Community Integrated Services

Give it up for Davon, who got an early holiday gift by landing a brand new job at the Wells Fargo Center!

Davon was recently hired through Aramark to work Sixers and Flyers games and other stadium events, and we got a chance to hear more from his Business Developer Jonathan Edwards about Davon’s first day:

“Once the game started, Davon quickly began helping and managing the customer traffic flow. At times, [he did such a good job] it seemed like he’d worked in the position before. He interacted well with patrons and even handled a transaction with a customer who was charged incorrectly.”

Davon stood out to his managers from the get-go by being adaptable, and he handled his first day like a true pro. He even began to advocate for himself for another position he might be interested in!

Thank you so much to Aramark for continuing to be such a supportive employer for our participants, and a big shout out to CIS's Jonathan Edwards for the great feedback about Davon’s first day.

Excellent job, Davon. Continue the great work!

[A young man stands on the court of the empty Philadelphia 76ers basketball arena and smiles at the camera]

CIS is hiring and we want you to join our team—apply today, or help us spread the word!

CIS employees help people with disabilities find meaningful employment, and support them at work to help them succeed.

As an Assessment Trainer, you’ll work a fun and interactive position that combines administrative responsibilities with in-the-field experiences, including connecting job-seekers with disabilities to community-based work-skills assessments at various employers around the city.

Head to the link below to learn more about the job, and apply today to join our great local nonprofit making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities.

https://rb.gy/fw0kkv

We can’t wait to meet you!

[image description: the CIS logo overlaying photos of people working at their office desks, above text that says "CIS is hiring – Assessment Trainer”]

The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a great start, and some of our participants have a front-row seat! Check out Amir, who celebrated his first day in his new job at the Wells Fargo Center—he's pictured here on his literal FIRST day!

Amir was recently hired by Aramark at the Wells Fargo Center to prepare food and ensure the area he oversees is neat and tidy for guests inside the arena. During his first day, Amir was shown where to gather his supplies and given an overview on what his responsibilities were during his shift. He was eager to learn more about his role, and met his new coworker, Komi, who's been a tremendous help to him already.

Thank you to CIS Job Coach, Daniel Liu, for sending us a photo on the court--we're proud of Amir, and love to see the excitement on his face for his new job at such a cool place!

[Image description: Image shows Amir standing on the Philadelphia 76ers Court at the Wells Fargo Center. He is wearing all black while smiling and holding his communication device.]

As we enter the season of joy and giving, we want to give a big shout-out to one of our Project Career Launch students, Shianne, who was recently hired in the Philadelphia School District!

If you have been following our page, you may recall our visit with PCL (Project Career Launch) students in April as they participated in mock interviews led by Marc from PA CareerLink. That day, PCL students practiced interview etiquette and received feedback on areas of improvement for prospective interviews.

Project Career Launch is part of our school-to-work transition program, which helps prepare students with disabilities for employment after they exit school. The mock interviews we observed in April paid off: they prepared Shianne to attend a hiring event with Aramark in June, where she interviewed for several positions, and landed a job working for Aramark at a local elementary school in the Philadelphia School District!

Shianne's path to employment is an example of our school-to-work transition programs in action, and we're immensely proud of her success. Nicely done, Shianne!

[image description: two women smiling at the camera in a cafeteria interior. One sits at a round table with her resume in front of her, and the other stands leaning on the chair of her companion.]

If you're able, take a few minutes today to spend some time with this moving story from the Chicago Tribune. It paints a portrait of the complex challenges faced by migrants who have children with disabilities, and the barriers they face to get adequate supportive services for their children.

This piece follows Mary Otts-Rubenstein, the mother of a child with disabilities, as she works with migrant mothers in Chicago to help connect them to support for their own children with disabilities.

"Otts-Rubenstein has been leading volunteer efforts for these children for over two months, stepping in where city officials have failed to identify and provide acceptable solutions for disabled migrants. She got involved after another volunteer who is helping migrants called her, knowing her expertise."

Check out the full story at our blog. Article by Nell Salzman and photos by Armando L. Sanchez.

Chicago Tribune - "How One Chicagoan is Stepping up for Migrants with Disabilities" - Community Integrated Services Article by Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune. Keinymar Avila, a tiny 7-year-old with microcephaly who has never been separated from her mother, curled up in the arms of a woman she’d recently met.  Her mother, Yamile Perez, glanced over at her daughter to make sure all was well as she attended a virt...

