Profiles in Excellence Archives | Page 3 of 9

Living the Life We Were Born to Live

February 2, 2017

By Joan Leotta

Born This Way, the Emmy award winning reality show featured on A&E, has set a new standard for people with disabilities in the entertainment industry. Now in its third season, the series grants a weekly glimpse into the lives and minds of people with Down Syndrome, as they experience the thrills and challenges common to all. In allowing millions of Americans to follow these thriving young adults, Born This Way fuses the ordinary with the extraordinary, as its fans learn to see people with the full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21 as capable, interesting individuals, and not as generic “Down syndrome” folks.

The cast of Born This Way: Top row (l to r): Sean, Jared, Steven and John). Bottom Row (l to r) – Rachel, Megan, Elena, Cristina, Caley and Cole

Development of Born This Way

Born this Way (BTW) was developed internally at Bunim Murray Productions (BMP) where founder Jon Murray also serves as executive consultant. “Part of BMP’s mission,” Murray explains, “has been to feature people on TV who have been previously marginalized. We did it with The Real World on MTV where we feature 7 young adults of diverse backgrounds and we have done it in our casting of Project Runway on Lifetime.” As it turned out, BMP’s offices were located within a 10-minute drive of New Horizons of North Hills, a non-profit that provides services to people with developmental disabilities. In getting to know some of the clients of New Horizons, Murray and others at BMP realized that a community existed that was not being explored on prime-time television. Featuring the Down syndrome community was a project that fit the company’s goals and experience.

Casting the Show

In its search for cast members for the show, BMP benefitted from the support of local and national organizations such as New Horizons, Performing Arts Studio West, Special Olympics, Best Buddies, and National Down Syndrome Congress. Each assisted BMP in either the recruiting or the auditioning process. Still, as Murray points out, BMP approached selecting individual cast members as it does any other program. “We interviewed the potential participants on camera, getting to know them and their families. We also put them together with other potential cast members to see how they interacted with others.” As the selection process narrowed, the participants, who are paid for their work, “had an agent or lawyer negotiating their deal for them.”

Building Trust and Telling Stories

Born This Way cast member Sean

One factor in BTW’s success is the trust fostered between the cast and the production team. According to Murray, BMP lays this foundation “by reaching out to different organizations and non-profits that work with people with Down syndrome.” In particular, New Horizons, RESPECTABILITY USA, and Gail Williamson of KMR Talent, who is also the parent of a child with Down syndrome have offered an invaluable expertise. The result has been groundbreaking programming that treats the cast as individuals and tells their stories with respect.

Though not without spontaneity, reality television does require direction. As Murray points out, “There is no script, but all of us (producers and cast) know what we are shooting each day. We don’t shoot 24-hours a day. We only shoot when specific things are happening that are part of the stories we are trying to capture.” Laura Korkoian who heads up the production staff “meets with the cast and their families at the beginning of each season to find out what is happening in their lives …We then work with the families and our principal cast to capture the story as it happens.” Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a team of people craft the gathered footage into a sixty-minute (minus ad time) show.

To determine which person will be selected for the single person camera cameos featured in each show, the production staff (consisting of Laura and her team) conducts regularly scheduled interviews with the cast and their family members. The staff then develops questions related to their observations during filming. It is at that point, Murray explains “we edit the episodes and decide which interviews to use”. The lag time between shooting and airing is about three months.

In weighing the differences and similarities between BTW and other reality programming, Murray observes that “for the most part, this show is approached the way we shoot a number of our family based series. We work with the families to figure out what we will shoot and how we will tell their stories. The one difference might be that we have aligned with some non-profit organizations to help educate our team about people with Down syndrome. This alignment not only helps us tell our stories responsibly, it also sparks ideas for stories. Most of our cast and families already knew each other, giving Born This Way an authenticity many reality shows don’t have. That authenticity is further enhanced by the fact that our cast is very honest in their interactions with each other. I also love that the families of our cast are featured in the series. It is wonderful to watch our casts’ amazing parents who work so hard to help their children work towards full independence.”

Family Affair

Cast member Megan cries while her mother, Kris, embraces her

Bea, Megan and Kris

Some of the show’s most compelling moments took place at the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County when parents of cast members were filmed sharing their joys and challenges with the parents of toddlers with Down syndrome, all the while cast members interacted with the young children. As Murray explained, “we worked with the organization to plan the event. We thought it would be interesting for parents with babies and infants to hear from our parents and it would be interesting for our cast to take on the job of baby-sitting. Everyone who came to the event signed a release. Once the event was underway, we just filmed what happened.”

