Every October SOAR365 celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in support of all our efforts to employ and support people with disabilities.
The Business Solutions department plays a central role in SOAR365’s efforts in this area, with nearly 60% of its workforce having a disability. Certified as an Employment Services Organization (ESO) and a partner of SourceAmerica, SOAR365 utilizes the AbilityOne program to create an ever-increasing number of employment opportunities for those who need it most.
Randi Dixon, a member of the Janitorial & Custodial team, has maintained employment with SOAR365 for more than 11 years now.
“I was still in school when I first heard about SOAR365,” says Randi. “It was a big experience for me to start working; I was finally being paid, I was respected by everyone, and I love the people I work with.”
Starting her time with SOAR365 at the Westwood location in Assembly & Logistics, Randi learned a lot about what it means to work hard and grow in her job.
As time passed and her supervisors learned more about Randi’s personal and professional goals, she transitioned teams and began learning a new set of skills.
“I enjoy learning new things – learning what my supervisors tell me and getting used to a new place,” notes Randi. “My old job was fun, but I wanted something new and to get a new journey started.”
“We assist Randi and all of our employees in any way we can,” says Khadijah Clark, Assistant Project Manager for Janitorial & Custodial Services at SOAR365. “Our focus is on helping them achieve their goals and being as hands-on as possible, but we also want to listen to our employees and make sure their personal lives are in order as well.”
SOAR365 continued to learn and grow right alongside Randi, adopting national trends that suggested competitive integrated employment is the best way for employees with disabilities to experience the most success.
Simply put, those employees went from working almost exclusively with other people with disabilities, to working in tandem with people without disabilities. Placing employees in the right situations and providing them with the right level of training and support are also key.
“Our program has grown tremendously in my time at SOAR365, whether it be in the number of people on staff, the communication between management and others, or the way we prepare employees for their tasks,” adds Khadijah. “Expectations have gotten higher and we work hard to meet them every day.”
In partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency, Randi keeps busy with cleaning responsibilities that span 15 different buildings on a nearby military base. She makes sure bathrooms, hallways and offices are cleaned from top to bottom – and takes immense pride in the work she does.
If you ask her about it, Randi will be the first to nod and tell you she is doing a great job. Her team couldn’t agree more.
The opportunity to work hard and earn a fair wage also gives Randi a level of independence that she has always wanted for herself. Although her parents come by often to support her, Randi has a home to call her own.
“Working here helps me be independent at home,” says Randi through a wide smile. “I do my dishes, I clean my room, I cook myself food and I do it all just how I learned at work.”