Feds Earmark $150M For Disability Housing Assistance

Wonderful news!

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/07/10/feds-earmark-150m-disability-housing/26875/?fbclid=IwAR0ApU5yKFcO8oeu3r27_mGbAEwLdDdT_mmSWZRDS_HXcOqmmuon5hZOeIs

Hiring Those With Disabilities Isn’t Charity, It’s Good Business

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – Any time Bet-R Neighborhood Market owner Cliff Boulden has a job opening, he tries to hire a person with an intellectual or developmental disability—not as a sign of sympathy, but because he sees them as an untapped workforce that’s eager to stock shelves and read labels.

Boulden already knows many of them through his involvement with the Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy, the alma mater of his 25-year-old daughter, Molly, who is developmentally delayed. After Molly aged out of the school a few years ago, Boulden hired her part-time as a way to keep her busy and focused. But since then, he’s also brought on at least a half-dozen of her friends with special needs, who now comprise roughly 15% of his payroll.

“If you can find the thing they do well, they’re just as good as anybody else,” Boulden says of the group of mostly 20-somethings, who start out earning minimum wage. “The only drawback is that I can’t hire all of them.”

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Last Call for Project SEARCH Applicants!!!

If you know of an individual with intellectual or developmental disabilities between the ages of 18 and 26 who is interested in obtaining competitive and marketable skills for a career, please share this information about our Project SEARCH program and have them apply for the second class of interns at Boca West Country Club by THIS Friday, April 12, 2019.

https://www.unicornchildrensfoundation.org/uploads/1/0/8/1/108108451/student_application_2018-2019.pdf

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities!

Unicorn Children's Foundation is redefining what is possible by creating cradle to career pathways that help kids and young adults with special needs excel in their communities.

www.UnicornChildrensFoundation.org

Project SEARCH Featured in Boca Newspaper

Thank you to the Boca Newspaper for featuring an update on Project SEARCH!

#NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth

http://bocanewspaper.com/biz-briefs-29-26529

Thank You Boca West Country Club!

A chance.

That's what young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities want. An opportunity to show their value in the workforce. Now, through Project SEARCH, a partnership between Unicorn Children's Foundation and Boca West Country Club, adults ages 18 - 24 will get that chance.

First Day of Project SEARCH!

For some, it is back to school. For others, it is the first day of internships at Boca West Country Club Project SEARCH. After 2 years of planning, it was so fulfilling to experience this moment. We could not be more proud of our growing family of Unicorns and the expansion of programs that will lead to meaningful engagement in the community! Thank you to Matthew Linderman and his team for being so welcoming and supportive! You are truly changing lives!

Project SEARCH Application Now Online!

In partnership with Boca West Country Club, Unicorn Children’s Foundation and Unicorn Village Academy will launch a job training internship program for young adults with disabilities in August of 2018. Interns will range in age from 17-24 years of age who have an intellectual or developmental disability which makes it statistically more difficult for them to find jobs upon completion of high school. The unemployment rate for youth with disabilities is approximately 80% despite their ability and willingness to work. With the launch of the Project SEARCH site at Boca West Country Club, it is expected that at least 74% of interns will find competitive and meaningful employment following graduation.

Students should currently be enrolled in a Palm Beach County, Broward County or other private school and be interested in increasing independence, confidence and self-esteem while learning competitive, transferable, and marketable job skills. For more information, visit http://UnicornChildrensFoundation.org/Search

Project SEARCH Information Night

Project SEARCH Information Night was held last night at Unicorn Village Academy!

Boca West Country Club has entered into an agreement with The Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Inc. to launch a job training internship program for young adults with disabilities in August of 2018. Interns will range in age from 17-24 years of age who have an intellectual or developmental disability which makes it statistically more difficult for them to find jobs upon completion of high school. The unemployment rate for youth with disabilities is approximately 80% despite their ability and willingness to work. With the launch of the Project SEARCH site at Boca West Country Club, it is expected that at least 74% of interns will find competitive and meaningful employment following graduation.