Gloria was referred to Goodwill by our partners at Vocational Rehabilitation Services more than three years ago. Because of a mild learning disability, Gloria had a hard time maintaining a job. With the help of a Goodwill job coach, she was placed in a training slot in one of our retail stores.
In June 2009, she was hired by food service provider Chartwells as a Dining Room Attendant in their UNCC facility, Crown Commons. “When I interviewed, I felt like I was at home,” Gloria said. “It wasn’t five minutes later that my job coach called me to tell me I had the job.”
Gloria is tasked with keeping everything in the dining area clean, from the table tops to the drink dispensers. She was recently promoted to dessert duty. “Gloria shows initiative and always takes the extra step to make sure her customers are happy,” said Director of Crown Commons, Danita Dorsey. “She’s happy to be here, and that makes a difference.”
“I love my job because the students give me a lot of respect,” Gloria explained. “They call me Mama Glo, and I know that they appreciate what I do for them.”
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. More than 50 million people in the U.S. report having a disability. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for those with a disability is more than 16%, almost twice the rate for those with no disability. For more information about Goodwill’s Vocational Coaching Services program, click here.
Check out the story that WCNC recently aired about Gloria!
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