Lawmakers on the job will see how workers with disabilities add value, make a difference
October 27, 2016 (Atlanta, GA) - Making important connections between young and old, constituent and elected representative, school and work, not to mention family and community, seems to be a fine-tuned art for 16 year-old Milton HS student, Jacob Moore. For example, this past weekend, Moore attended his first homecoming dance with his best friend, Savannah, he has known since 1st grade. This coming week, he will participate in the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) of October by taking his legislator and long-time friend Senator John Albers, to his job to help bring awareness to the contributions of employees with disabilities.
On Thursday, October 27, at 9:00 AM, Jacob and Senator John Albers will deliver the mail together across the Milton H.S. campus as part of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) Take Your Legislator to Work Day initiative, which is being held to promote the NDEAM theme, “Inclusion Works.” Jacob works as a Mail Delivery Man in his high school, as part of their job readiness program.
This is the first year Milton HS has had a Community Based Instruction (CBI) program to bring students with disabilities to their home schools and teach them skills for continued employment. “It’s a perfect job for him since it allows him to meet new people and socialize throughout the school at the same time delivering the mail to teachers and administration,” said Jacob’s mom, Heidi J. Moore. “Jacob is excited to introduce Senator Albers to his school community.” “We are also very encouraged to learn that other legislators are visiting sites in their communities to support employment for people with disabilities,” she said.
Jacob has known Senator Albers before he was senator in 2009. They developed a close friendship and the Senator continues to support the disability community and, one of Jacob’s many passions and causes, childhood cancer research. Senator Albers declared "Jacob Moore Day" in the State of Ga on March 10, 2013 at Jacob's "No Moore Chemo" party. Jacob continues to prevail over Down syndrome, Autism and childhood leukemia
The purpose of the GCDD “Take Your Legislator to Work” initiative is to educate policymakers and improve public perception about the capabilities of individuals with developmental disabilities and the skills and talents they bring to a job once given the opportunity.
"Like most of us, people with disabilities want to work for all the obvious reasons," GCDD Executive Director, Eric E. Jacobson said. “We all want to earn money to buy what we need, to buy what we enjoy and to become independent.” "People with disabilities are no different when it comes to wanting the benefits of gainful employment," Jacobson said. After its successful inaugural year, Take Your Legislator to Work Day is returning for a second run by popular demand.
Through the remaining weeks of this year, leading up to the start of the 2017 General Assembly, all across Georgia, dozens of employees with developmental disabilities, like Jacob Moore are answering the call for Take Your Legislator to Work Day and they are getting good response from their employers and elected representatives.
About GCDD: The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, a federally funded independent state agency, works to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities. A developmental disability is a chronic mental and/or physical disability that occurs before age 22 and is expected to last a lifetime. Visit www.GCDD.org for more information.
CONTACT:
Valerie Meadows Suber
Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD)
(404) 657-2122 (office)
(404) 801-7873 (mobile)
www.gcdd.org
@georgiacouncil
Photos Available
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