Success Stories

Tom

Tom, now 22 years old, graduated from Upper Valley Joint Vocational School in May of 2007. Soon after graduation, he began working at Wayne Industries. For three years he completed piecework which included clips, labeling, heat sealing, gaskets, brushings, and bagging. Not only was Tom working and earning a paycheck at Wayne Industries, he was also developing employer-related skills. In weekly group sessions, he practiced filling out job applications, worked to improve his social skills in work-related environments, and learned how to express his feelings appropriately. Tom also worked to improve his health with weekly sessions on the treadmill.

In the spring of 2010, Tom began working with a job developer through Capabilities, Inc., to assist with looking for a job in the community. After several months of completing and turning in job applications, Tom was offered a job at the Greenville Wal-Mart as a cart-pusher. Tom accepted the position offered to him and started working there in August of 2010. His co-workers describe him as being “a team player,” “one of the sweetest young gentlemen we have” and that “Tom is always willing to help make sure the carts are pushed in.” Tom is happy with his job and his co-workers. He said, “They’re nice people to work with.” He also described Greenville as a nice community with nice people. Tom continues to work toward becoming more independent at home and in the community. His family and friends continue to be a solid support system for him as they continue to work together to achieve his goals in life.

Alice & Tom

“This year we are going to celebrate our fifteenth anniversary,” says Thomas, his wife Alice by his side. “Would you like to see the video of our wedding?”

Thomas and Alice were married on November 12, 1996, at St. Mary’s Church in Greenville. They met through a ‘Job Club’ sponsored by the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities at Wayne Industries. The Job Club was an after-hours function for individuals who were eligible for services and had jobs in the community. At the time, Thomas was working at Cal-Maine Foods and Alice was working at Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Thomas and Alice both receive a variety of services from the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities. They have each worked at Wayne Industries. Both have benefited from job follow along services, a service supporting their community employment. Thomas had help finding a new job through job search activities.

Thomas and Alice receive support with a number of activities in their daily lives. Through a Medicaid program administered by the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities called the Level One Waiver. They are helped by residential staff from T & D of Ohio, Inc., operating out of Union City, with household tasks, addressing health and safety concerns, and money management issues.

However, Thomas and Alice also take pride in doing as much for themselves as they can. Thomas has a driver’s license and has been driving for years. They do most of the cooking and cleaning themselves, and they have each maintained employment in the community. Alice says that she has been working at the Greenville KFC for over sixteen years. One of her primary responsibilities there is maintaining the lunch buffet. She enjoys interacting with the customers. Thomas currently works at the Taco Bell in Greenville. He has also worked at Taco Bell in Troy and Englewood, and besides Cal-Maine Foods, has worked at Tailgator’s Sports Bar and Longfellow’s Shadows Restaurant.

Thomas and Alice recently moved into a rental home in Greenville. With the assistance of the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities, they were able to take advantage of a new federal assistance housing program. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded funds to states and communities across the country through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). The Ohio Department of Development distributed more than $83.3 million to 17 cities, 12 counties, and 21 regions in Ohio. The funds were earmarked for improving neighborhoods by purchasing and redeveloping vacant or foreclosed properties, establishing land banks and demolishing ruined buildings. Thomas and Alice’s home was renovated with NSP funds, making the structure more accessible through additions such as a walk-in shower and bathroom grab bars. Thomas and Alice had spent all of their married lives in apartments and duplexes, and they are thrilled by the sense of independence that living in their own place gives them.

“We love it here,” says Thomas. “We aren’t moving anywhere else.”

Dan

It has been a long road for Dan to get to where he is now. Born some years ago (Dan states, “I’m staying at 49,” when asked about his age), he grew up in a time where a disability was more likely to be hidden than accepted. But Dan had a goal and stuck to it for many years; a goal to be a viable part of the community. Apparently, Dan was not going to let anything get in the way of that goal. This includes ankle issues that make it a challenge to walk and a challenge to talk clearly that leads Dan to sometimes use a talking device or write down his sentences so other people can understand him. This also includes some difficulties in how to relate to others socially.

Dan has had some successes throughout his life. A few years ago, he obtained an apartment and lives there independently with some help from family and a provider that sees him once a week. He has held several jobs through the years, but was unable to maintain employment. Social interactions played a part in losing those positions as Dan found it a challenge to maintain this aspect. Undaunted, Dan kept searching for a job in the community. Keeping his goal in mind, to be an active part of the community, Dan learned some things along the way and was more prepared when another opportunity presented itself.

In October of 2010, Dan received an opportunity to work at a thrift store on Broadway in Greenville called Hand to Hand. “It’s fun,” says Dan. He notes that he lives close enough to the store to walk there and back home when the weather is not bad, otherwise he uses the store’s furnished transportation. While at the store, Dan stocks shelves, waits on customers and rings up their purchases on the cash register. He makes a point of thanking each customer before they leave, even if they do not buy anything. Dan’s supervisor, Michelle, notes that one of Dan’s biggest attributes is his personality. “He lightens things up,” she says. “He’s ornery, in a good way.” Michelle also notes good use of some of Dan’s other skills at the shop. Besides being a good worker, he has become their in-store maintenance man. One of his most recent efforts was the successful replacement of a belt on their vacuum cleaner. He also keeps the store ‘spic and span.’ Perhaps his greatest achievement, however, is how he gets along with everyone. “He is awesome with customers,” Michelle states. Customer relations is a strong point with Dan, a quality Dan plans to use as long as he is working in the community. That is something Dan hopes to be doing for a long time.

Landyn

Landyn is a nine year old second grader at Woodland Heights Primary School in Greenville. When he was born, Landyn was without oxygen for approximately three minutes, and as a result, has had medical issues throughout his life. He has a history of seizures, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cognitive delays, and fine/gross motor delays. Despite all the medical issues, Landyn has excelled beyond what the first neurologist had predicted for his life.

With the support of teachers, therapists, aides, and his family, Landyn has made great academic gains. When he entered kindergarten, his needs included basic skills such as letter and number recognition, writing and reading his name, and reading beginning sight words. He is now able to read at a first grade level, and he is adding and subtracting numbers with touch points. With minimal assistance for control and legibility, Landyn is able to write his name, pass written spelling tests with A’s and B’s and write sentences and simple stories. In 2010, he was nominated by his special education teacher for the ‘Yes I Can!’ award in the area of academic achievement.

Landyn has received services through the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities. He attended Anthony Wayne Preschool from three to six years of age and received support for medications and service coordination through the Family Support Services program.

Landyn is sensitive, loving, and full of energy and determination. Because of these qualities, Landyn will continue to succeed in life and be an inspiration to those around him.