Become a Partner Today – Hire Someone with a Disability!

Today Cardinal Cushing Centers hosted a “Partners in Possibilities” breakfast to recognize leaders in employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Keynote speaker Leo Vercollone, President & CEO of VERC Enterprises, spoke about the benefits of employing individuals with disabilities and how that correlates directly to VERC’s success. 2011 was a tremendous year for VERC, landing the company a spot in the Boston Globe’s Top 100 Places to work. 20% of VERC’s workforce is comprised of individuals with disabilities.

Mr. Vercollone and his company have also been featured in the Patriot Ledger and Boston Business Journal, and VERC Enterprises was the cover feature of an edition of National Petroleum News. Additionally, VERC was named a “Leader in Diversity” by the Boston Business Journal.

There are many reasons for hiring someone with a disability, we’ll give you 5:

1. People with disabilities have equal or higher job performance ratings, higher retention rates and lower absenteeism.
2. Employees with disabilities can relate better to customers with disabilities, who represent $1 trillion in annual aggregate consumer spending.
3. Diverse work groups can create better solutions to business challenges.
4.  A person with a disability motivates work groups and increases productivity.
5. Our staff will provide the training, ongoing support and transportation to make sure your business needs are met.

Cardinal Cushing Centers concentrates on developing work skills that enable our students to become successful working adults. Our program is nationally recognized for its comprehensive approach in preparing students for a work in almost any setting using our campus –based businesses.

Working in partnership with South Shore businesses, SSI is an innovative employment program for adults over age 22. SSI identifies interests of each participant and the skills needed for a particular employer and works to strengthen skills to ensure a successful job match.

Best Buddies™ Jobs is a non-profit organization providing employment services to businesses and highly qualified people with intellectual disabilities. Cardinal Cushing Centers partners with Best Buddies™ Jobs to provide specialized training and support to our school age students and to place them in competitive jobs.

For the students and adults of Cardinal Cushing Centers, work is an extremely important part of building a meaningful life. Cushing Centers has a top-of-the-line on and off-campus work training program, with the goal of helping individuals with disabilities to become independent and included members of society. Companies that provide competitive, part and full-time work to individuals with disabilities are the next step. Cardinal Cushing Centers is pleased to honor VERC and other companies who see the value in a truly diverse workforce. Individuals with disabilities are quite often loyal employees who are dedicated to their work. They have what it takes to get a job done and they do it with a positive, morale-boosting attitude. According to Vercollone, “Making the commitment to hiring individuals who are challenged and disabled has been a great experience for our company. We are very pleased to report that we are at the 20% level of disabled and challenged workers and we are aiming higher. We encourage other businesses to do the same.”

For more information on becoming a “Partners in Possibilities” please contact Karen Cooper, South Shore Industries Director at 781-335-5601 or email kcooper@CushingCenters.org or Rachel Owen, Employment Consultant at 781-829-1288 or email RachelOwen@BestBuddies.org.