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Tag: people with disabilities

  • ‘My brother is my superhero’: Fairfax Co. student starts baseball clinic for athletes with disabilities – WTOP News

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    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia hosts an adaptive baseball clinic for young athletes with disabilities.

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    Fairfax Co. high school student starts baseball clinic for athletes with disabilities

    The gym at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County, Virginia, was packed Saturday as 25 young athletes with disabilities took part in the school’s first adaptive baseball clinic.

    The event was hosted by the school’s varsity baseball team and led by Andrew Haydon, a 17-year-old junior who created it. He said the idea grew from his experience with his 13-year-old brother, who has autism and other learning disabilities.

    “This whole camp is deeply personal to me,” Haydon said. “My younger brother has autism and an array of learning disabilities.”

    He called his brother his “superhero” and credited his mother for encouraging him to turn the idea into reality.

    Haydon said he wanted to give kids like his brother a chance to discover adaptive baseball. “I feel like this is a great opportunity to give kids like my little brother, who weren’t aware of adaptive leagues, a chance to get experience with adaptive baseball and maybe fall in love with baseball and continue playing,’ he said.

    Twenty members of the school’s varsity baseball team volunteered as coaches, guiding the athletes through drills. Haydon’s brother Nick helped out in the sensory room.

    “It’s a room where there’s fidgets. They’re supposed to help with kids if they get overwhelmed,” Nick said.

    The gym at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was packed with 25 boys and girls who were there to take part in the school’s first-ever adaptive clinic for young athletes with special needs on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
    (WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

    WTOP/Jimmy Alexander

    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology baseball clinic for special needs kids
    The gym at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia, was packed Saturday as 25 young athletes with disabilities took part in the school’s first adaptive baseball clinic.
    (WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

    WTOP/Jimmy Alexander

    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology baseball clinic for special needs kids
    Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology baseball clinic for special needs kids

    The clinic was overseen by varsity baseball coach Jennifer Hammond, who said the team is focused on more than teaching skills. “We are realizing we’re not just helping shape baseball players, but we’re trying to shape good humans on and off the field,” she said.

    Parents filled the gym’s sidelines and watched as the young athletes worked on batting, running and throwing skills. Shannon LaBarbara brought her son Edison and said the clinic left her feeling encouraged.

    “I feel very inspired,” she said. “This group of young men feels inclined and encouraged to do this and to bring inclusion to everything that they’re doing.”

    One athlete, Kai, seemed to know everyone there. His mother, Candita Sabavala, said the 13-year-old has always loved sports. “We drag him to his older brother’s games all the time, so it’s nice for him to be able to have something of his own,” she said.

    Between running, batting and throwing balls, WTOP asked Kai what he liked most about the baseball clinic.

    With a laugh, Kai said “Everything.”

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Jimmy Alexander

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  • Remote Work Boosts Employment for People With Disabilities, Survey Shows

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    The language of DEI may be currently out of favor, but a new report from the country’s largest human resources trade association, SHRM, suggests that the American workforce is far more diverse since the Covid pandemic effectively ended in 2021. The surprising change happened almost by default, but SHRM’s data show that there’s been a huge surge in the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the workplace — partly thanks to the shift toward hybrid and remote working. 

    In fact, SHRM says the rates have hit a “historic high.” As of July this year “nearly 25 percent of people with disabilities participated in the labor force,” the organization notes, adding that the numbers represent a 30 percent surge since the beginning of the covid pandemic. The rising numbers are partly attributed to the shift to teleworking which has ”lowered traditional barriers to employment,” and SHRM also notes that research shows “workers with disabilities are more likely to work fully remote schedules compared to their counterparts without disabilities.”

    An interesting factor in the growth is that it may skew toward younger people with disabilities: labor force participation of people in this group aged 16 to 24 has grown by nearly 60 percent since February 2020, SHRM says, higher than the average growth. This may mesh smoothly with the technological skills of digital-first age cohorts.

    Of course the rising workforce participation of people with disabilities isn’t evenly spread, and the data show it’s lowest in jobs like “life, physical, social science and health care practitioners, and technical roles,” and high in work like building, maintenance and grounds cleaning. It’s possible this is linked, the report notes, to lower barriers to entry for these types of work. This may be a representation, SHRM says, of persistent societal challenges for people with disabilities, including “higher unemployment rates and lower educational attainment compared to those without disabilities.”

