Happening Now

Great Partners become Great Employers

At CAREERS, the intake process for each new client is extensive. We work to understand their individual strengths, areas in need of improvement and employment goals. CAREERS client and Mount Vernon resident Robert Watson came to us in March 2024 seeking job search and placement assistance. After meeting with his Employment Specialist and going through a thorough intake process, Robert expressed an interest in clerical work. However, he needed to improve his computer skills. With the support of his Employment Specialist, Robert decided to enroll in classes at The Center for Career Freedom (CCF) to enhance his computer skills and increase his chances of getting a job in his desired field.

CCF is located in White Plains, NY and offers computer classes in Westchester County that are available to all people looking to find a job and further their careers. While open to everyone, CCF provides additional support for individuals with mental, physical and developmental disabilities. Robert earned certificates in Microsoft Word and Excel and developed an in depth understanding of each program. Robert was such a good student, and CCF Director Elizabeth Edgar was so impressed with his dedication to the program, that when Robert’s Employment Specialist brought up the idea of an internship at CCF Elizabeth was immediately on board. At CAREERS, we look for every opportunity to improve our client’s chances for professional success and sometimes an internship is the perfect first step to take to continue to build a resume.

Robert is now helping new CCF students learn typing programs and provides tutoring in Word, Excel and or PowerPoint to help them. In just about a year after coming to CAREERS, Robert has defined his career goals, earned two computer program certificates, built a resume and has an internship to gain work experience. He is still being coached by his CAREERS Employment Specialist and he finds confidence checking in with her regularly. Not only is he taking steps to move closer to his goals of financial independence and gainful employment, Robert is helping others along the way.

We couldn’t be more proud of Robert and are grateful to CCF for the services they provide and for being a best in class employer.

 

CAREERS Client Scott Treco named Employee of the Year!

Scott Treco graduated high school in 1979; a time when individuals with disabilities were often overlooked in the work place. Almost a decade after graduation, Scott’s mother to found CAREERS in an effort to help her son find and maintain employment so he joined CAREERS supported work program in its earliest form.

In 1993, we placed Scott at Flaghouse in Mount Vernon – a company that makes and sells sports and recreational fitness equipment for individuals with special needs. Scott received on-site job coaching from us for many years until Flaghouse moved their operation to New Jersey which was too far for our Employment Specialists to visit on a regular basis. Scott however, continued to work at Flaghouse commuting to New Jersey through the help of a co-worker who drove him back and forth daily. However, when Scott lost his transportation because his co-worker retired, he was laid off and his mother reached out to CAREERS once again for assistance with job placement and support in the workplace for her son closer to home.

In January of 2022, we found Scott a job working at Stop & Shop in New Rochelle as a part-time porter where he emptied garbage bins and swept inside and outside of the store, cleaned and replenished the bathrooms with toilet tissue, paper towels, hand soap and hand sanitizer, mopped up any spillages around the store, and helped out in other areas as needed/requested by his manager. Scott performed his job responsibilities so well that he was given the opportunity to oversee shopping cart organization.

Scott was recently named Employee of the Year at CARRERS 37th Anniversary Celebration. Scott loves what he does and is happy to be working and we will continue to provide on- the-job coaching and ongoing support for as long as needed – most likely until his retirement.

 

Archives:Previous Happenings

 

CAREERS Comedy Show Is Our New Annual Fundraiser!

For 2024, the comedian lineup included Dimitri Giatrakis, Vicki Sanches, Dr. Blain Langberg, Anthony Sanches, Susan Schatzie, Matt Orefice, Lou Ann Daprato, Bill Greene and Barbara Miller. Tina Cornish-Lauria, Executive Director of CAREERS, is delighted to offer this new fundraising event. “Tickets are only $75, which is very reasonable for a comedy show, dinner and an open wine/beer bar,” she said. “And the best part is that proceeds help fund our innovative programs to help people with disabilities get, and keep, jobs they can succeed in.” Read More about this 2024 event

 

CAREERS Celebrates 36 Years of Providing Services!

Ahmed Gonzalez was named Employee of the Year at CAREERS 36th Anniversary Celebration. We were delighted to honor more than 100 clients for their hard work and recognize employers, sponsors and donors for their loyal support.
 
“We are so proud to celebrate 36 years of changing the lives of individuals with disabilities,” CAREERS Executive Director Tina Cornish-Lauria said. “Our personalized programs offer a unique combination of training and support that is effective in helping our clients remain successfully employed.” she added.Read more about 2023 awards and sponsors…
 

Nary LoPuzzo Wins Longevity Award from Westchester NDEAM

Congratulations to Nary LoPuzzo, who received the Longevity Award at the Westchester County National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) ceremony. Nary has been a valued ShopRite employee for 21 years. CAREERS’ unique mix of workforce skills training and job coaching has enabled Nary, and hundreds of others like her, to become successfully employed and truly be part of their communities.
 
