The Able Trust Awards Autism Pensacola $42K Grant to Increase Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
Tallahassee, Fla. – The Able Trust today awarded Autism Pensacola a $42,000 grant to support its Autism Works for the Community Program.
The grant has supported the hiring of a Workforce Development Specialist (WFDS). The WFDS will identify and create job opportunities for qualified participants by preparing them for the competitive employment process. Within a few months of hiring the WFDS, Autism Pensacola will accept individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) into the Autism Works for the Community program. These participants will receive employment preparation services including career exploration, self-advocacy practice, and interview coaching. These sessions are designed to teach job skills, as well as effective workplace communication. Participants will learn about their personal career aptitudes, aspirations, and identify barriers for successful transition into the workplace. Autism Pensacola’s goal for this grant is to find successful employment for 20 individuals by the end of the grant year.
Left to Right: Guenvere Crum, Senior Vice President, The Able Trust; Cate Merrill, President and CEO, Autism Pensacola,
Chloe Diehl-Fulton, Workforce Development Specialist, Autism Pensacola; and Nancy Kline, Ambassador, The Able Trust.
“The Able Trust is excited to support Autism Pensacola and the Autism Works for the Community program,” said Dr. Susanne Homant, president and CEO of The Able Trust. “We have watched so many people with autism succeed and pursue a career, and know that initial support and guidance accelerates the process. When they become employed, it benefits them, their families, and the entire community.”
“We’re extremely excited to introduce this innovative new workforce program to our friends, supporters and neighbors. We are working hard to prepare and connect those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to the workforce,” Autism Pensacola President/CEO Cate Merrill says. “We look forward to a productive and educated evening furthering our efforts to help raise the number of ASD employment in our community.”
The goal of The Able Trust’s annual grant funding is to provide funds to qualifying organizations that have established or want to develop employment placement programs that assist individuals with disabilities to achieve employment in their communities and in their career fields.
About The Able Trust
The Able Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to be a key leader in providing Floridians with disabilities opportunities for successful employment. The Able Trust supports numerous diverse projects, including the High School High Tech program, leadership training for workers with disabilities, work experience training and technical assistance, transportation assistance, career development training, employment and career path direction and assistance to businesses as they seek the employment of people with disabilities. Since its beginnings, The Able Trust has worked with community organizations in every county in Florida to put thousands of people with disabilities to work. To learn more about The Able Trust, please visit AbleTrust.org and follow @AbleTrust.
About Autism Pensacola
We are Autism Pensacola, a Florida 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving the families of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Since 2002, we’ve served individuals and families affected by autism as the leading connector and resource for autism support, advocacy, education and networking opportunities in the Pensacola Bay Area. For more information about our programs and services, please visit autismpensacola.org.
# # #