    Nevertheless, the positive note here is that the surge in participation numbers are a “a vital opportunity for employers to address ongoing labor shortages,” SHRM’s report suggests, and it also says the data should be a call for HR teams and companies to persist in recruiting and advancing workers with disabilities. The research shows that having inclusive hiring habits, along with flexible or remote working models can help “foster a more diverse and competitive economic environment.”

    The takeaways from this data for your company are very clear. SHRM’s report notes that workers with disabilities right now make up nearly 5 percent of the total employed workforce — that’s 1 in 20 people. If your company’s benefits and working models aren’t disability-friendly, then your recruitment process may be skipping potentially talented, valuable workers without addressing that pool of prospective job candidates.

    But there’s much more value in hiring people with disabilities, starting with presenting an image of a company that has a good reputation — a recent report says that this characteristic may be more important when hiring the right candidates than ever. 

    Meanwhile, a 2018 study of 140 American companies by consultancy giant Accenture found that companies that actively hire people with disabilities recorded 28 percent higher average revenues compared to companies without this policy, and their profit margins were 30 percent higher. Data also show that if an employee with disabilities is happy in their place of work they tend to remain with that employer for longer than people without disabilities. This can lead to cost savings over time, due to lower costs from reduced staff turnover.

    To support your workers with disabilities, it’s also important to remember that there’s more work to do. Reports show that one-third of people in this cohort experience workplace discrimination of one sort or another, including a quarter who say discrimination began with interviewers, and 12 percent who said they’ve had difficulty even accessing the interview.

    The other fact to remember is that there is much wider support for hybrid and remote working models than you may have thought. Offering this to your workers is known to be a good for business as well as a good incentive, and, as SHRM’s data show, it also has benefits for workers with disabilities.

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    Kit Eaton

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  • Medicaid cuts leave Manassas adult day care center struggling to stay open – WTOP News

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    Many states have been tightening Medicaid payouts and Bright Center in Manassas said anticipated continued cuts could result in it closing its doors.

    Sidikie Kamara stands in front of the Bright Center.(Courtesy Sidikie Kamara/Bright Center)

    Many states have been tightening Medicaid payouts and one adult day care in Northern Virginia said anticipated continued cuts could result in it closing its doors.

    Bright Center in Manassas serves adults with disabilities, providing care for those with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities while their caregivers are at work. President Sidikie Kamara started the program with his late wife and said the Medicaid reimbursement rate per participant has dropped from $75 to $65 per day since 2023.

    “Just the overall cost of taking care of one individual — $65 is really just not enough,” Kamara said.

    He said the drop wasn’t sudden. The rate went from $75 to $70, and then to $65 over the course of about a year.

    Kamara said he’s had to cut staff and has spent over $200,000 of his own savings to keep the center open.

    WAMU was first to report on the cuts and their impact on the center.

    “We are really struggling just to stay open,” Kamara said.

    He currently serves 18 students, down from nearly 40 before the cuts began.

    “Providing the services that they need for our students, like buying food, going on outings … half of that comes from my own savings,” Kamara said.

    He’s also worried that with steep cuts to Medicaid in the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” more reimbursement reductions could be coming.

    Kamara said the day care is not just a community resource, it’s also one way he is keeping his wife’s memory alive.

    “I don’t want to close this place,” he said. “The mission must continue.”

    Kamara said he’s reached out to Virginia Medicaid, state delegates and others for help but hasn’t received a response. WTOP has also reached out to Virginia Medicaid for comment.

    “I just can’t understand why you wouldn’t want to help,” he said. “This is for the community.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Mike Murillo

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  • TAC Industries Wins 2024 SourceAmerica Innovation Award for Fresh Abilities

    TAC Industries Wins 2024 SourceAmerica Innovation Award for Fresh Abilities

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    SPRINGFIELD, Ohio, May 14, 2024 (Newswire.com)
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    TAC Industries is proud to announce that it has been honored with the prestigious 2024 SourceAmerica Innovation Award for its groundbreaking collaboration with Fresh Abilities. Presented annually by SourceAmerica, the award recognizes outstanding achievements in creating employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

    SourceAmerica is a national organization committed to increasing the employment of people with disabilities by building strong partnerships with the federal government. SourceAmerica consists of 570 nonprofit agencies across the country, serving 58,000 people with disabilities.

    The award was presented to TAC Industries at the Achievement Awards Banquet during the SourceAmerica XForce 2024 National Conference in Orlando, Florida.  

