Job One Rallies KC Communities to Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) 

Independence/Jackson County, MO — September 28, 2022

To kick off National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October and commemorate the many and varied contributions of people with disabilities in our national and local economies, the State of Missouri and Jackson County, along with the cities of Independence, Kansas City, Grandview, Belton, Blue Springs, and Lee’s Summit, Missouri have joined together to officially proclaim the week of October 3-7 as “Job One Week.” The proclamations recognize the leadership role Job One has championed in ensuring employment choice and advocacy for people with disabilities in our area. Since being founded in 1967, Job One has grown to become one of the largest and most programmatically diverse person-centered organizations of its kind in the region. As such, Job One is leading efforts to promote NDEAM in the local Kansas City Region with multiple events and fundraising opportunities during the month of October, including the following (visit https://jobonekc.org/upcoming-events/ for event details):

October 6:  Business Partner Breakfast, Job One 1085 S. Yuma, Independence, MO
Networking event honoring Job One customers, donors, vendors and community partners. RSVP required https://jobonekc.org/event/job-one-business-partner-breakfast/.

October 12: Job One Night & Music in the Garden at Colonial Gardens, 27610 E. Wyatt Rd, Blue Springs, MO

October 18: Job One Night at Chicken N Pickle, 5901 W. 135th St. Overland Park, KS

October 26: Job One Night at East Forty Brewing, 1201 W. Main St. Blue Springs, MO

Events like these are key to raising awareness. “Educating employers and the general public about the need and gaps in employment access is an important first step in advocating for the individuals with disabilities we serve,” says Aaron Martin, Job One President and CEO. “Community support is critical to ensure people with disabilities have the access to services and job choices they deserve. From day services to skills training to building connections for community employment, we have helped thousands of individuals reach new levels of personal success while contributing to the local workforce.”

For updates on NDEAM activities, follow Job One at @JobOneKC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn or visit www.JobOneKC.org for more information and ways to get involved.

For more information contact: Rebeca Swank, Community Engagement Director, Job One, 816.905.6104, rswank@jobonekc.org

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About Job One

Job One is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides sheltered and community employment services and community-based day services for people with disabilities in the Kansas City region through partnerships with government organizations and the business community, and donations to their One Fund program. Job One offers packaging and assembly services for government, healthcare, industrial and commercial customers. It also provides contractual services to federal agencies through the AbilityOne® Program. Job One operates in multiple sites across the KC Metro, with offices located in Grandview, Kansas City, and Independence, Missouri. Visit www.JobOneKC.org for more information.