Consumers finding jobs and thriving in economic downturn

One of the many steps in gaining independence is maintaining employment. LSI consumers are important contributors to the workforces in their communities.

Chris Coady loves his job, even when it involves trudging through parking lots and braving Iowa’s sometimes harsh weather.

As an employee at Sam’s Club in Ames, Chris carries carts from the parking lot inside for customer use. It’s not an easy job, he said.

“Carrying in carts is pretty hard,” he said. “In the winter it’s very hard with the ice.”

But it’s a job that he has been doing for over a year and one that he loves. Chris works part-time 20 to 25 hours each week. After clocking in and putting on his vest, he begins bringing in carts. He also helps customers load up their cars with purchases or stocks the shelves inside if needed.

“I do a very good job at Sam’s Club,” he said. “They also have very nice managers over there. They treat me with respect.”

Maintaining employment is one key to success in Chris’s goals for independence. Another is LSI’s supported community living program.

Chris grew up in Ames and graduated from Ames High School. He later picked LSI’s services to help him achieve his goal of living independently with roommates. In June of 2006, Chris moved into an apartment with two other young men.

“We get along,” he said. “We do fun activities. We go to the zoo, and we go camping a lot.”

“LSI supports me very kindly,” he added. “If I need to do something I can tell them. If I need to go grocery shopping, I just say ‘Could someone please take me grocery shopping,’ and we go. Staff is very kind to me. We do lots of fun stuff.”

----------------------------------------

23-year-old John Anderson sits across the table, already wearing his uniform of khaki pants and a navy blue polo. After he is done with this interview he will be off to his job as a greeter at Wal-Mart in Ames.

“I like that I get to greet people and say hello and good-bye,” he said.

As a resident at one of LSI’s 24-hour supported community living sites, one of John’s biggest goals was to get a job. With the help of his job coach, John worked hard to fill out applications and work on interview skills. After filling out his application for Wal-Mart online and three “nerve-racking” interviews, John was hired.

“I’m a hard worker,” John said. “People at Wal-Mart are good to work with. I like to joke around with my co-workers.”

John likes having a job and has worked on his independent living skills with LSI staff to assist him in being successful at his work. Communication skills, social skills and getting out in the community have all been part of building the independence John has found both at work and in his personal life.

His job at Wal-Mart is also helping John to have some extra spending money which he hopes will allow him to indulge in his favorite downtime activity, video gaming.

"I have an old Game Cube, but I'm hoping to get a new PS2 or a Wii," said John.

Connections home