    Fresh Abilities, a quick-service restaurant launched by TAC in 2020, provides comprehensive training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the food service industry. The program addresses critical challenges faced by both the food service industry and individuals with disabilities, including labor shortages and high unemployment rates.

    “At TAC Industries, we are committed to creating innovative solutions to empower individuals with disabilities,” said Bridget Doane, Director of Business Development at TAC Industries. “Fresh Abilities represents our dedication to providing meaningful employment opportunities while addressing industry challenges.”

    The program’s curriculum includes over 100 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on skill building, culminating in ServSafe Level 1 certification, an industry standard for food safety and preparation. Graduates of the program spend six to nine months working at Fresh Abilities before transitioning to employment in other food service establishments.

    In 2021, TAC formed a strategic partnership with Clark State College to enhance the program’s offerings and address operational challenges. Clark State provided access to kitchen facilities and equipment, as well as a trainer to deliver the classroom curriculum. This collaboration not only benefited TAC but also provided Clark State with a valuable food service provider on campus.

    “The partnership with Clark State has been instrumental in expanding and enhancing the Fresh Abilities program,” said Jim Zahora, Chief Executive Officer. “Together, we are creating a winning scenario for individuals with disabilities, higher education institutions, and the community.”

    Since 2022, TAC and Clark State have worked together to improve the program, expand outreach, and build connections with local food service establishments. Plans are underway to expand training to additional counties and to replicate the model at other higher education institutions.

    “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Clark State as we strive to positively impact the lives of individuals in our community,” added Doane.

    For more information about TAC Industries and the Fresh Abilities program, please visit www.tacind.com or www.freshabilities.com.

    Source: TAC Industries

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  • Disability justice groups demand more resources in Detroit’s budget

    Disability justice groups demand more resources in Detroit’s budget

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    Two influential disability justice groups have joined forces to launch a campaign calling for “substantial increases” in funding for people with disabilities in Detroit.

    The objective of Fund Disabled Detroiters is to persuade Mayor Mike Duggan’s administration and Detroit City Council to devote more resources for people with disabilities.

    Detroit Disability Power and Warrior on Wheels are leading the campaign, which runs through April.

    A disproportionate number of Detroiters live with disabilities. According to the 2020 American Community Survey, more than 128,000 Detroiters — or one out of five residents — have at least one disability. By contrast, roughly one out of seven Michigan residents live with disabilities.

    “Disability is not a niche issue; it’s a universal concern that can affect anyone at any time,” Lawrence Franklin III, lead organizer with Warriors on Wheels, said in a statement Monday. “By prioritizing disability funding, we’re investing in a Detroit where everyone thrives.”

    The campaign is running now because the Detroit City Council is beginning to explore Duggan’s annual budget proposal, which goes into effect on July 1.

    In previous years, Detroit Disability Power led a campaign to increase the budget of the Office of Disability Affairs to $1.4 million annually. This year’s campaign is different because it’s taking a more comprehensive approach, calling for increases across multiple departments.

    Among the key demands are:

    • Adding $3 million to the Department of Election to increase physical accessibility and federal compliance at polling locations. Only 16% of the polling locations in metro Detroit are fully accessible, according to the campaign.

    • $7.8 million for the Detroit Department of Transportation to improve paratransit and fixed-route accessibility for buses.

    • $25 million to the Department of Public Works to repair sidewalks and ensure greater mobility for people using wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

    The full list of requests is available online.

    “This campaign underscores the importance of recognizing that funding for disability extends beyond the Office of Disability Affairs,” NaJaRee Nixon, lead organizer from Detroit Disability Power, said. “It’s about fostering inclusivity and dismantling ableism in every direction our tax dollars flow.”

    People with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty or unable to afford essentials, such as housing, child care, food, transportation, and health care, according to a report from the Michigan Association of United Ways and research hub United for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed).

    As part of the campaign, activists are encouraging residents to participate in a letter-writing initiative to urge the council and mayor to support the budget recommendations.

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    Steve Neavling

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  • How to Embrace People With Disabilities In Your Workplace | Entrepreneur

    How to Embrace People With Disabilities In Your Workplace | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    People with disabilities face several barriers to entering the workplace and frequently face discrimination and exclusion. To develop an institution of inclusivity, people with disabilities must be represented and embraced at every level. According to the World Health Report, an estimated 1.3 billion people — or 16% of the global population — experience a significant disability today. Unfortunately, people with disabilities face mistreatment and discrimination just for having a disability.

