C. Oregon coalition marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- EmploymentFirstCentralOregon.org, the region’s leading employment network for the disability community, celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

According to Mia Shapiro, Program Manager at Full Access High Desert, “The goal of Employment First Central Oregon is to provide resources to support both individuals with disabilities seeking employment and those who support them. The job board on the website shows who in the community is hiring and the specific skills that are required. The employer section shows business owners how they can benefit from hiring workers with disabilities. The support board shows how to become a qualified Job Coach or Direct Support Person (DSP). And, everyone will be inspired by our videos and success stories.”

“We want to raise awareness around NDEAM to let our community know we have a viable workforce, ready to be employed. The one thing that is desperately lacking are professionals (DSPs) to support them.” Says Amanda Hamer, Executive Director at Diversability Inc. 

“The ongoing hiring crunch impacts the ability of organizations to fully staff programs and residential services with qualified DSPs for the I/DD community. The more we can do to help potential employees realize what a rewarding and interesting job working with the I/DD community is, the more applicants will follow.” Notes Michael Boll, parent and founding member of Partners in Possibilities. “This is especially true in Central Oregon where a day of work might look like biking, hiking or otherwise exploring the great outdoors here.”

The theme for NDEAM 2021, “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion,” reflects the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic

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About Employment First

Employment First Central Oregon exists to create community success by connecting skilled people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and local employers to create a talented, dedicated workforce. The coalition is comprised of the following nonprofit organizations and state agencies that, together, serve residents of Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties: Almost Family, Abilitree, Crook County Intellectual/Developmental Disability Program, Deschutes County Intellectual/Developmental Disability Program, Diversability Inc., Full Access High Desert, Good-To-Go Oregon, The High Desert Education Service District, Jefferson County Developmental Disability Program, The Opportunity Foundation, and Vocational Rehabilitation. 

For more information, please visit www.employmentfirstcentraloregon.org