Beacon Opens Doors to Adults with Disabilities
At Beacon, learning is an ongoing activity, permeating every aspect of our jobs. The commitment to learning is a cornerstone at Beacon that stretches beyond empowering our very own associates. It’s a calling to help others learn.
Nowhere is that more evident than in Project SEARCH, a school-to-work program at Beacon in which associates are helping young adults with disabilities to learn about working in a health care environment.
In her student address, Sarah Holland, a Project SEARCH graduate, talked about the “wealth of work experience” she and her classmates received while working at Beacon. Each completed three, 10-week rotations at Beacon, performing such tasks as cleaning, filing, sterilizing equipment, preparing food and dishwashing. The one-year work immersion gave them the experience of being employed.
“We learned to be on time, we learned how to ride the Transpo, we learned to take pride in our work and be thorough,” Sarah says. “We gained personal growth and confidence.”
“It just means everything,” says Vicky Holland, Sarah’s mother. “She has grown so much.”
ADEC, a nonprofit agency providing advocacy and services to people with disabilities, brought Project SEARCH to South Bend in 2010, working collaboratively with Memorial Hospital, Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation, Indiana University and the South Bend Community School Corporation.
A few weeks before her daughter’s graduation, Vicky wrote a note of appreciation to the president of Memorial Hospital, Kreg Gruber (email below), letting him know just how meaningful the work experience was for Sarah and her classmates.
Serving as a training ground and an employment spring-board for adults with disabilities, Beacon is helping improve the quality of life for all people.
Email from May 22, 2014
Mr. Gruber,
I wanted to send you a note in great appreciation for a program that Beacon Health (Memorial Hospital) sponsors in conjunction with the South Bend School Corporation—Project SEARCH.
My daughter Sarah was born with disabilities 20 years ago (she was actually born at Memorial). She is an amazing young lady who always has a smile on her face and has achieved so much more than anyone ever thought possible. She graduated from Clay High School last year with a certificate of completion, and prior to the year coming to a close, her school counselor suggested we look into Project SEARCH for Sarah. She was accepted into the program and has spent the last nine months in the halls of Memorial Hospital.
She is in the midst of her third rotation in the program. She was first in house cleaning. She was then in cold food preparation in the cafeteria. Sarah loves to be in the kitchen, so this has been her favorite rotation so far. She is now helping with physical therapy.
She gets to go to her “internship” every morning with her brown and tan scrubs on—she takes it very seriously and is quite proud of herself and what she is learning. I have the pleasure of dropping her off every morning and get the opportunity to see the staff smiling and calling her by name. It makes my heart swell with gratitude and appreciation for this program and your organization. The staff also gets a huge “kudos” for being patient with these kids and for making them feel important and welcome.
Project SEARCH is completing its third year and based on the progress and growth I have witnessed in all of the kids that participate, it is a program that should continue for years to come.
So please feel free to share my thanks and gratitude with your amazing organization.
Best always, Vicky Holland
Proud Parent of Sarah Holland