The episode was amazing not only in the absolute joy of the interaction between the toddlers and adults with Down syndrome, but also in the lesson of how much progress has been made in the public perception of people with Down. The parents of the adults recalled being told to “give up” on their children in an era when services were limited. The toddlers’ parents received fresh hope as they were encouraged to believe that with hard work and persistence their children can achieve anything. The episode conveyed to the audience, too, that Down syndrome is not a limitation. It’s just a different path.

Success of the Show

Murray describes the Emmy nomination and win as great boosts for a show that began with only six episodes in its first season: “We were honored to be nominated and we were thrilled to win. It was definitely one of the top five moments of my career. And I know it was huge for our cast and their families. They were all warmly greeted by everyone at the Emmy’s including some of their favorite stars like Heidi Klum, Ryan Seacrest and Jane Lynch.”

The second season saw an increase to eleven episodes while season three will cap at ten. Murray also shared that, “Everyone is returning for season three. Plus, there will be a few new faces, but we’re staying mum for now the identity of those new faces.”

The Future

When asked what the success of Born This Way might mean for the future of people with disabilities in the entertainment business, the short answer from Murray is: “stay tuned.”

While this reply hints at what is to come, there can be no question of what has been accomplished. The producers and assembled cast of Born This Way have laid a rock-solid foundation for people with disabilities to walk out onto the world stage with greater confidence and independence. They have won over a viewership now capable of accepting people born with Down syndrome for who they are and who they can be.

100 Percent: An Interview with Scott Monette, Founder of 100 Percent Wine

January 10, 2017

By Joan Leotta

Scott Monette, left and Matthews Monette, right

Scott Monette, Founder of 100 Percent Wine, and his son Matthew

Scott Monette ‘s St. Louis company, 100 Percent Wine, is more than just a purveyor of premium California wines. The company’s mission represents a major shift in paradigm, a change in the way America views people with disabilities in the workplace. Monette’s ambitious goal of creating more inclusive environments is powered by his belief: “Work is a basic right. Having a job helps people feel that they have a place in society.”

This very conviction — along with something more — inspired Monette to leave a prime position in the corporate world to found 100 Percent Wine. As he explains, “I have a strong vested interest in inclusive workplaces. My son Matthew is deaf and on the autism spectrum. The number of people in our country with disabilities is staggering—56, 57 million. In addition, two thirds of them are completely out of the workforce. A job defines your place in society. I wanted my new business to start a conversation about what people with disabilities can accomplish in the workplace if we just give them a chance.”

In both hiring people with disabilities and determining their placement within the organization’s structure, Monette’s approach is unique. Approximately half of his small staff identifies as having a disability and all its profits are donated to groups who work toward creatively integrating people with disabilities into the workforce. Monette explains, ” We are a certified “B” corporation. B Corps are certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency and not just wealth for shareholders., We take this seriously. In fact, we were recently named a 2016 Best for the World Company by the B in Change Media. This award highlights companies around the globe that create exceptional positive social and environmental impact. In our case, we were honored for our work in the communities we serve. We felt obtaining the certification and the award was important because they tell people we are serious about our commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities into the workforce.” In evidence of this uncommon commitment, Monette’s salary as company head is one dollar per year.

Challenges

Or course, lofty goals are not without their own unique challenges. As Monette explains, product perception can be a stumbling block for potential consumers: “One of our major challenges is getting people to realize that they can have a great product experience while supporting a wonderful cause. So many companies have produced poor products under a charity umbrella that consumers have become rightly skeptical. I knew our wine had to over-deliver to be credible. Based on feedback from consumers and wine critics, all of our wines exceed that high standard. We have to prove it to consumers at every single tasting.”

Another challenge related to the company’s larger objectives is persuading potential employers to hire people with disabilities. To address this, 100 Percent Wine actively models both its hiring practices and training techniques. Such proactive transparency allows “other firms to see that hiring people with disabilities is a good business decision” Monette says. He goes on to point out that “we have plenty of data to show that people with disabilities make dedicated hard working employees— that their turnover and absentee rates are very low. Low turnover alone, once experienced, makes it well worth it to hire a person with a disability. These figures alone, however, do not make the case about the importance of training, or even one on one coaching. Experience makes that case.” Monette notes that one person can get the ball rolling in a large or small business. Walgreen’s Pepsi, Ford, UPS, Amazon,, and Xerox are industry giants who have innovated employment opportunities and implemented training for people with disabilities.

