Parents Alliance Employment Project

?? Huge congratulations to Wyatt for celebrating 1 year with Parkhurst Dining at North Central College! ?? Wyatt landed his part-time job with Parkhurst through Project SEARCH at Central DuPage Hospital and is now rocking his role as a Dining Room Attendant at Kaufman Dining Hall! ?? You'll often spot him providing outstanding customer service and keeping the dining hall looking its best. ?? A big shoutout to Parkhurst Dining for being such a fantastic partner supporting the PAEP mission! ?? Way to go, Wyatt, and thank you, Parkhurst! ?? #EmployeeSpotlight #Teamwork #CustomerService #PAEP #ParkhurstDining #CongratsWyatt #OurAlliance #BeInspiredtoHire

?? A Heartfelt Thank You to DuPage County ?? We are truly honored to be recognized at the DuPage County Board meeting today for National Developmental Disabilities Month and Autism Awareness Month. A special thank you to Chair Deb Conroy and the DuPage County Board for this recognition of the important work that Parents Alliance Employment Project does year-round. This year’s theme, “We’re Here All Year,” reminds us that supporting individuals with developmental disabilities is not just a focus for March, but a year-round commitment. We are proud to be part of this vital community effort and grateful to the County for championing accessibility, opportunities, and inclusion for all. Together, we continue to make a difference! ?? #NationalDevelopmentalDisabilitiesMonth #AutismAwarenessMonth #DuPageCounty #Inclusion #Accessibility #PAEP #CommunitySupport #OurAlliance #BeInspiredtoHire

?? Project SEARCH at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital Takes on Spring Break! ?? This week, our amazing interns got creative and planned their own Spring Break trip! From choosing the destination to researching travel costs, hotel rates, food, and fun activities—they tackled it all. ????? They gained real-world skills in budgeting, planning, and teamwork while learning what it takes to make a dream vacation a reality. So proud of their hard work and creativity! ? We can't wait to see where their future adventures take them! ???? #ProjectSEARCH #SpringBreak #InternshipSuccess #WorkplaceSkills #Teamwork #OurAlliance #BeInspiredtoHire

?? A Day in the Life of a Project SEARCH CDH Intern: Maeve’s Journey ?? Ever wondered what a typical day looks like for one of our interns? Let’s take a peek into Maeve’s day at Project SEARCH Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital! ?? Morning: The day starts with classroom instruction to set the stage for a productive day ahead. ?? Hands-on Work: Maeve spends time in the OPIC department restocking drinks and snacks, following a detailed task list. ?? Lunch: A chance to connect with the department team and soak in the work culture. ?? Afternoon Tasks: Maeve sanitizes patient rooms and tears wristbands to prepare for the next patient. ?? End of Day: The day ends with a debrief in the classroom, reflecting on her accomplishments and growth. It’s a full day of learning, teamwork, and personal development! ???? #ProjectSEARCH #InternshipJourney #LearningAndGrowing #WorkplaceInclusion #InternLife #OurAlliance #BeInspiredtoHire #NM #NorthwesternMedicine

?? Shoutout to Adrian! ?? From his time at Project Search Delnor to gliding around the roller skating rink, Adrian has earned his place as an attraction attendant at Funway! ?? His dedication, hard work, and passion are shining through, and he’s absolutely loving this exciting new adventure. ?? Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it—keep shining, Adrian! ?? #ProudMoment #HardWorkPaysOff #InclusionMatters #Funway #EmployeeSpotlight #OurAlliance #BeInspiredtoHire

???? Wrapping Up Neurodiversity Celebration Week & Honoring World Down Syndrome Day ???? As Neurodiversity Celebration Week comes to a close, we continue to celebrate the strengths, talents, and unique perspectives that neurodiverse individuals bring to our communities. From autism to ADHD, dyslexia, and more, every neurodiverse mind deserves to be embraced and empowered every single day. ? Today, on World Down Syndrome Day, we honor the incredible contributions of individuals with Down syndrome and reaffirm our commitment to building a world where all individuals, regardless of neurodiversity, have the opportunity to work, learn, and live fully in their communities. ?? At Parents Alliance Employment Project (PAEP), we’ve been advocating for inclusive education, meaningful employment, and community integration since 1982. While this week has been a special time to raise awareness, our mission for equality and inclusion continues year-round. ???? ? Let’s keep moving forward: Support neurodiverse individuals every day, and work together to create a future where everyone’s abilities are valued and recognized. ?? Learn more about PAEP’s mission and how we can continue to create a world of empowerment and opportunity: https://lnkd.in/eEwkc4_X #NeurodiversityEveryDay #WorldDownSyndromeDay #PAEP #InclusiveWorkforce #NeurodiversityCelebration #EmpowermentForAll #InclusionMatters #OurAlliance #BeInspiredtoHire

?? Congrats, Alysee! ?? We’re thrilled to share that Alysee is officially part of the Hearthstone Communities team! As a proud member of the Project SEARCH Huntley class of 2025, Alysee started her journey eager to explore different career paths. While trying out various roles, she found her passion in the Food and Nutrition Department. ?? Alysee’s determination and hard work paid off—she walked into Hearthstone, applied, and interviewed on the spot. By the end of the interview, she was offered the position! ?? We’re so proud of you, Alysee, and can’t wait to see you grow and thrive in this exciting next chapter of your journey! ?? #ProjectSEARCH #CareerJourney #ProudMoment #NewBeginnings #OurAlliance #BeInspiredtoHire

?? Open House – April 7th! ?? Join us in person to learn about a collaborative job skills training program designed to empower and shape the future workforce! ?? This inclusive employment training program is designed for out-of-school individuals with disabilities (ages 18-24) to help them build valuable skills for the workforce. ?? ?? Date: April 7th, 2025 ? Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM ?? Location: Aspire - Career Academy, 4110 Litt Dr, Hillside, IL 60162 ?? RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gqWktBPf Don’t miss out on this opportunity to start your career journey and gain the skills you need to succeed! ?? #InclusiveEmployment #CareerAcademyAlliance #Aspire #ParentsAlliance #JobSkillsTraining #BeInspiredToHire

Thank you so much to Aaron M. and the entire team at Crafty for hosting our Glenbard School District students! The tour was an invaluable experience, and it was inspiring to see our students so engaged and motivated by the opportunities at Crafty. This partnership has been such a meaningful way for our students to explore potential career paths and feel empowered to pursue real-world job opportunities. We’re grateful for the continued support and for helping shape the future workforce with such a hands-on, inspiring experience. Looking forward to many more collaborations ahead! ??

Our Inspired by Ability students recently participated in mock interviews, arriving dressed professionally and ready to impress! ??? The goal? To give them a real interview experience where they could practice answering questions, showcase their skills, and navigate common interview scenarios. Students were interviewed by actual employers using real job descriptions, making it a valuable hands-on learning opportunity. After the interviews, they received feedback to help improve their presentation and performance for future job opportunities. Huge thanks to the BAC members and PAEP staff for their support! #CareerReady #MockInterviews #ProfessionalDevelopment #inspiredbyability #OurAlliance #beinspiredtohire