Give a round of applause to Alexis, who started a new position at Joann's Fabrics earlier this month. Not only did Alexis start a new job, but she also just graduated from Penn State Brandywine with her Bachelor’s in American Studies! A double whammy!

On her first day of work, Alexis learned how to use the register, conduct exchanges, manage returns, answer questions, assist the customer, and perform price checks. During her second day, she was even more confident in her responsibilities and more effusive, and she was left alone to manage customer purchases for the remainder of her morning shift.

Did we mention that this is Alexis’s first job? We're so happy to see her off to a great start. Thank you so much to CIS Business Inclusion Specialis Trevor vanAdelsberg for sending us this photo, and congrats to Alexis for graduating and starting a new job!

[Image Description: Image shows Alexis behind the cashier wearing a light blue shirt and glasses as she is checking out a customer.]

Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at CIS 🍂🍁🍂

Hit that like button for Shaina Scott, our HR Recruiter who has been all over Philadelphia in recent weeks spreading the word about career opportunities at CIS.

From coffee talks at local universities to career fairs across the area, Shaina brings her good spirits and welcoming smile everywhere she goes, along with an in-depth knowledge of all things CIS. She’s often the first person prospective employees meet at CIS, and she’s a big reason why so many go on to find and thrive in employment with us.

We honestly couldn’t have a better ambassador, and in this week of Thanksgiving, we wanted to take the chance to say how grateful we are for Shaina and all she does to make CIS a great place to work.

To learn more about careers at CIS, head to CISworks.org/help.

Fans of CIS social media may recognize Tremaine, who we featured back in 2021 for his standout job in his role at Royal Farms.

Today's write-up and update on him comes from Beth Holston of the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, which has connected him with critical resources--like job support through CIS--that have helped him find success at work. In this spotlight, Beth traces Tremaine’s path from a sheltered workshop to his current job at Royal Farms, which tells a vital story about the importance of integrated employment.

Check out cisworks.org/blog for the full story. We're so proud of Tremaine and all his success, and want to give a big shoutout to our own Orville Poole for doing so much to help Tremaine along this path!

[image description: a young man in a grocery store interior. He wears a Royal Farms branded shirt and hat, and pauses while shelving items to smile towards the camera]

Truly the very best thing about CIS is our staff: we’re artists, educators, musicians, caregivers; people just out of school working side by side with long-time CIS employees. However one came to CIS, the common denominator is a deep-rooted commitment to making a positive impact in our local communities.

In that spirit, we’re excited to continue our series of staff spotlights with this one on Daniel Liu, Customized Career Planning Specialist at CIS. Daniel talked with us about how he came to CIS and what he loves about his work.

For more on how CIS works for people with disabilities, head to CISworks.org.

We're back at it--come on out to today's hiring fair and say hello to CIS!

We're hiring for a range of great positions--join us at the fair this morning or learn more at CISworks.org--we can't wait to meet you!

One last reminder to come on out to the Job Fair today!

Meet with CIS HR representatives and get your start in a career that will make a difference.

10am-1pm, Vaux Community Center at 2300 West Master Street in Philadelphia.

See you there, or check out our open jobs on our website at CISworks.org/help!

Are you looking for a job or do you know someone who is?

Join us tomorrow morning at the Philadelphia Housing Authority's Job & Homeownership Fair!

On Tuesday, November 14th we'll be at the Vaux Community Center (details on poster) at 10am.

Come learn about jobs at CIS (cisworks.org), where you can make a positive impact in your community.

We hope to see you there!

[image is a graphic for a job and home ownership fair showing falling orange leaves around text that says "Tuesday November 14th, 10am-1pm, Vaux Community Center, Philadelphia").

Check out these candid snapshots of some of our Project Career Launch (PCL) students taking in the art of Philadelphia, and creating their own!

PCL focuses on giving high school students with disabilities interview training, resume building and other real-world work experiences to help them transition from school to employment.

The first students pictured are Dawson and Joseph on their community wayfinding day, where they got to go out and explore the city for educational purposes. Joseph saw the ‘Designated Art Site’ that displays public street art around Jim's Steaks and asked, "Are we allowed to draw over there?!" The answer was yes!

Both Dawson and Joseph were excited to put their art skills into practice, and added to the Art Site amongst several other artists. In the second photo is Carlos and Derius visiting the Woodmere Art Museum after their academic tour of Chestnut Hill College.

Thank you so much to Beth Flaugher, CIS’s Manager of Project Career Launch, for sending in these great photos, and learn more about our work at CISworks.org.