Employees at 100 Percent

Andrew, who has attention deficit challenges, is one of the employees whose job is to ensure that patrons of 100 Percent come away with positive shopping and purchase experiences. After Andrew’s first employee experience as a 100 Percent Brand Ambassador at a grocery store tasting, Monette was motivated to write an article describing what they had both learned that day. Those reflections which appeared in Fast Company relay the practicalities and the passions that combined, can create a successful venture. From the vantage point of company founder, Monette is clear about the learning curve: ” I had done a number of wine tastings and understood how to be effective,. I assumed all of that knowledge would be intuitive for Andrew. That was not only wrong, but it was also unfair. I realized that Andrew just needed some coaching on how to interact with customers, Once I took the time to help Andrew, he learned quickly and became successful— so successful that customers began to ignore me. He ended up selling twice the volume of wine that day that we normally sell. I learned a lot. My biggest lesson was that no company had really given Andrew a chance. I quickly figured out that Andrew could be very successful once he was properly trained, just like anyone else. I knew there were lots of other “Andrews” in the world who deserved a chance to be successful. At its core, that is what 100 Percent Wine stands for.”

Half of the small company’s staff of six have disabilities. Tom Jenkins who oversees social media has cerebral palsy and is mobility impaired. Valerie Hill, has learning difficulties and other disabilities goes out on tastings. As the company grows by adding products, Monette hopes to add more employees as well, including those with disabilities. “We still have a lot of work to do, but we know that once people see what we are doing it opens their minds to the possibility of hiring persons with disabilities in their own companies. It was important to have a person with a disability in a position where he or she would interact with the public. That works to change public perceptions of what people with disabilities can or cannot do. Disability inclusion is integral to our business.”

Monette works with local agencies committed to helping people with disabilities find meaningful employment. “We recruit employees from several organizations where job development is part of their mission. One of these is the St Louis Arc, which gave him the referral to Andrew.

As inspiration for this innovating venture, Matthew Monette may one day work full time for his father. Scott Monette explains, “Matthew works with me on a part-time basis now but he recently got a full time job at a local grocery. Matthew always comes home smiling from work. When I was driving him home recently, he pointed to the grocery store where he works and said, ‘That is a happy place.’ I want everyone to feel the same sense of accomplishment and joy that Matthew feels from work.”

Customer Reaction

Even the most altruistic of business enterprises rely on positive customer feedback, a reality which Monette has sought to balance with the other objectives of his company. With a goal of “creating an experience beyond the simple transaction of tasting the wine,” Monette seeks to establish “customer engagement that not only creates a good atmosphere for the product but also helps the general public change any negative perceptions about people with disabilities in general and specifically about what they can do in the workplace.”

Exceeding customer expectations contributes to the company bottom line which in turn strengthens the case Monette makes to potential employers in other lines of business. People with disabilities constitute a vast untapped labor pool. By engaging the challenges unique to this highly diverse and talented demographic, 100 Percent Wine effectively models how to “build on each small success and clearly articulates as a company that this is who we are [hiring]. If it were easy it would have no real value.”

Partners and Profits

At present, two organizations, United Cerebral Palsy Heartland and Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, are the largest recipients of 100 Percent Wine profits. Of special note, Mercy’s work in the community closely aligns with Monette’s own business objectives. Dana Brodeur, who serves as Manager of Disability Inclusion Services for Mercy Hospitals in St. Louis, has, according to Monette, developed a stellar program “that turns volunteers, especially volunteers with disabilities, into employees. Not only has she formed a very successful program, she has made it into an innovative employment creation model and implemented it in all of the other Mercy hospitals in the area. In addition, she is broadening it to the six other states where Mercy has a presence. She uses volunteering as a way of training for the people she hires. She has also integrated dealing with people with disabilities into the hospital’s diversity training program.”

Making Progress

In addition to the positive coverage in disability media, several local, general media outlets have devoted news stories highlighting the company’s mission and its important impact on the community.

Regrettably, not every interaction has been a success. Monette recounted a recent incident where a grocery manager asked Andrew to leave the store before he had even begun the tasting. Monette notes that Andrew had done anything wrong and when pressed, the manager used a flimsy excuse to justify asking Andrew to leave. Monette says, “Andrew was, of course, deeply hurt and it reminded me that although we have made progress, there is still a lot of work to do.”

