The Choice Group

Longevity in any career is a rare and remarkable achievement—but when someone dedicates three full decades to the same workplace with pride and enthusiasm, it's something truly special. That’s exactly the story of Tito Woods, a longstanding client of The Choice Group who recently celebrated 30 years on the job. Tito began his career journey right out of high school with the support of a DARS counselor in Danville. He was hired to work in the cafeteria at a local hospital in Eden, North Carolina—a role that would evolve over time but always remain rooted in his commitment to showing up, working hard, and doing his part to support the team. Over the years, the hospital’s cafeteria operations have transitioned through various management companies, including industry giants like Sodexo and Aramark. Through every shift in leadership, Tito remained a steady and dependable presence, adapting to new systems and expectations while continuing to do what he does best. Today, Tito still enjoys...

Nathan and his vocational counselor, Justin, began working together in April of this year. Nathan has currently been employed in his position for two months. Before finding Nathan work with his current employer, Justin and Nathan met weekly to determine the field in which Nathan would like to find employment. Together, they then completed several situational assessments to determine the best fit for Nathan. Nathan and Justin came to the realization that Nathan liked working in a warehouse environment, so they completed an application for Three Notch'd Brewery, and the client received and accepted the job offer. Initially, Nathan had to overcome some obstacles like working on his pace at the job, multi-tasking, as well as working on communication. Although, this wasn't an issue for long, he is a very hardworking and determined person so he was able to quickly improve on his speed, communication and multi-tasking. Nathan is responsible for packaging 6, 12 and 24 packs, ...

At The Choice Group, we love to hear success stories just like this and strive to create a few of our own!  More and more, business owners are opening their doors to the idea of hiring workers with disabilities due to the skills and dedication they bring to the table.  There have been numerous findings that hiring with diversity in mind, like hiring someone with a disability, creates an inclusive atmosphere in the workplace which ultimately benefits everyone.  We hope to expand the amount of businesses in Richmond who have this mindset and model for their company's success, one example being Max's Postive Vibes Cafe.  We hope lots of business owners find inspiration with this story! Business Built Around Workers With Disabilities Expanding By: Paul Owers FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — John D’Eri opened Rising Tide Car Wash in 2013, convinced that a business whose primary mission of employing adults with autism would be a financial success. Three years later, Risi...

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans live with some type of disability and asking for accommodations or disclosing your disability is a unique situation in the workplace.  This is great advice from the job searching website, Monster.com on just that topic! Talking About your Disability at Work: How to Ask for Accommodations By Dan Woog When it comes to communicating about disabilities in the workplace, the best approach depends on your particular disability, job, supervisor, and personality. Peter Blanck, chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, says such discussions are tricky, because how and when you disclose a disability at work can have significant career repercussions. This is particularly true if the disability is hidden, such as a mental illness, or has no visible physical symptoms. So should you tell? And if so, how do you conduct the conversation so you get the accommodations you need? Read this expert advice. Considerations Before Disclosing Your ...

One of our clients, Kimberly, found fulfilling employment with Michael & Son after much trial and tribulation.  She has an amazing and persevering spirit and wanted to share her story! My name is Kimberly Martin and I work as a Customer Service Representative at Michael and Son Services. Never in a million years would I have thought I would be in this place right now. A place where I can help others and also help myself. At one point I could only imagine this, looking back over my life and hearing people say “Kim, you can’t work anymore” and doctors saying “your health is not good anymore”, as this was being told to me, my mind was saying “God, you got this and I can’t just stop living”. For seven years my mind was so congested because all I knew was how to get up and go to work. I didn’t know how to just sit and do nothing. As my mind wandered, I went into a deep depression. I would not leave the house unless I needed to go to the store or pay bills. Life for me was ov...

This is great news regarding the representation of people with disabilities in the workforce!  This article from DisabilityScoop.com  outlines goals the EEOC is trying to achieve with policy change and how it will attempt to enforce them. Federal Proposal Calls for Disability Hiring Quota By: Shaun Heasley Under a new proposal, the federal government would be required to take sweeping steps to utilize affirmative action to increase the number of workers with disabilities in its ranks. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said this week that it is proposing a rule that would require federal agencies to work toward a 12 percent workforce representation rate for people with disabilities and a 2 percent representation rate for those with targeted or severe conditions including intellectual disability. Moreover, the rule calls for government agencies to provide personal assistance to employees with disabilities who need help with eating, using the restroom a...

It has been rainy and dreary all along the East Coast going on over a week now.  And, after all of the excitement over the bike race, the “slower pace” of these rainy days seems to be affecting Richmond citywide.  This article provides some much needed Monday Inspiration.  It is easy to keep a closed mind about yourself and the world around you and that’s what this article highlights as the biggest disability of all.  Believe in yourself and what we can accomplish as a community through inclusion of everyone.   Here are some of the solutions the article offers: UNCONVENTIONAL SOLUTION TO BIGGEST DISABILITY ON THE  PLANET - Use digital technology to offer free mindfulness training - and practice support - to every person on the planet who can access the Internet. - Prioritize de...

At The Choice Group, we always strive for inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce. There are so many benefits gained by including diverse groups of people in this field, the studies are overwhelming.  Yet, there still seems to be a stigma held by employers on hiring a person with a disability. This article by Shanna Belott really outlines how everyone is affected by this "sector of our population," and how we can change for the better! Think the Disability Inclusion Movement Isn't About You? Think Again Twenty-five years ago, the  Americans With Disabilities Act  (ADA), ushered in a new era of opportunity and expectation for people with disabilities. But this landmark legislation paved just the start of the civil rights struggle for those with disabilities, particularly developmental disabilities. The next phase of the battle is changing hearts and minds.  Sixty million Americans live with some form of disability, including disability acqu...