(left to right) Cheryl Fasano, President & CEO, MHA; Havier Connors, Youth Adult Program participant; State Rep Aaron Vega; Joe Lepper, MassMutual; Marcus Gainer, Program Supervisor, Youth Adult Program. (Photo courtesy MHA)
SPRINGFIELD – Wednesday, October 17 was Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), a national effort coordinated by the American Association of People with Disabilities to promote career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through hands-on career exploration and mentoring relationships. DMD was founded in 1999 through a White House initiative and is organized each year in October which is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
As a local, nonprofit provider of residential and support services, MHA works with people who are impacted by mental illness, developmental disabilities, substance use and homelessness. For those whose disabilities are not severe and who are not medically challenged, MHA does its part, often utilizing community partners, to ensure that participants who want to work are ready and able to work. Among those community partners are individuals such as State Representative, Aaron Vega, Vice Chair of the Committee on Children and Families and Persons with Disabilities and Joe Lepper, Relationship Manager, MassMutual Community Responsibility. When both were asked to participate in Disability Mentoring Day, both offered a resounding “yes”!
This past Wednesday, at MHA’s corporate offices at 995 Worthington Street, Springfield, both Representative Vega and Lepper joined Havier Collins, a 21 year old program participant in MHA’s Youth Adolescent Program for a personal conversation detailing their own individual career choices, career paths and life experiences. During the meet and greet, Havier discussed his own personal goals and aspirations for employment.
Havier Connors, who is 21 years old, was adopted into a new family as the second youngest of 10 children when he was four years old. He has a biological sister whom he has never met in person, but with whom he has corresponded via letters. Connors struggled with bullying and issues related to anger management growing up, due in part to his physical appearance, the result of Alcohol Fetal Syndrome. Havier, who is diagnosed with Autism and is challenged by a mental health diagnosis, grew up in the local therapeutic system attending most of the major therapeutic schools and programs in Western Mass. Havier enjoys listening to rock music, playing the guitar (which he is still learning), roller skating, and playing video games. Havier wants to work and is applying with a local nonprofit for his very first job.
During the meet and greet with Havier, Representative Vega also presented a citation to MHA in recognition of Disability Mentoring Day, as well as the nonprofit’s work to support those experiencing both physical, as well as mental health disabilities.
“Workplaces that welcome the talents of all people, including people with disabilities, are a critical component in efforts to build an inclusive community and a strong economy,” according to
Cheryl Fasano, President & CEO of MHA. “We have witnessed firsthand the impact that doing meaningful work can have on those we serve and we are grateful to Representative Vega and
Joe Lepper for their commitment to sharing in our work to remove barriers for those with disabilities who are ready to work.”
National Disability Employment Awareness Month, during which Disability Mentoring Day is held, is an observance which educates the public about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The event’s history traces back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1962, the word “physically” was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy leads the observance nationally, but its true spirit grows from local communities through the individual determination of people who overcome barriers and do meaningful work. It also grows from the vision of employers who provide access and reasonable accommodations so persons with disabilities can contribute to their organizations and our economy as part of the workforce.
MHA, Inc., is a Springfield-based nonprofit provider of residential and support services to more than 600 people each year impacted by mental illness, developmental disabilities, substance abuse and homelessness.
