META HEMENWAY-FORBES | For One Vision

One Vision Employment Services Specialist, Jeri Bell, speaks passionately about her work. Not because her livelihood and happiness depend on it but because the livelihood and happiness of those she serves depend on it.

Steven, a prep cook at Diamond Jo Casino served through Employment Services, beamed joyfully after being named the casino’s Part-Time Team Member of the Quarter this past summer. He began his career there five years ago as a dishwasher and dreams of becoming a chef.

“Each of us has to have a sense of purpose and belonging,” Bell said. “Being actively engaged in employment gives them a sense of belonging. They feel like, ‘Hey, I’m valued, and I’m needed. My employer doesn’t recognize my disability, they recognize my ability.’”

Employment Services is part of One Vision’s overall mission to not only meet the basic needs of people with disabilities, but to give them a voice and the opportunity to strive and thrive.

Employment Services help individuals find work in the community. They approach businesses to look for job opportunities that would be a good fit for both the person served and the employer.

“It has to be a win-win for both,” Bell said, noting they do their best to find the career place-of-choice for each person served. If the potential employer is open to the idea, a work trial is set.

The trial costs the employer nothing. One Vision pays the person’s wages up to 20 total hours of trial work. If the trial goes well, the individual served can apply for the job and be considered for official hire. Once hired, a One Vision staff member serves as a job coach until the individual is stable in the job.

“I’ve seen some not need a job coach after a month as well as people who are six years into their employment and still need some coaching,” Bell notes.

The Employment Services department serves nearly 100 individuals across the One Vision service area, down from 245 served in 2019 before the pandemic hit. Employment Services clients range in age from 18 to 50+ and are employed by businesses such as Diamond Jo Casino, North Iowa Area Community College, Venture Fire Department, Sukup Manufacturing, and a North Iowa car dealership. There are currently a dozen people on the waitlist for employment services with One Vision, and the Employment services team has a goal to increase the number of people served by at least 30 next year.

“COVID changed everything,” Bell said. Businesses shut down. Funding dried up. While businesses have long since reopened, funding is still an issue.

Employment Services is experiencing an annual shortfall of $3,106 per person served, said One Vision CEO Mark Dodd. A fundraising campaign is underway to raise the $93,180 needed to cover the goal of adding 30 more clients to the Employment Services roster next year.
The benefits of doing so are crystal clear.

Recently, a person we have served for a long time achieved her goal of working with children. She’s now a teaching assistant at Redeemer Daycare in Ventura. Another client with disabilities tried for a long time on his own to find employment but couldn’t get an interview. Through Employment Services, he landed his dream job as a custodian.

“We focus on making sure where they go is where they want to be,” Bell said, emphasizing that the businesses benefit, too.

“We have individuals who have worked for their employers for seven, eight, and nine years. Employers love them because they show up. They have dedication. That’s why they’ve been at them for so long.

“I don’t know of a business out there that doesn’t have an employee shortage. OneVision has a solution that can help almost any business.”

To donate in support of Employment Services, or any One Vision services, go to OneVision.org or call Janet Johnson, Chief Development Officer, at (641) 355-1356.