Vision for 100 Percent Wine

Fortunately, such episodes are infrequent and will not deter Monette and like-minded businesses and organizations from seeking even great inroads. For this father and CEO, the future is clear: “Our vision is to develop more products, hire more people including people with disabilities … and as a bigger company we will be able to support more organizations with a vision for employment of people with disabilities.” To this, Monette added: “I like to think that we are in the business to help people. Some are cynical but I have a son in this population and I am committed to making this work. We are transparent as a company and we live what we say we are going to do. We want to continue to be a brand that brings lasting value and impacts lives.”

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Note: 100 Percent Wine’s products in many retail stores throughout Illinois and Missouri. In states where online alcohol purchase and delivery are legal, visit drinkwinehelppeople.org or contact Scott directly at Scott@drinkwinehelppeople.org.

Ford: Innovation from the Inside Out

November 15, 2016

For over a century, the Ford Motor Company has distinguished itself as an innovator in automotive technology and design. With 67 plants worldwide, this industry giant commands a workforce of over 200,000 that will now expand to include persons on the autism spectrum as part of its groundbreaking program FordInclusiveWorks. While similar employment models are increasingly common throughout the business world, what distinguishes the Ford initiative is that positions will be offered at various levels throughout the company rather than in assembly lines alone. According to Monique Brentley, Ford spokesperson and Ford’s May 25, 2016 press release, “Ford understands that individuals with autism bring a unique set of strengths to our employment talent pool. Utilizing a diverse and inclusive workforce, one that represents our customers, makes us a better, stronger company. Ford believes that gaining experience with working with individuals with autism contributes to business objectives and enhances diversity at Ford and adheres to our desire to construct a ‘better world’ through collaboration with and support of those in the community around us.”

Crucial to achieving those goals has been the partnership Ford built with Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM), a well-established organization offering case management and supports for adults with autism. AAoM CEO and President Colleen Allen points out that in constructing the program, from the very beginning, Ford was open to bringing people with autism to all levels of its company. Allen and her staff, all equipped with degrees in autism related fields, worked with Ford to develop the program and were responsible for the selection of the five individuals who currently participate in the FordInclusiveWorks pilot.

Having officially launched on June 1, 2016 in the Ford product division, the program is still very much in its infancy. Nonetheless, Allen is already excited by what she sees. She anticipates that this success will spark a revolution in hiring people with disabilities, particularly those on the autism spectrum, not only in the automotive industry as with Ford, but in many other industries, as well.

Program Inception

FordInclusiveWorks developed organically when interest from both Ford and AAoM intersected through the personal motivation of its employees. Kirstin Queen, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Ford Motor Company, has a brother on the autism spectrum. Allen recounts, “Kirstin’s father heard of one of our programs on employment issues and brought the ideas to Kirstin, who then proposed developing such a program at Ford.”

Raj Nair, Ford’s Executive Vice President of Product Development and Chief Technical Officer, enthusiastically volunteered to serve as the program’s executive sponsor. Having been touched by autism through friends and family, Nair, like Queen envisioned Ford as a forerunner in such collaborations: In the May 25 release, he states, “We (at Ford) are committed to making people’s lives better, and this pilot program has the potential to not only make the participants’ lives better, but also help Ford be an even more diverse and inclusive workforce. Autism affects many people in our communities, and I’m proud we’re taking on this important initiative.”

Program Development

Ford data further explains that as FordInclusiveWorks took shape, AAoM and Ford partnered to review work at Ford that was both essential to meeting business needs, and was complementary to the typical skills and abilities of individuals with autism. Next, AAoM spent time observing employees performing the work, gathering integral information regarding work requirements, conditions, and surrounding support and structure that would contribute to success. AAoM worked with Ford supervisors to structure job duties, in addition to reaching out to local colleges, universities, and agencies to identify individuals with autism and the skills and/or experience to perform this work at Ford.

The next phase of development focused on equipping Ford personnel. Prior to the start of the pilot AAoM provided autism awareness and effectiveness training for Ford Human Resources and employees who will direct and work adjacent to pilot participants. To ensure effective communication, natural supports are put in place within the Ford team, creating a greater likelihood of successful retention and high performance of pilot participants. One such support, the “On-the-Job Work Experience” portion of the program is coordinated by AAoM and provides job consulting to both pilot participants and to the Ford employees who work alongside them. AAoM also provides training for Ford employees involved in the program to increase their understanding of autism and a position everyone to better relate to their new colleagues.

