“They did all the legwork, helping her with her resume, filling out applications and supporting her during college,” she said, noting that Mosaic staff were in attendance at Vanessa’s graduation ceremony. 

Mosaic’s support also helped Vanessa overcome her self-doubt and fear of failing. Now, she enters the classroom with confidence knowing that each day is an opportunity not only for the students to learn, but for her as well. 

When asked what about her job makes her smile, Vanessa doesn’t hesitate:

“Seeing and spending time with my kiddos,” she said. 

Vanessa’s supervisor, Maria Trujillo, says her work ethic and adaptability to changing needs make her a valuable employee.

“She shows up to her shifts on time every day and provides her students with learning projects that help them grow in their development,” Maria said. 

Additionally, she doesn’t hesitate when help is needed in other areas. 

“In this field we need to maintain a ratio at all times,” Maria said. “Vanessa is always willing to assist at other sites without hesitation. When her site is short staffed in the afternoon, Vanessa will change shifts from morning to after school to ensure we are following licensing guidelines.” 

Having a job and earning her own money has always been important to Vanessa. As her responsibilities have grown, so has her confidence, much to the delight of her proud mom, who credits Mosaic’s patience and willingness to work with Vanessa to find the right employment fit.

“I’m amazed at the things Vanessa can accomplish on her own,” Ana said. “Now she’s able to resolve problems on her own, when before she would call me for help.” 

Watch this short video about Vanessa to see her enthusiasm for life. 

Jill brings ray of light to job at cafe

As a business owner, Scott Aversano has seen his share of changes at The Airfield Cafe. But, for the past two decades, there has been one constant he can always count on—Jill Taylor’s presence and eagerness to get to work. 

“I love it here,” Jill said. “I love the people. It’s a good thing for me to be here.” 

The Airfield Cafe, in North Hampton, New Hampshire, serves breakfast and lunch to about 700 to 800 customers each day. During her weekday shifts, Jill works in the dishwashing area and in recent years, has also helped with food prep. 

Scott remembers the day his father hired Jill. 

“Unfortunately, I lost my mom a year to the day of Jill’s interview,” he said. “The day my dad was doing the interview, I was nervous because he was upset. I told him I didn’t think it was a good day for him to be interviewing. He said no, believing his wife had sent Jill.” 

An hour-and-a-half later, Scott’s dad returned saying he had a great interview. 

“Come to find out, it was not only the one-year anniversary of my mom’s passing, but Jill also has the same birthday as my mom,” Scott said. 

From her first day, Scott’s dad took Jill under his wing, and when he died 15 years ago, Scott carried the torch. Scott loves the ray of light Jill brings to the cafe, even on the hard days. 

Jill jokes that she’s “a character.” She’s also a hard worker and, not counting Scott, the longest-tenured employee at The Airfield Cafe. 

“Jill has the work ethic,” Scott said. “That’s a hard thing to teach, so we are fortunate we didn’t have to worry about that. She has worked hard from day one.” 

In addition to food prep and dishwashing, Jill helps train new employees, which Scott said is valuable.

“That’s a position in the restaurant industry that can be tough,” he said. “In most restaurants people are expected to figure it out on their own. Fortunately we have someone who can help them get started. It makes my job easier.”

Paula Sterling, who has been Jill’s Home Provider since 2018 when the group home where she worked and Jill lived closed, said the responsibility gives Jill a sense of accomplishment. 

“She likes being able to help new people learn the job,” Paula said.   

Jill’s love for her job was made more clear when her schedule was upended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The restaurant was closed for nine weeks, but Jill was away from work from March to August. 

“They wouldn’t let me come back until they knew I would be safe,” she said. “It was hard.” 

Paula said having a job and earning money is important to Jill, who loves to travel. Disney World in Florida is her favorite destination. 

The support she receives from Scott, Paula and Living Innovations, a service of Mosaic, has opened up a world of opportunities for Jill to learn and connect with others. 

Through her employment, Jill has learned how to use a cell phone and iPad, which has expanded her social circle outside of work. She’s also gained a new family. 

Paula said Jill is blessed with great people in her life. As her Home Provider, she welcomes the support she gets from Scott, his family and Alison Gagnon, Community Living Coordinator at Living Innovations.

“Alison comes once a month for a home visit,” Paula said. “She provides excellent support if I have questions or need anything.” 

With proper coaching there are no limits

When it comes to hiring people with IDD, both employers encourage others to look at people’s potential and what they can contribute.

“Focus on the candidate’s strengths, skills and interests rather than making assumptions,” Maria said. “With proper coaching, there are no limits. You can always learn from each individual, if you are willing to put in the effort.

Scott, who employs nine individuals with IDD, adds that compassion, care and patience are key to employee development.

“As an employer, not only have we provided Jill a job, we’ve provided the ability to hopefully make her life better all-around,” he said.