[Image description: Image 1 shows students Dawson and Joseph writing on the Designated Art Site. Image 2 shows students Carlos and Derius walking around the Woodmere Museum. Image 3 shows Dawson and Joseph adding more artwork to the site from a different angle.]

ATTN: Swarthmore College students and alums!

One last reminder that we'll be joining Swarthmore Career Services TONIGHT for a virtual conversation around navigating the workplace as a person with a disability, and how those without disabilities can act as allies.

Sign up at https://swarthmore.joinhandshake.com/login and then head to CISworks.org to learn how CIS helps people with disabilities find and thrive in meaningful employment.

We can't wait to meet you!

[image description: An image of a tree-lined college campus overlaid by text reading "CIS virtual coffee chat with Swarthmore College" and accompanying details]

Give it up for Jordan, pictured here on his very first day of work on the security team at Allied Universal.

Jordan lives and works in Delaware, and CIS’s Amy Green filled us in about his new position:

“Jordan's responsibilities include checking trucks in and out of the yard, checking the yard for safety purposes, and making sure there are no incidents on the property. Jordan is enjoying his job and has worked hard to get where he is!”

Amy also sent along this picture of Jordan, which is the latest in a series we’re running called Day One, in which we feature photos of CIS participants on Day One of their new jobs.

Keep an eye on our page for more from this series, and big congratulations to Jordan—we're thrilled for him to be beginning this new role.

[image description: a young man in a grey hat and yellow reflector vest looks down towards the camera]

Calling all Swarthmore College students!

Tune in tomorrow evening as we join Swarthmore Career Services for a conversation around navigating a workplace as a person with a disability, and how those without disabilities can act as allies.

Sign up at https://swarthmore.joinhandshake.com/login and then head to CISworks.org to learn how CIS helps people with disabilities find and thrive in meaningful employment.

We can't wait to meet you tomorrow night!

[image description: An image of a tree-lined college campus overlaid by text reading "CIS virtual coffee chat with Swarthmore College" and accompanying details]

As NDEAM comes to an end, we want to recognize Weavers Way Co-op, a long-time employer-partner that’s been hugely supportive of employees with disabilities. If you have been following CIS on our social media platforms, you may recognize the name Kentu. Weavers Way Co-Op, located in Germantown, has employed Kentu for almost 15 years. Since then, other CIS participants have worked alongside Kentu and have experienced the same supportive, empowering environment that Weavers Way provides to all their employees.

We recently stopped in to say hello to Kentu and to chat with Jon Roesser, GM of Weavers Way in Mt. Airy. Jon has been monumental in Kentu’s growth in his career. He’s an excellent support to Kentu at work, and even participates in Kentu’s annual Individual Supports Plan meetings to ensure he has a holistic sense of Kentu’s needs and preferences and how best to support him.

We sat down with Roesser, who shared with us several reasons why Kentu is an essential team member at Weaver’s Way and some of his responsibilities throughout his shift. It was clear from our chat with Jon that Weavers Way truly embodies what it means to provide access and opportunity for employees with disabilities. He also emphasized how important it is to understand disability as a component of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

“It’s one of the things that I try and make sure my colleagues know is, don’t view employees with disabilities as charity or anything. Like I said, I use the word integral for a reason. When Kentu isn’t here, we FEEL it.” For the full story, read more on our blog at www.cisworks/org.

Thursday's the day! Come on out to Brick Works Brewing and Eats - Smyrna tomorrow (Thursday) October 26th and enjoy some great food for a good cause.

Over the course of the month, we’ve been partnering with some fantastic Delaware restaurants for a series of fundraising events!

The fun continues tomorrow at Brick Works in Smyrna: stop in for a bite anytime that day, and 20% of your food bill will go to CIS when you present the voucher on slide 2 (showing them a picture on your phone is fine, or simply tell the server you’re there to support CIS).

Help us spread the word, and we hope to see you there!

It’s been a minute since we heard from our Project Career Launch students, and that’s about to change...right... now!

Recently, two of our Project Career Launch students were spotted in the community volunteering with “Our Closet in Your Neighborhood”—a pop-up initiative that helps provide clothing to folks in the Philadelphia area.

Carlos and James are in our new cohort of PCL (Project Career Launch), and are already lending a helping hand. If you are not familiar, Project Career Launch connects Philadelphia School District students on the autism spectrum with real-world work experiences and equips them with the skills they need to transition from school to employment.

‘Our Closet in Your Neighborhood’ (OCIYN) is a part of the Jewish Family and Children Services of the Greater Philadelphia Area, whose mission is to strengthen and provide resources for families and children. OCIYN provides families with clothing in good condition, food, and connection to resources.