According to Ford’s May 25 press release, although specific skill sets vary for each job, all of the pilot program positions are located within the product development department. For example, in the vehicle evaluation and verification test lab, a FordInclusiveWorks participant will log and prep tires for test vehicles used by engineers for product assessment. The work is highly structured, according requiring a great deal of focus, and calls for a high level of attention to detail and organization. Skills required to complete this task (and other tasks) safely and with a high level of quality lend themselves to strengths typically associated with individuals with autism.

In that same May release, another Ford executive also spoke about the value of the program. “Individuals with autism bring a unique set of talents to our business,” said Felicia Fields, Ford group vice-president, human resources and corporate services. “We recognize that having a diverse and inclusive workforce allows us to leverage a wider range of innovative ideas to make our customer’s lives better.”

Monitoring the Progress and Determining the Success of the Pilot

For Allen and her staff, developing and launching the program are just the beginning. This collaboration with Ford includes ongoing assessment of the program so that each participant finds the best possible fit, ideally performing at the highest level, given the nature of the job assignment. Allen notes that “often the issues are resolved by simply letting the person know what is expected beyond the job description. Sometimes it is as simple as explaining the culture of the workplace, what it means to take a break, how they will get to work, where to go for lunch and more on that level. We are watching the entire project closely so that we can create best practices guidelines. We hope this program can be eventually broadened and replicated in other operations.”

At this phase of FordInclusiveWorks, AAoM candidates participate for 30-90 days of on-the-job work experience. During this pilot time period, Ford will assess the individuals for quality of work and fit within Ford culture. If quality and production standards are met, and a fit with Ford is positive, the individual will be invited to apply for the position as a Ford employee through Ford’s recruiting process.

“Individuals with autism bring a unique set of talents to our business,” says Felicia Fields, Ford group vice president, human resources and corporate services. “We recognize that having a diverse and inclusive workforce allows us to leverage a wider range of innovative ideas to make our customers’ lives better.”

In terms of employee support, Ford has several employee resource groups (ERGs) at Ford including Ford Employees Dealing with disAbilities (FEDA). This ERG was organized in 2002 and helps ensure the company’s ongoing commitment to all of our employees with disabilities. FEDA provides a first-stop resource for information and networking tools for employees dealing with disabilities of their own or of others.”

The Road Ahead

Colleen Allen anticipates that other initiatives will quickly follow this pioneering program in the automotive industry and beyond: “Ever since the article on this project appeared in Disability Scoop, we have been contacted by one company after another–more than thirty by this writing. They want to see if they can also start a similar program. We hope to develop guidelines for such programs so that they can be replicated in other parts of Ford and in other industries. Employment of people on the autism spectrum is the future. Ford is making that future a part of our present reality and helping assure its continuity and success.”

Free to Shop: TARGET’S Adoption of Caroline’s Carts Heralds a New Era in Inclusion

September 7, 2016

By Joan Leotta

Before Caroline’s Carts, a trip to the grocery store or a quick dash to pick up household or clothing items could be a logistical nightmare for families with a special needs child or an adult family member who cannot be left alone. By making it possible for these families to enjoy one more bit of normalcy in their lives, Drew Ann Long, inventor of Caroline’s Cart and the mother of a child with Rett Syndrome, has now changed the dynamic of that everyday experience.

Since its introduction to grocery stores in 2012, Caroline’s Cart has become a nationwide phenomenon. Target Corporation is the first national retailer store to offer this convenience to its customers, thus extending the “normal” shopping experience beyond groceries to electronics, home goods, housewares, hardware, clothing, and other categories. Each and every Target store makes at least one Caroline’s Cart available to much positive reception. Target spokesperson Kristy Welker comments, “We’re thrilled that Caroline’s Cart has made shopping easier for guests and we appreciate that our guests share photos of their shopping experience on their social channels. We’ll continue to put our guests at the center of everything we do to improve the shopping experience.”

How and Why Did Target Adopt These Carts?

Welker explains, “a former Target team member with a special needs child informed Target’s Store Operations team about Caroline’s Cart”. So, it was actually word of mouth that first stimulated Target’s interest in Drew Ann Long’s invention. Welker continues, “Additionally, some guests had notified our Guest Relations team about the carts. These suggestions prompted us to explore adding Caroline’s Carts to Target stores to positively impact guests’ shopping experience.”

The initial test drive, which took place in February 2015, was an immediate success. Welker shared that “after receiving positive guest reaction, we decided to add the carts to nearly all Target stores by March 19, 2016.” Each of the 1,780 Target stores has at least one Caroline’s Cart available. More can be added as individual stores anticipate customer needs.”

