ServiceSource

Thank you to Rep. Celeste Maloy and Rep. Blake Moore for meeting with Advocate Melanie McDonald, from PARC - A ServiceSource Affiliate in Utah during the SourceAmerica Grassroots Advocacy conference in Washington, D.C. PARC Executive Director Ken Naegle and Director of Operations Chad Miller joined Melanie on the Hill as she explained the challenges people with disabilities face in the job market and how the #AbilityOne Program helped her find meaningful employment and build a rewarding career. The following day, the PARC team met with staff for Senator Mitt Romney and United States Senator Mike Lee to discuss the importance of the AbilityOne Program and strategies to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. We appreciate your support for #disabilityemployment and look forward to working with you in the future. #disabilityadvocacy #IAmSomebody

Congratulations to Lillie Bishop and Charley Burton who represented our newest affiliate, WorkSource, at the SourceAmerica Grassroots Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. Lillie and Charley are employed on WorkSource’s AbilityOne contract with the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia. They shared their perspectives on disability employment with Representative Bob Good, and joined advocates from other Virginia nonprofits at the offices of Senator Mark Warner and Senator Tim Kaine! It was a productive trip to Capitol Hill and we appreciate the continued support of our Virginia Congressional delegation!

We had a whirlwind week at the SourceAmerica Grassroots Advocacy Conference, where we went to Capitol Hill to gain support for our mission! Our experienced advocates and employees, Fred Pickett and Michael Gentry, visited Congress to discuss the importance of the #AbilityOne Program and strategies to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Fred works as a mail clerk on our AbilityOne Program contract at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C., and Michael is a digital imaging specialist at our Department of Defense contract in St. Louis, Missouri. Thanks to the offices of Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (Washington, D.C.), Missouri Representatives Cori Bush, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jason Smith, and Ann Wagner, and Missouri Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt for meeting with us and supporting policies to advance #disabilityemployment. #disabilityadvocacy #IAmSomebody

Congratulations to Hilary Anderson on being selected Direct Support Professional of the Year in the Teamwork category by Community Living Alternatives in Fairfax, Virginia! Hilary was selected from among direct support professionals throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Hilary’s exceptional performance and dedication to the ServiceSource Employment Readiness Program sets a remarkable example for her colleagues. Her ability to go above and beyond, coupled with her outstanding teamwork, have contributed greatly to the success of the PIERS Program. Her person-centered efforts in supporting our participants in reaching their employment goals have a positive impact every day! Also recognized for outstanding performance at the awards dinner were Linda Bishop, Eva Katounas, Aquayla Covington, Jennell James, Valerie McVeigh, and Michael Mitchell. ServiceSource direct support professionals are instrumental in carrying out our mission to support people with disabilities and their families and build more inclusive communities. Thank you for all that you do!

We are thrilled to welcome Senator Chris Coons of Delaware as the newest AbilityOne Congressional Champion! Sen. Coons met today with advocate Henry Ritzberg, who works on an AbilityOne Program contract at the U.S. Air Force Base in Dover with our affiliate Opportunity Center, Inc. (OCI). Also on hand were Howard Cooke of SourceAmerica, ServiceSource Vice President of External Affairs Ashlie Stackbein, and OCI Director of Operations Jackelyn Gemenden. The AbilityOne Congressional Champion program, established by SourceAmerica and National Industries for the Blind, honors members of Congress who have demonstrated a commitment to their constituents with disabilities and to the AbilityOne Program. Thank you Sen. Coons for your support! #DisabilityAdvocacy #IAmSomebody

ServiceSource is thrilled to welcome Representative Richard Hudson (NC-9) as the newest AbilityOne Congressional Champion! Staff of ServiceSource affiliate Employment Source, including executive director Jason Amorose, self-advocate Travis Glover, and program director Kylie Bartlett, presented him with the official plaque on Capitol Hill. Thank you, Representative Hudson, for your commitment to promoting #disabilityemployment through the AbilityOne Program. #DisabilityAdvocacy #IAmSomebody

Representatives of ServiceSource and its affiliated organizations spent the beginning of this week in Washington D.C. at the SourceAmerica Grassroots Advocacy Conference, attending sessions on?#disabilityemployment?and preparing to meet with elected officials later this week! ServiceSource President and CEO Bruce Patterson was also in D.C., providing an update on the work of the National Council of SourceAmerica Employers (NCSE) Compliance Advisory Council on policy changes under development by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission. Stay tuned for updates as we head to Capitol Hill!?#DisabilityAdvocacy?#IAmSomebody

The ServiceSource Foundation held its 2nd Annual Wine in the Woods Fundraiser at the Barns of Wolf Trap, raising more than $260,000 for our critical programs supporting people with disabilities! Over 150 guests enjoyed small plates crafted by our team of Marriott chefs, exquisite wine donated by Mark Crisler of Trellis Wine Group, live music from Olivera Music Entertainment, and a live auction — all in support of the ServiceSource mission to build inclusive communities. A special thanks to our talented chefs, including: – The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner: Executive Chefs Daniele Trivero and Fakkao Paisal – The Marriott Marquis Washington, DC: Executive Chef Frederic Barasse – The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center: Executive Chef Jakob Esko and Executive Banquet Chef Jason Galbao – The Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles: Executive Chef Todd E. Schofield and Sous Chefs Raj Tamang and Torius Gallion – Marriott International Global Test Kitchen & Headquarters: Chefs Brad Nelson, Diego Fernandez, Neil O’Conner, and Blanca Menjivar And thank you to our generous sponsors: Platinum Plus Sponsor: Playa Hotels & Resorts; Platinum Sponsor: M.C. Dean, Inc.; Gold Plus Sponsors: Diamond Rock Hospitality Co and PJT Partners; Gold Sponsors: STG International and Ning Solutions; Bronze Sponsors: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Cigna Healthcare, Hogan Lovells LLP, USI Insurance Services LLC, Nino R. Vaghi Foundation, Washkewicz Family Foundation, and Albert Wu, Certified Financial Planner. We are already counting the days until next year!

Representatives of ServiceSource and its affiliated organizations will be headed to Washington, D.C., next week for the 2024 SourceAmerica Grassroots Conference! Employees from ServiceSource, WorkSource, PARC, Employment Source, and Opportunity Center, Inc., will meet with elected representatives on Capitol Hill to share their experiences and discuss the importance of policies that enhance job opportunities for people with disabilities through #AbilityOne federal contracting. We can’t wait to get to Capitol Hill and meet with our elected officials! #SourceAmerica #DisabilityEmployment #DisabilityAdvocacy

Check out the latest episode of the Stand by Me podcast, sponsored by the state of Delaware and the United Way of Delaware. The new episode features Erin Doordan, a certified financial coach and Social Security benefits counselor at ServiceSource affiliate Opportunity Center, Inc., in New Castle, Delaware. Erin and Karen Summa, a financial coach with Stand by Me, discuss the important connection between money and health, including how health can impact finances, mental health concerns that can arise as a result of financial issues, and preparing young people with disabilities to manage their own financial futures. "When you give [students with disabilities] the tools and the resources and the support, they’re going to run with it,” explained Doordan. “They’re going to make these better choices, and they’re going to be able to manage their money for themselves in the future.” Link: https://lnkd.in/ecUtkMev