 Nathan Hopkins of Middletown, Ohio enjoys spending quality time with his family, taking walks, watching movies, and being on his computer. Like others, Nathan lost his job when he was laid off due to COVID-19. Initially dismayed, Nathan wasn’t sure what to do.
Nathan was referred to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) by the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities and met with Gretchen Steinkamp, OOD Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Gretchen worked with Nathan on job development to find the best job for him.
With support from the Ohio Valley Goodwill employment services team, Nathan landed a new job as a Courtesy Clerk at Kroger in West Chester, Ohio.
Nathan is celebrating his one-year anniversary with Kroger. He explained that he’s proud his job helps support his family financially and keeps him physically active. When it comes to daily work, Nathan said, “I do my best.”
“With support, Nathan reached his goal of becoming employed. Nathan’s hard work and determination to succeed is why he has reached his goal of remaining successfully employed,” Gretchen said.
If you or somebody you know has a disability and would like to work, visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536.
OOD offers Ohio College2Careers (Ohio C2C) at 15 public colleges and universities to ensure college students with disabilities have the support they need to complete their degree and/or credential, earn higher wages, and meet the demands of tomorrow’s labor market.
Dedicated Ohio C2C counselors assist students with disabilities with career exploration and counseling, assistive technology, resume and interview preparation, and job placement.
To find out more, visit the Ohio C2C page on the OOD website.
American Sign Language (ASL) videos on important COVID-19 information, including vaccinations, are available on the Ohio OOD YouTube channel. Please check back regularly as new videos will be added to the playlist. These videos are possible through the partnership between OOD, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Community Centers for the Deaf. Note: These videos are intended for Ohioans who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and use ASL.
Along with the ASL videos, information for minority communities, non-English speakers, plain language materials, and more are featured at the Communication Resources Hub of coronavirus.ohio.gov.
For additional COVID-19 information in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
As the autumn season approaches, many of us are looking forward to festive fall activities.
Read an article with ideas of inclusive activities from Pride Mobility Experience.
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