Development of the Cart

Drew Ann Long, developer and inventor of Caroline’s Carts, is the stay-at-home mother of Caroline, her special needs daughter, A resident of Alabaster, Alabama, Long first realized the need for these carts eight years ago when Caroline turned seven and as Long says, “was becoming too large for supermarket carts.”. What Long foresaw was not pleasant for her or her daughter: She says, “Imagine not being able to take your child to the grocery store.” Rather than surrender that basic yet meaningful activity, Long decided to make the world better for her family and for families like hers. Now imagine something that will allow you to continue to take your child with you. Such experiences, shopping at the grocery, in stores like Target, give families a sense of normalcy, they allow a family that has a child with a mobility disability or someone who has a family member with Alzheimer’s or even Autism to have the same typical shopping experience as that of their neighbors.”

Long notes that the first cart shipment, delivered to a local mom and pop grocery store, came on October 9, 2012 – Caroline’s birthday. The initial enthusiastic feedback from the store owners proved that Caroline’s Carts were an effective, pragmatic answer to a widespread challenge. Buoyed by this success, Long approached Technibilt, one of the nation’s largest grocery cart manufacturers.

Technibilt spokesperson Alice Little recalls that, “once Drew Ann Long met with us, she knew she wanted to partner with us and there was no stopping her. She had the vision and her presence in this project has been huge from the beginning until the present! Drew Ann helped to convince us that the need was there and that once the product was available that families with special needs older children and adults would jump in with both feet. Once the carts were tested and the first carts showed up in the stores, these families sitting quietly with their need came out of the woodwork.”

To generate interest in Caroline’s Cart throughout communities and around the country, Long met with local disability organizations while Technibilt spread the word among its client list. In fact, as Little notes, “Several groups have contacted us to endorse the cart. The largest group was Easter Seals. We were the very first product to bear the Easter Seal Logo. Caroline’s Carts also received the da Vinci Awards®, a prestigious, international forum celebrating the most innovative developments and research in all fields of assistive and adaptive technology.

Seeking to expand the carts’ availability, Technibilt has reached out to every major retailer in the U.S. and Canada as well as many smaller chains and local business operations. Little explains that while the manufacturer has “received a wonderful response to the product, Technibilt sales is not the hero in this story. The real heroes are all of the families who, once they heard about the product and saw it in use, contacted their own local stores and asked. ‘Can we get a Caroline’s Cart in our store?’ The key is that it is their store, where they shop… they will be faithful shoppers in their stores! They got the word out in their hometowns as well as on their social media accounts.”

The Cart’s Success

According to Technibilt, the company receives “100’s” of emails per day from cart users… they are wonderful emails… they tell their story to us and how the cart has changed their lives. We love these emails and answer every single one of them!”

Target’s Welker says that company has experienced the same enthusiastic gratitude. “The feedback that we’ve been hearing is overwhelmingly positive. Guests appreciate the ease that the carts offer.”

Getting Carts into More Stores

The ultimate goal of any business is economic viability. Technibilt’s Little says, “We knew Caroline’s Cart would sell. We knew if we built it and enlisted Drew Ann Long to help us market the cart, it would be a success, that Caroline’s Cart was going to be an award winning product.” She points out that the carts are also helpful for people with family members who other conditions that do not allow them to simply walk alongside another shopper and who also cannot operate the motorized carts.

Caroline’s Carts can be found in every state except Hawaii at Kroger, Publix, Hannaford, Food Lion, Whole Foods, Wegman’s and more. Having already expanded to Canada, Technibilt anticipates also debuting the product in Germany, Russia, Egypt, Spain, the United Kingdom and Australia. www.carolinescart.com offers a list of store locations where the carts are currently available. With the excitement of this product expansion, it is important to note that not all companies who provide the carts have them in all of their stores.

Some grocery stores still do not carry the carts at all. Long encourages families to speak up: “If you do not see a cart in a store, ask about it. If the store has a fun cart (shaped like a truck or car for children to use), or an electric scooter, you can point out to the manager that Caroline’s Carts are for those who cannot drive the scooters. If they have made one kind of provision, then they should be willing to provide an equal opportunity shopping experience to the underserved market of families with persons with a disability who are still out there.”

The Cart’s Facebook page is a great place to follow the progress of this dynamic invention as it continues to impact the world of inclusion. This page is also be a resource for families seeking to build advocacy networks, encouraging an even wider range of stores to make the Cart available.

