Gwyn Beaver shares her story

Gwyn Beaver
Several months ago, I joined the ranks of parents who are searching for employment opportunities for their capable young adult children who happen to have an intellectual disability. My CLSC caseworker provided a list of organizations that provide these opportunities, or assist in the search of said opportunities. This list brought the JEM Workshop to my attention, which in turn, led me to Ometz.
My son, Elijah, and I initially visited the JEM Workshop and thought the environment would be an ideal setting for his first ‘real job’. Our contact person at Ometz was Gina Zagari from Support Employment Services. Gina was extremely helpful. She supplied the required paperwork, promptly returned all phone calls and emails and thoroughly explained the hiring process. This allowed me to be able to give my son an idea of what to expect from beginning to end – this is very important when working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Much of his anxiety was put to rest. When I told him Gina would be at his job interview he gave me a big smile – I could tell he felt more at ease.
I feel confident that Ometz will be there to provide assistance in the future, if needed. I have recommended and will continue to highly recommend Ometz to others. Organizations such as Ometz are vital to our community. As I explained to Gina, my job is to knock on as many doors as possible hoping that one will open and lead to an opportunity that will contribute to my son’s personal growth, while allowing him to prove to himself and others that he is capable of making a contribution to our community.
My husband and I have watched Elijah’s self-esteem and self-confidence increase beyond measure. He is excited and incredibly happy to go to work, and exudes pride when telling me about his work day each afternoon. I feel extremely blessed that I was led to Ometz’s door. My family and I thank you.

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