Third of five excerpts from testimony by Chris Brandt before the City of Bellevue Human Services Commission, March 16, 2010.

The 2009-2010 Human Services Needs Update identifies lack of paid and volunteer opportunities as gaps for adults with disabilities. In 2007, 2 clients served by AtWork! experienced a volunteer opportunity in the community. We have created significantly more volunteer opportunities over time: in 2008 36 people volunteered, and 90 people volunteered in 2009. 49 people had community jobs in 2007, 57 in 2008, and 67 in 2009. In 2008, 14 employers who had never hired a person with a disability before hired someone. In 2009, in spite of the economy, 8 new employers hired people with disabilities. We would like to see this trend line go up, not down.

Some people that AtWork! supports in community jobs are the primary wage earners for their entire family. Another gap identified is services for aging parents of people with disabilities who live at home. When people with disabilities have jobs, they contribute to the financial and overall well-being of their entire family. Fewer services are necessary in the home.

Read the continuation of Chris Brandt’s testimony here at the AtWork! blog on March 30th.