We thank Beth Flaugher, our Manager of Project Career Launch, for sending us this photo of Carlos and James, and for finding amazing volunteer opportunities for PCL students. Excellent work Carlos and James, we hope to hear more from PCL soon!

[image description: From left to right; James and Carlos stand in front of a table with folded clothes. James is wearing a white button up shirt with a lanyard, and Carlos is wearing a black hoodie and black mask with glasses while holding his hands up.]

It’s the last week of National Disability Employment Awareness Month ( ) and we’re taking our lead from Thomas, who knows what it means to finish strong.

Thomas topped the podium in a recent Special Olympics cycling race, also winning gold in another event. This kind of success is a theme for Thomas, who’s also found his stride in his job at Redner’s Warehouse Market, where he’s been working for over a year now.

“Thomas always strives for excellence and has brought his skills from his previous job to the Redner’s team,” said CIS’s Kate Holzbaur, Thomas’s Case Manager. “He’s proven to be a valuable member of his team with a set schedule that utilizes his talents when needed most!”

NDEAM emphasizes Access and Equity for people with disabilities in the workplace, and we’re glad to see Thomas finding a stability at work that helps him thrive in his life outside of it.

Congrats to Thomas, and big thanks to Kate for the great picture!

[image shows a line of cyclists on a fall day outside a municipal building as they prepare to start their race. Thomas wears a red shirt and smiles as he looks toward the camera]

As we Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week (IDAW) comes to an end, we've got another dispatch from a CIS staffmember who shares what it’s like to live and work with an invisible disability.

Meet David Sheehan (M.A.Ed), a Business Development Specialist at CIS who has Epilepsy. Epilepsy is a condition marked by recurrent and unprovoked seizures due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. David shared moments of his story with us, and the ways that he’s tried to navigate having a disability in a world that doesn’t see it.

“My own experience with this disability was to hide it. It was and is still misunderstood as an 'unpredictable defect.' Misunderstanding epilepsy and how sufferers 'keep it in check' with medication closed and locked numerous doors for me. I thought hiding it would at least get a foot in those doors.”

To read David's full story, check out our blog at www.cisworks.org/blog.

IDAW may be over, but the spirit of the week goes on, and underscores the importance of making spaces for the voices of people who have an invisible disability.

Just like the autumn leaves, new jobs are falling into place for CIS participants! Give a round of applause to Jerome, who recently started at Aramark Wells Fargo Center as a Kitchen Utility Worker.

What is particularly special about Jerome is his perseverance. During the pandemic, many individuals- were laid off, including Jerome. In the years since, he’s had a number of interviews and has been extremely patient in searching for a job that feels like just the right fit.

His patience paid off, and he’s happily getting settled into his new position. Thank you to Daniel Liu for sending this great photo over–we are so happy to see Jerome thriving in his new job at Aramark, one of the region’s largest employers and supporters of people with disabilities!

[image description: Image shows Jerome wearing a grey hoodie while smiling in the camera]

Check out these great pictures from our team in Delaware, who showed up huge for the Boardwalk Buddy Walk in Rehoboth Beach two weeks ago!

The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk to benefit research, education, and family support for those with Down syndrome, and it’s been a yearly event since 2006. Making it even more special is the fact that it was created by the owners of Uncle David’s Ice Cream , a local champion of people with disabilities and a truly standout employer-partner to CIS.

There was a great turn out—nearly 1200 people!--and CIS staff-members Kim Dubose, Amy Blewitt, and Kelsey Hitchens (all pictured in image 2) were part of the crowd. To top things off, the Uncle David’s team served about 400 cups of ice cream! Everyone had a blast, including Connor (photos 1 and 3) who brings a great energy to every occasion.

Learn more about Uncle David’s at the link, and a big thanks to Uncle David’s for all they do to increase visibility, access, and equity for people with disabilities.

https://www.uncledavidsicecream.com/

Delaware! Just a reminder that TODAY is our fundraising event at Twisted Frozen Yogurt in Middletown!

Now until close, 10% of all sales will be donated to CIS in aid of our mission to help people with disabilities find meaningful employment.

Treat yourself to some frozen yogurt, or treat a friend (and help us spread the word!). Hope to see you there 🍦

Calling all supported employment professionals! CIS is offering a virtual ACRE Basic Employment Services Certificate Training beginning November 1st.