    Based on the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, a 2004 survey found that only 35% of working-age persons with disabilities are employed, compared to an employment rate of 78% in the rest of the population. Two-thirds of unemployed respondents with disabilities said they would like to work but could not find jobs.

    I have been a disability advocate for several years, and I have the experience of growing up with one. I am currently the co-chair of the disability inclusion network where I work, and I’ve volunteered for many organizations focusing on disability rights. I’ve advocated for people with disabilities at the White House during the first-ever Mental Health Youth Action Forum.

    People with disabilities have more difficulty finding work because they are perceived as less than others or assumed to be unable to work, which is a common misconception. The pandemic’s move toward remote and hybrid was a positive step toward providing more flexibility and accommodations for people with disabilities. Before the pandemic, many people with disabilities weren’t offered a role due to requesting to work remotely. Offering these options isn’t enough, and more changes need to continue to embrace them fully.

    Related: How Hiring People With Disabilities Will Make Your Business Stronger

    Addressing ableism and sanism

    Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities based on just having a disability, and sanism is the same, except for people with mental health conditions. Other forms of discrimination often dominate conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) more than ableism and sanism.

    Based on the Harvard Business Review, only about 4% of DEI programs include disability. Even DEI programs designed to address workplace discrimination still fail the disability community, which is why ableism and sanism commonly perpetuate in the workplace. This statistic is concerning as people with disabilities significantly face barriers in the workforce, like low labor force participation rates, higher unemployment rates and pay inequality.

    On top of that, many organizations don’t incorporate the “A” in DEIA — accessibility — because they don’t view it as an issue of equity. For example, issuing two people the same equipment doesn’t achieve anything if someone with a disability cannot use the technology to perform.

    Invest in accessibility

    It isn’t enough to announce that your organization prioritizes hiring more people with disabilities if your institution is inaccessible. If any practices are inaccessible, people with disabilities must navigate and maneuver additional barriers. It will be substantially more difficult for them to be seen, hired, considered and celebrated. Accessibility is a growing need every organization should invest in to create the best experience for its users, customers and staff members.

    Accessibility transforms information, content and anything else in your business into something sensible, meaningful and easier to use. Are you thoughtfully investing your resources into accessibility or treating it as an afterthought when someone comes forward with an issue? Accessibility should begin before someone requests an accommodation by approaching accessibility proactively. It would help if you devoted a sizeable fraction of your budget to assemble a dedicated team or position to accessibility, e.g. chief accessibility officer. Consider also working with a consulting agency if you want a third-party perspective.

    If you have a team in accessibility, is it being evaluated across the company rather than specific areas like technology and infrastructure? Assessing accessibility at every business function, like recruitment, job descriptions, content, social media, operations and events, will upscale and streamline more remarkable results. An example of this is clearing any ableist language on job applications because that already excludes a talented pool of candidates with disabilities.

    Accessibility isn’t only making work equitable for people with disabilities — it makes it easier for everyone. People with disabilities should be your target demographic for creating the most equitable products for them to enjoy and use. However, if you lead with accessibility in your organizational strategic plan, everyone will systemically benefit.

    Related: How We Can Redefine the Word “Disability” One Superpower at a Time

    Celebrate disability pride

    Based on the National Organization on Disability (NOD), while recently, more people with disabilities are entering the workforce over the last 12 months, self-identification (self-ID) rates have decreased from 4.09 in 2020 to 3.68 in 2021. Supporting people with disabilities must move from only offering accommodations to celebrating disability pride.

    Disability pride is the concept that disability isn’t just a medical condition but a social identity with enriching intersectionality, community and culture. Disability pride affirms that people shouldn’t be ashamed of their disabilities. Disability Pride Month is in July, and the National Disability Employment Awareness Month is in October. Because disability has been stigmatized and shamed for centuries, diverting that shame to pride is the future of disability inclusion.

    These are paramount organizational-wide moments to address disability, tell meaningful stories of their lived experiences and show your actionable commitment to DEIA. While those are noteworthy times to prioritize the disability community, disability pride should be distributed throughout the whole year because people with disabilities don’t stop existing and living outside of those months.