Target’s collaboration with Technibilt marks significant progress in the work toward full inclusion. As part of its overall commitment to providing a positive shopping experience for all of its guests, Target has created a high visibility opportunity for families to participate more fully in the everyday tasks that make their lives work. As Target reminds us, however, the real heroes in this story are the everyday consumers, like Drew Ann and Caroline. Not only the Carts, but also the people who are out and about using them, hint at an exciting new normal for all of us.

Doing Good is Good Business

August 16, 2016

By Joan Leotta

Randy Lewis Creates Jobs with Living Wages for People with Disabilities

The Walgreens Distribution Center in Williamston, South Carolina

Randy Lewis is a man on a quest for justice—justice for people with disabilities, which according to Lewis, includes the right to the accommodations necessary to become a productive employee. Lewis’ motto, “doing good is good business,” is his blueprint for creating change for people with disabilities in the modern American workplace. During his tenure as a Walgreens’ executive, Lewis persuaded Walgreens’ corporate leaders to adopt a best practices model which led to increased employment opportunities and job retention for people with disabilities within their South Carolina distribution center. As much as Lewis is gratified by the success of the program, this issue was not only a professional win but also a paternal victory. His son, Austin, a young man on the autism spectrum, inspired Lewis to make inclusion a reality in every facet of his son’s life. These efforts have contributed to his vision of justice in the workplace.

Randy Lewis and his son, Austin

Inspired by these events, Randy Lewis wrote, No Greatness Without Goodness, to share the experiences that ultimately lead to Walgreens’ to lead the industry in transformation. While No Greatness Without Goodness is a corporate handbook, it is also a deeply personal narrative that traces the Lewis family’s personal struggles when first learning of, and ultimately adjusting to, life with Austin. No Greatness Without Goodness lays out a life-tested blueprint for others to create an atmosphere where workers with disabilities can achieve great things alongside their fellow, non –disabled employers. (See Sidebar—Review of the book)

No Limits

As Austin’s father, Lewis learned to develop greater flexibility while still expecting the best from his son. Through Austin’s victories, Lewis discovered that while his son’s best would come about in unexpected ways, his best would indeed come.

Contemplating the future of his differently- abled child and anticipating how little was available for him in the job market, Lewis approached Walgreen’s with the idea of hiring 200 of their 600 anticipated new employees in a newly-constructed South Carolina distribution plant.

The two words, “no limits,” perfectly capture Lewis’ approach to realizing an employment plan for workers with disabilities. Another byword, “why not?” became just as familiar. When the Walgreens’ executives and the line staff found themselves confronted with any potential problem unique to these 200 new hires, one question in particular was inevitably asked: ‘can a person with a disability of this or that type perform the needed task?’ Lewis’ team became accustomed to his reply, “Why not?”. Because parenting Ausitn taught him flexibility and confident expectation in his son’s abilities, Lewis placed no limits on what Walgreens’ newest hires might achieve: “Our experience was with autism but [even then] each case is individual with autism. People are not dis-abled, just differently-abled. Why limit yourselves? The typically-abled view differently-abled people all as equally inadequate—I knew the biases so we did not presume that certain [new employees] could or could not do the work. For instance, I didn’t consider cognitive impairment until it was brought to me, but when someone asked about it I said, ‘why not?’ There are no limits to what we can do, what anyone can achieve.”

Making it Happen

Lewis says that the first line of business was to think through the design of the building and remove physical barriers for this unique workforce. Then they reached out to the community, both the larger disability community and the local community to gain further input. The next step was to involve current Walgreens’ employees.

“Getting colleagues and subordinates to engage was a matter of building the program in such a way as that everyone understood this project was my responsibility. We simply had to … take away [professional] fears. There were no punishments or rewards associated with hiring people with disabilities. If you introduce fear, people run away. To innovate, you need them to run to something. So, I reminded them ‘if we don’t do it who would? And if we can’t then no one can.’ We also went with a—’let’s give it our best and see’ approach. Making it a no-risk positive encouragement was the way to go. People want to do good. My colleagues just had to be assured that if the project fell through, I was the point man who would take the blame. Once they were free from possible punishment, they also were free to do good.”

The President of the company also had to be persuaded. Lewis accomplish this lofty task by pointing to the bottom line: hiring people with disabilities would not sacrifice revenue. Further, as a pharmacy, the company was already geared towards serving the community. Lewis simply demonstrated that from a business standpoint, Walgreens was capable of both doing good and earning a profit by continuing its already established practice of making a difference within the communities served by the company.

