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October 9, 2009 · The unemployment rate in Texas has hit 8 percent, a 22-year high. As jobs get scarce, there’s one segment of the population who is getting hit particularly hard. They are the intellectually challenged.
The Unicorn Center in San Antonio calls itself a unique place. And in the large Unicorn workshop area it shows. About 3-hundred people with intellectual disabilities are here. And they are working – while laughing and smiling.
“Coming to work –earning a paycheck – and then receiving it – it’s a real good thing for our guys,” said John Schwab, Unicorn’s executive director.
The Unicorn is a church sponsored non-profit that teaches life skills to the intellectually challenged. Schwab says a big part of that is giving their people jobs.
“They do everything from collating paper to putting widgets, gidgets and gadgets together,” said Schwab.
Schwab walks over to a table where one crew is assembling clear plastic packaging and he calls over to one worker.
“Hey Anthony how long you done this job?” Schwab asks jovially. 45-year old Anthony Tosi responds “16 years.”
Schwab jokes with the worker further “Any good at it?” Anthony answers with confidence “Yeah!” And then they both laugh.
Schwab asks Anthony to prove it. “You want to try one out show him how to do it?”
Anthony glows with excitement and pride as he ambles over to the workbench. In front of him is a waffle iron-looking device which heats up, clamps down and melts the plastic shut.
Anthony warns me, “This thing gets up to 500 degrees – don’t touch this top.” Then he goes into his work routine. “This and this goes there – oh? How about that!” Anthony then deliberately counts down the melting “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.”
He pulls out the melted plastic case while smiling ear to ear and hold the plastic in the air. “This is the finished product.”
Anthony gets paid for each finished product he produces. And he loves getting paid.
“When our folks get paid it’s the greatest day in the world for everyone,” said Schwab.
But in this economy it’s getting tougher to find contracts to keep the workshop busy. And rising unemployment is hurting the Unicorn’s other mission –finding jobs in the real world for their special folks.
“Everybody is waiting for the worm to turn,” said Jim Reisser, the Unicorn’s business recruiter. It’s his job to find employers who will give jobs to the intellectually disabled from the Unicorn.
Things aren’t going so well these days. And he’s at a loss for words trying to explain things to the Unicorn workforce. They don’t understand why they aren’t working.
“Some of them come down the hall – every single day – why don’t I have a job yet – why don’t I have a job yet – when are you going to get me a job – and it’s really kind of heart breaking,” said Reisser.
When unemployment was low it was easier to find low skill jobs for the intellectually disabled. There wasn’t much competition for custodians, dish washers and file clerks positions.
But in the current economic climate - employers are not able to set those jobs aside for special needs employees.
Unicorn worker Judy Blackman found out what losing your job felt like.
The Applebee’s that she cleaned every weekday morning was force to close down.
“One day I walked in – they said I could no longer work there – I was pretty sad – I cried,” said Judy.
The Unicorn helped Judy get that job. They gave her a job coach. Showed her how to punch in, punch out and everything in between.
But rather than ending Judy’s career at Applebee’s the restaurant manager Brian Boylan transferred her to another location
“Because Applebee’s is considered a community job place,” Boylan said.
He said hiring special employees is part of the Applebee’s mission. It’s been that way since the chain started in Florida. They try to have 3 disabled workers at each Applebee’s but presently they aren’t able to meet that goal.
But Boylan says having special needs workers in the restaurant gives him a personal boost.
“They’re just like everyone else – they have family – they have family that comes into the restaurant – they have friends who help spread word of mouth,” said Boylan.
Judy says when she goes to the Unicorn center she has a message for her friends who are waiting for their jobs.
“You know if I can do it – then they can do it too – at first it seems hard – of course it’s hard at first – but once you get a job – you’re set – then you’re much happier,” she said.
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