    There are limitless choices to include people with disabilities in the workplace by hosting workshops on disability inclusion, encouraging self-identification, outlining legal resources, facilitating open discussions on disability pride and history, establishing an employee resource group (ERG) to invite people with disabilities, caregivers and allies to join forces and hold the organization accountable and cultivate a more positive culture, work with other networks to showcase the intersectionality of disability and different social identities, appointing board members with disabilities and monitoring how your organization is operating.

    Related: 5 Ways Employees With Disabilities Help Maximize a Company’s Growth

    Diversity without disability is not diversity

    Suppose your organization does not include people with disabilities in your mission, decisions, products and leadership. In that case, your organization will never be diverse, and ignoring a substantial and vital population segment will only negatively influence your performance and impact. People with disabilities have the right to work and belong to an organization valuing their contributions and ensuring they have opportunities to thrive as much as everyone else.

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    Zane Landin

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  • Bring on the Light: Rangam’s Employment Training Tool for Uniquely-Abled People

    Bring on the Light: Rangam’s Employment Training Tool for Uniquely-Abled People

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    Press Release
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    updated: Nov 17, 2017


    SOMERSET, N.J., November 17, 2017 (Newswire.com)
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    Having access to gainful and sustainable employment opportunities may not be the final answer to all the life challenges that people with disabilities grapple with every day, but it surely does solve a few of them.​

    “In the post-truth era, dignity and independence have become primal needs for nearly everyone. When people with unique abilities start working, they not only start believing that they can, but also become confident of their ability to independently manage their life and career. These small victories often come and go unheeded for most neuro-typical individuals, but they have significance in the world of a uniquely-abled person,” observes Nish Parikh, CEO of Rangam, who is currently working on a solution that he thinks will help young adults with unique abilities become viable members of the workforce.

    Is our employment system ready to include employees with all abilities? Are we doing enough to listen to the unheard voices of those who do not always fit into the society’s construct of what is normal? Most importantly, are we leveraging assistive technology to utilize the amazing skills of a largely untapped pool of talent?

    Nish Parikh, Rangam CEO

    And there are compelling reasons behind Nish’s optimism.

    Rangam, the company he co-founded in 1995, has been developing innovative programs for disability inclusion, training, and education. Of the many programs that Rangam has developed to date, ColorsKit One has the potential to transform the way employers and special needs support agencies work with uniquely-abled candidates and employees. It is equipped with a job-skills training tool that job coaches, support agencies, and program managers can use to train people on how to carry out tasks in a variety of functional settings and for diverse job roles – whether it be stocking shelves, writing codes, or loading and unloading items under limited to no supervision. A complex task can be broken down into several subtasks to ease learning. The learning management system in ColorsKit One is also useful for periodic skills evaluation.

    The developers of ColorsKit One have gone the extra mile to provide employers access to data on performance of employees. “It is a win-win for all concerned,” Nish affirms.

    Latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that one in 12 individuals aged 16-64 years is uniquely-abled and two-thirds of those individuals are not part of the labor force.

    Nish and his team at Rangam are now looking for beta testers to validate the program and make further enhancements.

    “Everyone has the right to work and earn. As kids, we are told by our parents to figure out what we love doing the most and then work our way toward building a career around it. But is our employment system ready to include employees with all abilities? Are we doing enough to listen to the unheard voices of those who do not always fit into the society’s construct of what is normal? Most importantly, are we leveraging assistive technology to utilize the amazing skills of a largely untapped pool of talent? Individuals with unique abilities are known to be detail-oriented, methodical, and dependable. With a little bit of personalized training and guidance, they can be nurtured and developed as remarkably efficient employees,” concludes Nish with a resolute determination.

    ColorsKit One is available on the App Store on iTunes and Google Play.

    About Rangam
    Established in 1995, Rangam is a high-performing diverse supplier of enterprise-wide staffing services in IT, Clinical, Scientific, Healthcare, Engineering, Government, Finance, and Administrative sectors. Rangam is a certified WMBE that has consistently grown year over year while establishing a history of providing exceptional service to clients. We pride ourselves for developing a culture of inclusion and collaboration through innovation in education and employment. Be sure to check out our work for individuals with unique abilities and military veterans.

    Rangam improves the quality of life for our candidates while providing exceptional service to our clients. We do this by delivering an integrated recruitment solution that combines technology, training, and education to our candidates while providing our clients with a large, diverse network of qualified personnel options. We adhere to a philosophy of “empathy drives innovation” in everything we do. To learn more, visit https://www.rangam.com.

    Source: Rangam

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