In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we at Living Resources are highlighting the accomplishments of individuals supported through our Employment Services program.

In a busy kitchen during the dinner rush, it’s all hands on deck and Joe, an intern at Swifty’s Restaurant and Pub in Albany is ready to help out where he can. Joe is part of The College Experience and he’s learning skills for all things food preparation, like portioning out macaroni salad, prepping coleslaw, weighing cold cuts, and rolling napkins.

“I feel happy and I really like my job,” says Joe. He thanks his coach, Koryn for her support along the way.

“Joe is given a task every shift, which he’s flying through already,” says lead line cook Niles, “he’s very willing to try new things.”

Joe started at Swifty’s in August. He’s one of four interns from The College Experience that the restaurant has hosted since its partnership with Living Resources began in 2021. Each of these students has reported a positive experience, full of lessons about serving up a great meal. Matt interned at Swifty’s from August 2022 to January of this year. He says he loved his work and often got to enjoy a cheeseburger with fries at the end of his shift, a delicious way to celebrate a job well done!

Niles says having the interns in the kitchen has taught his team new ways to communicate, making them more conscientious of different learning styles and perspectives. All in all, he says “it’s really been a pleasure working with all of the students.”

 

Living Resources’ Employment Program works in conjunction with our College Experience program to assist individuals with disabilities as they pursue meaningful career opportunities, both through internships and employment. The College Experience program is a residential, two year, non-credit certificate program, made possible through a partnership between Living Resources and The College of Saint Rose. The program provides individuals with disabilities the opportunity to learn, grow, become part of the campus community and ultimately become more independent. Learn more at: https://thecollegeexperience.org/