Successes

We are excited to share stories of our consumers’ successes and are currently gathering the facts to pass these stories on to you. "Successes" is one of our favorite pages so please check back soon for our next consumer profile.

Mark's Story:

People who meet Mark have no difficulty understanding what he enjoys doing. He wanted a job stocking shelves in a store, preferably a grocery store. Mark’s quiet communication style and aversion to being touched unexpectedly made him an unlikely fit for working in high traffic retail establishments, but Mark really wanted a job and got one with a well known local company. Mark liked the work and things went well until a customer unexpectedly tapped him on the shoulder, catching him off guard and scaring him. His reaction caused the customer to file a serious complaint with the manager, thinking Mark was being rude.

To save Mark’s job and keep his employer from losing a valuable employee, the staff at Phoenix Alternatives, Inc., took a two-step approach to resolve the problem. To help Mark compensate for communication deficits on the job, they purchased a small recordable photo frame that Mark wears next to his nametag. When he presses the tag a pre-recorded message gives a brief description of Mark’s disability and what he will do to get the customer the help they need. Next, Mark and the staff worked on practicing his social skills. With practice, he was able to lower his anxiety when being approached by new people in a busy store environment. The result, five years later is that Mark He is still working, smiling and providing the kind of service his employers expect and customers can appreciate. He is also working at another job in a very busy grocery store, which has always been a dream job for Mark.

Kathy's Story:

Kathy has spent many years helping the teachers with the reading programs at Webster Elementary School. Here you see her assisting a young reader who is practicing her reading skills. It has been proven that when a child that is struggling to read, reads out loud to an enthusiastic listener they improve much faster than if they struggled on their own. Kathy has dedicated much of her time and energy to help many young people over the years. They know her and wait for her praise which is always there for them.