PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.
Nationwide campaign will take place in October
Sacramento, Calif. —
PRIDE Industries today announced its participation in National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Established by Congress in 1988, NDEAM is celebrated every October as a way to raise awareness of disability employment issues. Moreover, it’s also a time to reflect upon and recognize the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities.
“As the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities, we embrace NDEAM as a way to spread the message that people with diverse abilities are valuable contributors to a vibrant and productive workforce,” said Jeff Dern, President and CEO of PRIDE Industries. “60 percent of the workforce in our fast-growing organization has a disability. Every day, we prove the value of an inclusive workforce model through our operational success across multiple industries. We show company leaders that if we can do it, so can they.”
Throughout the month, PRIDE Industries will share employee and customer success stories. These stories demonstrate the social impacts and business benefits of inclusive hiring. And it will encourage its over 300 customer organizations to promote their support of an inclusive workplace to generate awareness. For more than 55 years, PRIDE Industries has worked to create an inclusive world. The goal of this work is for people of all abilities to have equal access to achieving their employment goals. In recognition of its many successes, PRIDE Industries was recognized as a 2021 Top Disability-Friendly Company by DIVERSEability Magazine and a 2021 Leading Disability Employer by the National Organization on Disability (NOD).
“We stand for normalizing workplace inclusion,” said Vic Wursten, Chief Rehabilitation Officer. “That’s why we offer training, internships, and the job support needed for success. Our industry-leading, people-centered programs enable individuals to have long, productive careers, whether working at PRIDE Industries or with one of our many corporate partners. And because we also provide a wide range of business services—including facilities management, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management—we’re able to offer a broad spectrum of career opportunities to thousands of people with disabilities.”
PRIDE Industries also provides career and support services to military veterans, former foster youth, and trafficking survivors. In addition, PRIDE partners with companies of all sizes to instruct executives, managers, and employees on cultivating a successful inclusive workplace.
“We encourage employers and employees in all industries to learn more about how to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” said Dern. “And we urge them to visit www.dol.gov/NDEAM to find important information and get ideas about how to support people with disabilities.”
PRIDE Industries delivers business excellence with a positive social impact. A social enterprise, we provide facilities operations and maintenance services, custodial services, contract manufacturing, supply chain management, packaging and fulfillment services, and staffing and recruitment services to private and public organizations nationwide. Founded in 1966, PRIDE Industries’ mission is to create employment for people with disabilities. Through personalized employment services, we help individuals realize their true potential and lead more independent lives. PRIDE Industries proves the value of its inclusive workforce model through operational success across multiple industries every day. Learn more at https://PRIDEIndustries.com.
PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.
Leah Burdick, Chief Growth Officer at PRIDE Industries, tells Capital Public Radio listeners about the I-AM-ABLE job placement helpline, the first-ever employment hotline for people with disabilities.
PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.
Almost everyone has a dream career that they aim to reach. National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) recognizes this fact. For three decades, NDEAM has celebrated the talent and drive of people of all abilities and advocated greater access to job opportunities.
PRIDE Industries has supported NDEAM since its inception, and we’ve championed the goals of NDEAM for even longer. For more than 50 years, PRIDE Industries has had a single mission: to create jobs for people with disabilities. Over the years, we’ve helped many talented people with disabilities find the job they’ve always wanted.
One such person is Dilver Funes, “F.D.,” who achieved his career goal as a PRIDE employee at Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB), where he is putting his electrical technical skills to good use.
Getting to this point involved much perseverance; F.D. used to experience grand mal seizures several times a week – preventing him from participating in many common activities, such as driving. Despite having the qualifications and desire to work, F.D. had to give up his position at a mechanic’s shop because he could not handle a full 40-hour workweek.
Fortunately, F.D. underwent a life-changing surgery that allows him to live seizure-free. The surgery was a success, but it came with side effects. F.D. experiences short-term memory loss and challenges when processing information. He needs some support, but this has not affected his ambition, and in fact, F.D. earned an electrician’s certificate and has reapplied for his driver’s license.
The next step for F.D. was to rejoin the workforce. In 2019 he contacted the Southern California Resource Services for Independent Living (SCRS). They worked together to find a job position to match his qualifications. In December, they identified the perfect opportunity – a General Maintenance Worker position with PRIDE Industries.
PRIDE’s H.R. Rep and Case Manager, Haydee Garzon, in coordination with SCRS, helped F.D. complete the necessary security steps required to work on a military base. She reports:
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“Once F.D. joined PRIDE, he immediately started to thrive. We are lucky to have him on our team.”
According to F.D.’s supervisor, HVAC Appliance Manager Shannon La Rue, “F.D. has continued to develop his skills and never hesitates to take on a challenge. He is an important part of our team and provides excellent customer service, keeping the military base in shape.”
To accommodate some of his disabilities, F.D. received a golf cart to carry around his tools. When the golf cart needed repairs, F.D. learned how to perform the bodywork and fixed it himself – showing his ingenuity and drive.
“I appreciate the opportunity to work with PRIDE and to have the extra training and vocational support,” said F.D. I’m enjoying my job so much that I want to stay with PRIDE until I retire.”
