Why The Meadows Matters
In a world where men and women with developmental disabilities are too often ignored and forgotten, or marginalized on the fringes of society, the Meadows is an organization where they can find a home.
Our nonprofit is a place where these adults are welcomed and accepted for who they are. They quickly discover their work environment is designed specifically to help them reach their potential. Individuals learn vocational tasks along with interpersonal skills and enjoy a level of socialization many have never had.
The results of employment are quickly evident as we witness amazing transformations in people who come out of their shells and reveal their true personalities. Families often tell us that even after being at the Meadows for just a brief time, their loved one seems like a different person.
Working and earning a paycheck helps an individual develop a feeling of self-worth, and they become more independent and willing to accept responsibilities that were once considered out of reach.
Building on small successes leads to the confidence to attempt bigger more complex jobs. With patience and the proper support, our employees often achieve far more than they ever dreamed was possible. The satisfaction they feel when they accomplish a task that required perseverance and dedication is deeply rewarding.
But to have that kind of personal success, they first have to be given the chance to work. The role of the Meadows is to offer employment to individuals who need adaptions and supports that other businesses are unwilling to provide. That means we are prepared to deal with a complete range of challenges including intellectual, physical, and emotional issues.
The latter is a particular concern that other employers choose to avoid. But we have found that with patience and the proper guidance, a person can learn to adjust their frustrations and anger into more positive forms of energy that allow them to go through their day without any undue stress or anxiety.
For the men and women who work with us, there is no pressure to perform. They progress at their own pace. They soon discover that making mistakes is part of the learning process and nothing to be feared. That would not be the case in many other jobs.
No one is ever reduced to a list of symptoms, characteristics, or behaviors. They are never compared to others, No one is labeled in broad terms for the sake of convenience because no two people are alike. Each individual is treated like the unique person they are.
The adults we hire take great pride in being employed and typically respond with dedication and commitment. Each day, they give their best effort and, in so doing, they expand the parameters of what is possible for them - and that is the result we are looking for.
Without services like ours, too many people with developmental disabilities would continue to spend their days trapped at home not having the chance to learn and develop new skills and abilities. When that occurs, it’s a loss for everyone.
We want their employment to open up a world that was previously denied to them because we know that kind of powerful experience will have a lasting impact on them and their families.
It is the desire to see our employees succeed that drives every decision we make. No matter what the situation happens to be, the prime consideration is whether or not it will have a positive effect on our workers. We have structured our business in a way that allows us to ensure that the adults we proudly employ have everything they need to thrive in a work setting.
That is why our organization exists, and why we will always operate in a way that benefits them.
It is certainly our hope that the time will come when every person, no matter what their challenges, is considered a candidate to work in the community – but until that point is reached, we will remain an important option for employment.
The Meadows Center for Opportunity matters because we give deserving men and women the chance to change their lives.
