As
part of ongoing employer outreach efforts by Employment First to help increase
job opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,
we have been traveling throughout Oregon to interview employers and talk to
them about their experiences hiring people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities (I/DD). We are collecting those testimonials on the Employment First
employer web page.
Our
next employer testimonial comes from St. Anthony Hospital in
Pendleton, through a close collaboration between employment provider
Trendsitions and Vocational Rehabilitation counselor Diane Ashley. St. Anthony
Hospital is a member of Catholic Health Initiatives and originally opened in
Pendleton in 1909.
Now
one of the largest medical centers in Eastern Oregon region, St. Anthony
Hospital employs several individuals with disabilities in different areas of
the hospital. Chelsea Reid works in environmental services while Jonathan Gomez
was promoted and now works full-time in the hospital’s café.
St.
Anthony Hospital works closely with Trendsitions and
Diane Ashley to make sure the employees in DD services have the tools to be
successful on the job.
The
video features St. Anthony’s President Harold Geller, Vice President of Human
Resources Janeen Reding, along with Chelsea’s manager Justin Michael and
Jonathan’s manager KC Arthur, Director of Nutrition Services. The employers
speak about their experience employing people with I/DD and what these workers
bring to the hospital. The video is on the Supported
Employment Playlist of the DHS Youtube page as well as on the new
employer testimonial web page.
Please
share these testimonials with employers and help increase opportunities for
people with disabilities in the workforce.
You
can view an employer video
testimonial from St. Anthony Hospital.
You
can also view a photo
slideshow of the employees at St. Anthony Hospital.