AMS has been hiring individuals with disabilities for many years, working with community organizations focused on helping disabled persons find work and live fulfilled lives. As we move toward the end of March, we noticed one more commemoration, March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. This simply means we have an opportunity to create awareness of needs and realities around development disabilities.
From Google we see the following: “Examples of developmental disabilities include autism, behavior disorders, brain injury, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, intellectual disability, and spina bifida.”
These conditions may impair physical abilities, learning, and behavior. They begin either at birth or during the child’s developmental years and they impact day-to-day functioning throughout a person’s lifetime.
Most readers will be familiar with individuals with developmental disabilities, either mild or severe, within the family, community, or workplace. Our prayer for family members and loved ones so affected is that they can live a happy and productive life. For many, a happy and productive life includes finding work, and taking part in work life. At AMS Fulfillment we have been privileged to work with and enjoy the company of co-workers with disabilities.
What are Developmental Disabilities?
From the University of Minnesota website [LINK] we read the following:
“Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) are disorders that are usually present at birth and that negatively affect the trajectory of the individual’s physical, intellectual, and/or emotional development. Many of these conditions affect multiple body parts or systems. As of 2016, 7.37 million people in the United States had intellectual or developmental disabilities.”
Our Santa Clarita Community
AMS works with two community organizations to hire individuals with disabilities… Desert Haven Enterprises [LINK] and Pleasantview Industries [LINK]. These have been long-term relationships for many of the 20+ years AMS has been in Valencia.
Desert Haven describes itself as follows:
“Since 1954, we have been assisting persons with developmental disabilities to achieve their dreams of becoming productive, independent, fully-participating members of their community. Our programs provide those whom we serve, referred to as “consumers”, with the opportunity to learn important skills needed in everyday life: at home, in the community, and on the job. All programs and services offered through Desert Haven are designed to prepare our consumers to reach their greatest level of independence up to and including securing a job within the community–in keeping with the individual strengths, needs, expectations, and choices of each person served.”
Pleasantview Industries gives the following information:
“Pleasantview Industries, Inc. is an organization dedicated to providing training and support to assist consumers with developmental disabilities in successfully reaching their individually chosen goals. Individuals with disabilities and their families request services based upon their needs and preferences. Since 1969, Pleasantview has successfully supported many individuals in the Santa Clarita Valley through individualized services and support. The program provides work training, supported employment services and personal skill development training to support program participants to achieve their highest level of independence in the community.”
Supporting the Community
For AMS, supporting these community organizations is a privilege, and hiring individuals with disabilities is a privilege as well.
Many employees that we have hired and worked with from these organizations have been with us for years, not only because we value them as essential contributors to our organization, but because they choose to be here. As with all employees, the organization is dedicated to helping train employees on-site, giving equitable time of extra help to make sure employees are comfortable in their new roles.
“Well, my perspective is when I get to know the employees I get to knowing them really well, getting along with them real well. I would say they treat me like as if I’m one of the family. It’s one of the best jobs I ever had. Better than my other jobs that I used to do.”
-Bruce B., Operations Associate II, May 2013. Temp to Hire from Pleasantview Industries.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.