JULY 2024 - DORS recently met with Dan at his new workplace, the Pediatric Movement Center (PMC) in Hagerstown.
DORS Office for Blindness & Vision Services Rehabilitation Counselor Kori Sanchez wanted to share Dan’s success story because “In this rural area, it’s hard to find a job and once Dan started his job search, he found work on rather quickly.”
Dan had worked with DORS in the past but had lost his job in 2020 and admits that he was depressed for a while. “I had lost my job a few years ago and was stuck in my feelings, so it took me a while to be interested in looking for work… I started going to an independent living skills class and Kori was sometimes there. Eventually, I talked to her and got my [DORS] case reopened . . . Once I was working with Kori, she recommended [DORS Community Rehabilitation Partner] STAR Community to help me find employment.
“I worked with Wendy, a STAR Job Developer, and she went above and beyond. If we found a job that sounded interesting, she would go to the place and check it out ahead of time to see the potential. She would make phone calls and ask about the employer and what they do… [Working with Wendy] was refreshing…not something I was used to… she is very passionate about what she does!”
Kori agrees that Wendy and STAR Community were terrific advocates for Dan, but she thinks that Dan deserves much of the credit for his success. “With this job search, he kind of threw himself out there and just got the job!”
Dan remembers that, when he first met with Wendy at STAR, he told her: “I am not hire-able.” She replied: “We’ll see about that! Challenge accepted.”
Wendy remembered that she had helped someone get a job at PMC, and that they were open to accessibility challenges, so she checked online to see if they were hiring. STAR did have a job posted and soon Dan had an interview scheduled.
To prepare for the interview, Dan reviewed the PMC website and liked what he read, including their mission, which is: At PMC, we connect, commit and change lives through creating a community where everyone belongs, and anything is possible.
Dan recalls that “The interview went well, and I was offered a part-time position as a Therapy Tech. My start date was February 21, 2024. Once everything was working, I went full time. My duties include picking up after PT and OT sessions, cleaning, doing laundry, pretty much anything they ask. They have made accommodations for me like putting tactile labels on the washer and dryer and they let me know if something has been moved.”
PMC has two Hagerstown centers, the second an aquatic facility, and Dan works some days at the aquatic campus, but mostly he is at main Hagerstown center. “I get to and from work every day on the Washington County Ride Assist shuttle. It’s a great service.”
Dan is happy with his job. “I am enjoying the work and the learning [about PT, OT, etc.] and I like being around so many people. I’m a people person. And it’s good to be useful.”
When asked if he planned to stay at PMC for the long term, Dan quickly responded “Absolutely!”
According to Kori, Dan gets rave reviews from his employer. “Not only is Dan happy, but the employer is also very happy with him! The employer is very accommodating. The reality is that [job seekers who are blind] are really hard to place, so to find a place like [PMC] is a win-win.”
Dan’s coworker, Madison, agrees. She had not had previous experience having a coworker who is blind but noted that “PMC as whole has as part of its mission to be very open… we have had interns and volunteers who have disabilities, and we have accommodated them.”
As for Dan, Madison recalled that “I learned that we were interviewing him, and Wendy came and looked at the facility. We learned how we could make accommodations like putting Velcro on the buttons in the laundry and on the water cooler, [we learned that most accommodations are simple] and that we could just use things we already have.”
She says that he is a good addition to PMC. “Dan is amazing. He always makes people laugh, he takes initiative [with the work], and the kids love him!”
Dan has advice for job seekers with disabilities. “The jobs are out there. I know it’s hard, but if you want [to work] you have to keep trying, you have to keep at it!”