Helping Hands

There were several groups and one individual in particular who rallied behind the idea of selecting a third of the workforce from people with disabilities. Lewis remembers that “the HR people, and the people in training … really believed in this and helped make it happen.” He realizes that at times corporate culture tends to be yield to the credo: ‘it’s not personal, it’s business,” so that discussions involving the heart and emotions are infrequent. This team set a new standard. Karen Preston, the head of training, was joined by Walgreens’ staff in South Carolina where they laid the groundwork that proved crucial to training people with autism. Lewis adds,”They got excited [when] they knew they were going to change the world, … what we were doing had never been done before. As the staff members worked they saw their assumptions being brushed aside by their experience with people with disabilities. They knew they could right a wrong and recognized that it was unjust to not hire these people.” The initial goal of this effort was to ensure that one third of the 600 newly hired employees were differently-abled. Lewis says, “We exceeded that goal when the employees with disabilities became about forty percent of the workforce.”

Wage Achievement

One of the greatest advancements in this initiative was that from the outset both the differently and typically abled employees earned the same wage for the same work. Lewis explains, “We expected the same performance and so we paid the same wage. When problems arose that made it difficult for the new hires to do the same job, at the standard level of productivity … again we approached each problem with the, ‘why not?’ mentality as opposed to the ‘why?’.

A Profile of the Workforce

Over eighty percent of the hires had never been able to hold a job before being employed by Lewis at the Walgreens’ distribution facility in 2007. Some were made supervisors at the beginning and many have become supervisors since. Almost all of the original hires are still working for the company. The retention rate is twice that of typically abled employees.

Share the Wealth: What They Have Learned and Shared with Others

What is even more remarkable is that Lewis has taken steps to ensure this success continues. From the beginning, Walgreens viewed this effort as a template for others to use when seeking to an employment demographic of diverse abilities. With Walgreens’ proud approval, Lewis gives tours of the distribution center to share the success story with other companies and stand as a model for equity and inclusion .

“From the beginning we had to get things right,” Lewis says. “I have had to learn new vocabulary —everywhere we went we contacted people. We did not presume we knew how to do it so we went … within the community to work. We got the word out in newspapers. When our story reached the disability community, it spread like wildfire. By word of mouth, soon everyone had heard about it. Even the Wall Street Journal had an article about our progress.”

Models of Modifications

Making the building accessible was one of Walgreens’ top priorities. Lewis explains that Walgreens had early decided to go above and beyond legal accessibility compliance standards. The comfort and capability of the employees were always of the utmost importance. Furthermore, Lewis found ways to be financially prudent by approaching accessibility with creativity: “We didn’t spend a lot of extra money when designing the equipment. [We tried to be] as flexible as possible while anticipating various needs: sensitivity to light, motion, noise. We were able to adjust the equipment without spending more money. We were not limited by the necessary financial boundaries by opting to take a creative and effective approach to make the work space both efficient and accepting. The term ‘universal design’ encompassed our solutions. Of course they were not perfect, but with time we adjusted.”

Lewis goes on to say, “Some of it we over-thought. At first we were so concerned about transportation for the employees with disabilities that we considered vans. That turned out not to be practical so next we worked with the city on transportation and asked them to rearrange the bus routes so that more people could get to facility. After a while, I discovered that not many people were using it.”When he addressed the issue with a member of the disability community, that person replied: “When people are paid a good wage for the job that they do, they will find a way to get work.”

Reflection

Lewis says that the best advice he can give to those who want to replicate Walgreen’s inclusion model is taken from the movie, Field of Dreams: “If you build it, he will come.” “Our approach was to find the shortest distance between two points–a straight line. We hired people and then figured out how to structure the job and or worksite so they could do it.” He advises those who are moving towards similar targets to ensure that they have the will to accomplish the goal of hiring people with disabilities. He adds, “the how will become apparent to you.”

Today, Lewis works with executives to help them accomplish what Walgreens has and to remind them that such projects are not easily completed; they require support at all levels within a company, ranging from the executives to the line workers. Progress has to begin with executive support, he notes, and the firm belief that the company really wants to do be successful. Without these well-coordinated cogs, the project will fail.

The payoff, however, is enormous and the future for similar accomplishments across the business landscape is bright. Randy Lewis looks forward to many other companies hiring people with disabilities and leveling the playing field for all employees.