Tina Cornish-Lauria, Executive Director of CAREERS, said that “the NDEAM Awards are a significant way to focus attention on the accomplishments of people with disabilities and the employers who provide a diverse workplace. People with disabilities are the nation’s largest minority group. We are so proud of Nary and our other clients who bring their best to work every day and demonstrate what people with disabilities can accomplish.” See Video of NDEAM ceremony and details of other award winners…
 

CAREERS Celebrates 35th Anniversary!

Noah Feld was named Employee of the Year at CAREERS 35^th Anniversary Celebration. More than 100 clients were honored for their hard work and employers, sponsors and donors were also recognized.
 
“It is so gratifying to celebrate 35 years of serving individuals with disabilities,” CAREERS Executive Director Tina Cornish-Lauria said. “CAREERS successfully weathered the pandemic and I am pleased to report that job placements are up 104% over 2020 and 40% over last year,” she added.
 
PepsiCo EnAble was the Premier Sponsor of the event for the 18th consecutive year and KTS Pooled Trust returned as Supreme Sponsor. Curry Automotive and Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano returned as Supporting Sponsors. Read more about this 2022 Event…
 

Westchester County National Disability Employment Awareness Month Awards

We are so proud of longtime client Cindi Palermo, who received the Longevity Award to mark Westchester County’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Thanks to CAREERS unique program of skills training and on-the-job support, Cindi has been successfully employed at Target in White Plains for the past 19 years. Tina Cornish-Lauria, Executive Director of CAREERS, said that the awards are a great way to showcase our hard-working clients and recognize employers who hire people with disabilities. Local businesses honored included the following CAREERS employers: The Afya Foundation in Yonkers, CVS in Scarsdale, Marshalls in Mohegan Lake, ShopRite in Bedford Hills and Thornwood, Stop & Shop in New Rochelle and Target in White Plains. Read more about Westchester County’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month Awards
 

CAREERS Support Solutions Opens Thrift Shop
 
CAREERS Support Solutions opened a Thrift Shop at 208 Route 52 in Carmel, which is open from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shop is run by volunteers and helps our clients, like the guys from our Ambition In Motion (AIM) program pictured, get some hands-on jobs skills training. The shop will eventually provide paid internships to CAREERS clients and proceeds will help fund CAREERS programs of job training and placement for individuals with learning, intellectual, developmental, psychiatric and/or physical disabilities.
 

Careers 34th Anniversary Celebration, 2021
 
Andrea Lenski was named 2021 CAREERS Employee of the Year at our virtual Anniversary event on November 17th for consistently demonstrating excellence in the workplace. She was one of 173 clients highlighted for their efforts on the job at our annual event,
 
This year’s Annual Anniversary Celebration was once again held virtually to keep our clients and supporters safe. With an on-line program full of warm acceptances, inspiring videos, live chat and fun slide show, our program participants, their families and employers, as well as our supporters and staff, cheered each other’s success.
 

Lyle Davidson Earns Westchester NDEAM Longevity Award “America’s Recovery is Powered by Inclusion,” was the theme for this year’s event, which annually highlights the contributions people with disabilities bring to the workplace. Lyle Davidson has been a CAREERS client for 26 years, with the past 17 as a valued employee of S & H Uniforms in White Plains.
 

CAREERS Receives NYS Empire AwardTina Cornish-Lauria, Executive Director of CAREERS, accepted the New York State Empire Award, for organizations who have made a significant contribution for the betterment of their community. State Senator Pete Harckham honored CAREERS because “their programs meet an individual’s unique needs and places them in jobs based on their abilities and interests. They provide on-the-job training and long-term support for as long as each individual requires.”
 

Help in Getting and Keeping a Job If you or someone you know has a documented disability (intellectual, developmental, psychiatric and/or physical) and want to find a job, CAREERS can Help!
 

CAREERS Support Solutions: New Name, Same Vital Mission The new name emphasizes the support and assistance we provide to our clients as well as the unique solutions we create for employers.
 

Agency Staff Page Want to put a face with the voice you hear on the phone when you call CAREERS? Check out our new Agency Staff page under the “Contact Us” tab to see the entire CAREERS team.
 
Our clients love what they do…and it shows. We asked them to tell you why your support of CAREERS is so important to them! Watch the video here.
 

CAREERS Teams up with United Way of Westchester and Putnam and PepsiCo to Find Jobs for Women.
 

Ambition In Motion Program Arrives at Iona College
 

CAREERS’ Ambition In Motion – AIM program grows to meet the needs of the community
 

CAREERS Expands Ambition in Motion – AIM Program
 

CAREERS Finds Jobs for New Rochelle Students
 

CAREERS Client Vinny M. Welcomes Ann Tucker to Advisory Board
 

CAREERS Collaboration with Carmel High School Results in Award