On Thursday, October 28, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and the Borough President’s Advisory Committee on Disability Issues observed National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act by honoring Brooklyn employers who hire workers with disabilities. Some of the employees with disabilities were also in attendance at the annual breakfast.

Thirteen employers, selected from nominations submitted by individuals throughout the borough, were honored for their commitment to hiring Brooklynites with disabilities. This year’s honorees are as varied and diverse as Brooklyn itself:

• Altronix Corporation and manager, Alexandra Nosikovskaya, were nominated by Terri Dallara of the Manhattan VESID office. Altronix Corporation has gone above and beyond the customary to accommodate and ensure a supportive environment for their employees with disabilities. They have hired two individuals. And within one month, seeing the potential to achieve more, they gave additional responsibilities to their new worker, which in the long run will allow this individual to grow in the company. Altronix has also demonstrated great flexibility in understanding the need to schedule medical appointments. Their employees have been working with them for more than a year. The managers of Altronix have shown their new workers respect, encouragement and support.

• James Milione, president of Bridge Security, located on Court Street in Brooklyn was nominated for this award by Brooklyn Community Services (BCS). Bridge Security has hired more than 15 people with disabilities over the past six years. The management of Bridge Security, aware that BCS provides services to people with disabilities, actively recruits their staff from the training and job placement programs provided by BCS. In addition, Mr. Milione is an active member of the Business Advisory Council (BAC) of BCS. As a member of the BAC, he provides staff with the employer’s viewpoint regarding how to properly prepare job seekers for the world of work. His efforts not only benefit the many people he has hired, but also helps the many job seekers working with the BCS.

• Costco, located on Third Avenue in Brooklyn, has hired many individuals with disabilities. Costco’s general manager, Andre Campbell, and Human Resources director, Susan Feliciano, have hired at least 10 individuals from Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) for both full and part time positions as sales representatives, stock workers and cashiers. The Brooklyn Costco store has fostered success of new employees by maintaining good communication with the training program staff at BCS. Some of their staff has been working with them for more than ten years! The managers have demonstrated patience and understanding, and have set aside time for interviewing graduates of the retail training program and have demonstrated great hiring procedures.

• The Brooklyn Step Program of Canarsie High School nominated Moshe and Shai Arviv, the owner/managers of Cut by Design-Custom Counter Tops/Cabinets for Kitchen Deco. For several years, Cut By Design has served as an internship site for high school students. This year however, they had a student who was very interested in learning carpentry and they spent a great deal of time patiently teaching him the trade. The student has become quite proficient and is no longer an intern. Now he is a carpenter, working for Cut By Design and achieving a career that he loves.

• Yisroel Rosenthal of HASC nominated DGL USA. The vice president of this Brooklyn-based company, Isaac Massre, has demonstrated a very supportive and loyal attitude toward his employees who have worked with the company for three years. During such challenging economic times, employers often seek to downsize their workforce, while increasing the duties of their employees. Mr. Rosenthal is pleased to point out that DGL USA remains flexible in assigning schedules and work duties. In this way, he accommodates the needs of his employees who have disabilities.

• Elmy’s Special Services, Inc. has been nominated by the Transition Linkage Coordinator of 811K, a Brooklyn high school. Executive Director Ray Knights of Elmy’s Special Services, Inc. is commended for hiring a young person with limited work experience and requiring on-the-job training. Just over a year ago, they hired a young person, right out of high school, to work as their receptionist. They additionally have trained this new employee in computer operations and data entry. Elmy’s has provided this young person with an opportunity that is enhanced by gaining skills, experience and self-esteem.

• The Women’s League, a supported employment program, has had a long and successful working relationship with Michael Silberstein of Focus Camera. Located on McDonald Avenue, Focus Camera is a successful Brooklyn business which sells camera and electronic equipment. Over the past eight years, Mr. Silberstein has hired approximately 15 individuals with disabilities. These workers are hired for various jobs in the company. Mr. Silberstein fosters integration in his company by having the new employees from the Women’s League work alongside his more seasoned staff. His respect and encouragement brings out the best in each of his new employees, who frequently remain in his employ for many years.

• Debbie Fidererer and Don Horvath of the Helen Keller National Center nominated Lance Lazard and Kohl’s Department Store. This employer has demonstrated openness to various types of accommodations. For example, one participant has little formal language and was unable to communicate in a fashion typical of the interview process. Despite this, the employer gave the participant a chance to work. In another situation, the employer created a special work station for this participant, with enough room for a job coach and specialized cards used to communicate with the participant. In addition, the employer has been open to learning gestures, sign language and the communication cards to interact with the participant, who has been employed for a year and a half.  

• Nicole Lamonica, the general manager of Old Navy, located in the Atlantic Mall, has been nominated by the Brooklyn Community Services, as an outstanding employer who has not only hired, but trained participants in the Brooklyn Community Services’ retail training program. This relationship has been so successful, that plans have been made to expand training and hiring job seekers in two other locations. In working with Old Navy, trainees gained valuable skills they can use both in job seeking and on the job. Additionally, Old Navy’s “family discounts” have helped many participants acquire interview clothes. For over a year Old Navy has helped promote employment of people with disabilities in many ways and their dedication is greatly appreciated.

• Yisroel Rosenthal of HASC, a supported employment program, nominated Abraham Banda, the founder and owner of Pomegranate.  Pomegranate is the largest Kosher supermarket located in Coney Island, Brooklyn USA. Pomegranate hired a young resident living in one of HASC’s group homes. He did not have a great deal of work experience when he started. For approximately one year, he was given the opportunity to work only four days a week and then was able to expand his schedule to five days. Initially he was very shy and worked alone in the packing area, became more confident and now works as a bagger, who happily interacts with the public. We learn from experiences like this that work not only benefits people economically–it also contributes to enhanced self-esteem.

• Jackie Green, the director of volunteers at the Sephardic Nursing & Rehabilitation Center was nominated by Allen Weiner of the New York City Department of Education. Mr. Weiner is the job developer for P721K. In choosing employers for this award, the first criterion is to know if the employer has hired people with disabilities. While it is true that the Sephardic Nursing & Rehabilitation Center receives and trains students for the world of work, it has also hired a student who demonstrated willingness and ability to learn. This student is now a secretarial assistant in the Medical Records Department. Sephardic has provided a great deal of hard work and dedication in preparing this student for employment, and she continues to benefit from her very satisfactory work environment.

• Melissa and Roger Bradshaw, the co-founders of the Smiling Faces Christian Daycare, located on Myrtle Avenue, have been nominated by Job Path. They not only provided employment to a young person with a disability, they actually provided on-the-job training that led to employment. In addition to hands-on training in daycare assistance, they also provided training in CPR, First Aid and Mandated Reporting. This training and work experience has enabled a young person to achieve a good first step in her career. We applaud the efforts of Smiling Faces and their steadfast commitment to both training and hiring a person with a disability.

• Milagros Andino, EEO program manager for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and NY Harbor Health Care System, has been nominated by VESID for her continuing support in the recruitment and hiring of individuals with disabilities. Whenever there is a job opening, Ms. Andino reaches out to VESID, giving enrollees an opportunity to apply. A number of VESID job seekers have been hired to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs in positions ranging from administrative assistant to HR generalist. The VESID staff has been impressed by Ms. Andino’s ability to look beyond the resume, which at times may have gaps in employment or a lack of recent work experience. She looks at the person and the skills and motivation he or she may provide. Ms. Andino is a great friend to our community.

Borough President Markowitz is proud to honor Brooklyn businesses that have made the commitment to invest in individuals of all abilities so every Brooklynite might know the satisfaction of being a wage earner.