Challenge Unlimited Connects Employers to Community Members with Disabilities

Our Daily Show Interview! Challenge Unlimited: National Disability Employment Awareness Month

ALTON - October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and representatives from Challenge Unlimited are sharing their work to help individuals with disabilities secure employment.

“Just recognize that people with disabilities have the same dreams and value as anybody else,” said Susan with Challenge Unlimited. “October nationwide is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It’s where we celebrate people with disabilities and all the value that they bring to the workforce and the employers that give them the opportunity to live that dream of having a job.”

As an organization, Challenge Unlimited works with employers to match them with potential employees. They also provide job and life skills training and support for community members with disabilities.

The average unemployment rate for folks with disabilities is double that of the rate for people without disabilities. Susan and Zachary work at Challenge Unlimited to support both employers and people with disabilities in the workforce and beyond.

“We really work hard with developing natural supports for both the employer and the employee to make sure it’s an effective partnership for everybody involved. Anything that we can do to support either side of the parties coming to the agreement is what we focus on,” Zachary explained. “But then we also practice what we preach. We employ a number of individuals with disabilities.”

Zachary shared that most of their clients undergo “the traditional employment experience,” but Challenge Unlimited is there to support clients through this process. The organization can help clients complete background checks and job applications, and there are also skills training programs in place to help clients learn how to obtain and keep a job.

“We’ve been able to work with individuals to build their employability skills, like their physical stamina, taking supervision from someone, resolving conflict with a coworker, things that maybe we have learned naturally through working our whole lives,” Susan said. “This gives them the opportunity to practice those skills and to get feedback so that when they are ready to go out and get that competitive job, they have those skills to take with them.”

A lot of people are employed through the federal government’s Ability One program or additional state initiatives. Several Challenge Unlimited clients also work in federal buildings or places like Scott Air Force Base. As the federal government shutdown continues, Susan and Zachary pointed out that many of these clients are struggling.

“Right now, we have a significant number of employees that have been furloughed,” Zachary said. “For a lot of them, it’s a very scary time, and they’re really leaning on my team for resources in the community, resources and navigating what they can do to bridge the gap financially in this time. It’s very scary for them.”

In addition to federal buildings, Susan and Zachary highlighted several local businesses as great partners in these programs, including Theodora Farms and Casey’s. They encourage any business owner who wants to know more about getting involved in Challenge Unlimited or working with employees with disabilities to contact them.

Additionally, anyone with a disability who wants to know more about Challenge Unlimited’s programs and how they can help you find employment can visit the official Challenge Unlimited website at CUInc.org.

“You have to live the mission. When you work for a mission-based nonprofit like we do, that’s the core of what we do,” Susan added. “I think that’s one reason why Challenge has been so successful and had the longevity it has, because we are able to stay on the mission. And that’s serving people, specifically people with disabilities.”

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