This 40-hour training provides an overview of the wide range of skills and knowledge needed to be a successful employment support professional. Attendees who complete the training will attain ACRE certification, an essential certification for practitioners in our field.

Swipe though the slides for details and information, and sign up today at the link below! Don't wait--virtual sessions begin in less than two weeks—we hope to see you there!

For more information email Diana Hochner at [email protected]

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/acre-training-basic-employment-services-certificate-november-2023-tickets-674651208927?aff=oddtdtcreator

Delaware! Just a reminder that TODAY is our fundraising event at Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen's Grain H20 location in Bear.

Now until close, 20% of your food check will be donated to CIS in support of our mission to help people with disabilities find meaningful employment.

Just show your server a printed voucher (image 2) and support CIS while enjoying some great food and drinks at Grain.

Hope to see you there!

We’re continuing our celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month with this spotlight on Penn Dining and the Bon Appétit Management Company at Penn.

Since 2016, more than 40 CIS participants have gained employment in Food Services at the University of Pennsylvania, making Penn Dining and Bon Appetit at Penn one of the city’s significant employers of people with disabilities.

That’s a massive testament to the way they’ve sought out job candidates with disabilities, and supported them in all facets of the onboarding and employment process to help CIS participants find success at work.

As we focus on Access and Equity for people with disabilities in the workplace, we’re proud to be a partner of Bon Appetit and the Penn Dining Services team, who’ve done so much to provide meaningful employment opportunities for CIS participants. Learn more about their impact at the link below, and enjoy these photos of CIS participants hard at work at Penn.

https://cisworks.org/brighter-future-awards/

We continue our series on Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week with another story of a CIS staff-person living with invisible disabilities. Today's spotlight features an Employment Trainer at CIS who wishes to remain anonymous.

“We ask for patience, not sympathy. Recognition, not chastisement. Accommodations, and not a handout. I am hoping that everyone would just educate themselves and begin a conversation. With this change, acceptance shall happen, and our days will be more than bearable.”

To read all of this individual's response about how their experience is shaped by invisible disabilities and illnesses that impact their daily life, head to CISworks.org/blog.

[image 1 shows the Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week logo"]

Calling all you Owls! If you're a Temple student or have a friend who is, check out today's Career Fair on Temple campus.

CIS will be on hand to meet students and let them know about different career options with us, where you can join a great nonprofit and make a positive difference in the local community.

Go to https://temple.joinhandshake.com/login for more info, and we hope to see you at the fair today!

Did you know that October 15th- 21st is Invisible Disability Awareness Week? IDAW shines a light on disabilities that are not immediately apparent, and is meant to spread awareness, education, and support for people everywhere living with invisible disabilities.

To help us spread awareness of this important issue, we turned to our team at CIS, and invited any staff who wished to share their story of living with an invisible disability. The response was tremendous, and the responses we received both insightful and moving.

We begin today by sharing Shannon’s story. Shannon (they / them / theirs) is a PhillyWINs Coordinator at CIS, and their response underscored the importance of raising public consciousness of invisible disabilities:

“Having invisible disabilities has made existing in public spaces incredibly difficult over the years. It is remarkably easy for even the most well-meaning able-bodied/neurotypical person to forget to prioritize accessibility.”

To read Shannon’s full story, please visit our blog at www.cisworks.org/blog.

[Image 1 shows Shannon, a light-skinned person with short brown-blond hair, looking towards the camera with a slight smile. They are wearing dark-framed glasses and a collared shirt. Text above them says "Meet Shannon (they / them theirs), they are not invisible, invisible disabilities awareness week.]

Truly the very best thing about CIS is our staff. Whatever path led us to CIS, the common denominator among us is a deep-rooted commitment to making a positive impact in our local communities.

In that spirit, we’re excited to continue our series of staff spotlights with this one on JC Daughaday. JC works for CIS in Delaware as a Transition Development Specialist, helping high school students with disabilities successfully navigate the path from high school to employment. He's pictured here with CIS participant Joshua at the annual Night to Shine event. JC talked with us about what led him to CIS and the experiences from his own life that he brings to his work with the people we support.

We hope you enjoy this spotlight, and that you find this series to be an inspiring reminder of the fascinating range of backgrounds and experiences that have shaped the people who make up CIS!

For more on how CIS works for people with disabilities, head to CISworks.org.

[Photo shows a ballroom interior where two Caucasian men, one middle-aged and one college-age, pose for a photo with their arms around the other's shoulders. Text above the image reads Staff Spotlight: JC Daughaday, Transition Development Specialist]