Easterseals and Faithful Friends Partnership Benefits All
When Easterseals Pre-Vocational Services group enters the room, it is all hands (and paws)
on deck to help Faithful Friends Animal Society stay in tip top shape so they can continue the great work they
do in the community. While the Easterseals participants are helping Faithful Friends, they are also learning
valuable job skills that can lead to full-time, paid employment.
“We couldn’t do this work without community involvement. Volunteers are the heart of our organization
because they are motivated purely by their passion for helping others,” Shannon O’Neill, Faithful Friends
Director of Development & PR, says. “It’s always a good day when the Easterseals participants are here.”
March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness of the inclusion of and
contributions of people with developmental disabilities. Easterseals programs and services are designed to
help people with developmental disabilities meet their full potential and thrive in their community.
“This is one of the very best groups I’ve ever worked with. The participants are hardworking and always so
motivated, and I love seeing them come in every day. They have picked it up so quickly,” Alison Romano,
Faithful Friends Volunteer & Community Affairs Manager, says. “They come in with smiles every day. They
love interacting with the animals.”
Easterseals Pre-Vocational Services are ideal for adults who need to build individual skills to work toward
supported employment. Individuals in pre-vocational training take part in integrated community activities
designed to promote employment readiness. This allows them to experience work-based learning, volunteer
opportunities and recreation & leisure activities which can help them identify the job that’s right for them.
“This is just a wonderful organization that gives to the community and the community gives to them. The
participants love this. They talk about it all the time,” Angie Ganges Easterseals Pre-Vocational Program
Supervisor. “After our tasks are completed, the participants get a chance to give love to the animals. The
animals get all the love they need, and we enjoy giving it to them.”
In addition to pre-vocational job training, Easterseals helps businesses hire workers with disabilities through
individual or group supported employment services. Employment Specialists provide ongoing individualized
training and coaching to ensure long-term success on the job. In group supported employment, small groups
of participants work with on-site support and supervision by Easterseals staff.
“Every participant in Pre-Vocational Services has a goal of employment,” Jennifer Weiss, Program Support
Specialist, says. “Each time they go to a new site, they learn new skills. The hope is that we find that right
position for them so that they get that paid employment that they all talk about. They are all working toward
that, they want to get paid.”
Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore is leading the way to an inclusive community through its
innovative services, which include: children’s therapies, day programs for adults with physical or intellectual
disabilities, supported employment, senior services, recreational camping, respite services, and services for
caregivers. To learn more about Easterseals, call 1-800-677-3800 or visit www.de.easterseals.com.
Easterseals Pre-Vocational Services provides an opportunity for Easterseals participants to volunteer and
learn job skills at organizations like Faithful Friends. Pictured (l-r) back row: Jennifer Weiss; Julia Hensley,
Shannon O’Neill, Ahnyae Hall, Joyce Hoffman, Siegmund (Siegy) Tomczyk, Shezza Mohamed, Celvin (Alex)
Williams, Alison Romano, and Angie Ganges. Front row: Kayla Mullen, Deanna Repella, and Nicole
Cunningham.
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