Who We Are

• Our History
• Guiding Principles
• Our Vision for the Future
• Where To Find Us
• Our Team
• Board of Directors and Board of Trustees
• Consumer Stories
• Employee Testimonials
• Accreditation & Funding
• Frequently Asked Questions

Employee Testimonials

 

Jennifer Gleason
Are you one of those people who dreads the long day at work when you get up in the morning? I am one of those lucky people who wakes up in the morning happy to go to work, I am happy because of the fulfillment my job at Ability Beyond Disability offers me.

In July of 2006 I started working for Ability Beyond Disability and I never imagined how this job would change my life. I started off as a life skills instructor at a group home and am currently the assistant manager. Every day I am able to help each of the five males that live there to reach their fullest potential in life. Each of them suffers from a developmental disability that they were born with. I have learned that when you are born with a disability there are many people who say that “he or she will never be able to ….” because of that disability. Being an employee for Ability Beyond Disability has allowed me to help bring out their ability, regardless of their disability.

Working with these individuals has inspired me to continue my education and go to college to obtain my degree in social and behavioral science so that I can continue to help people with disabilities. Working with these guys has changed my perspective on life quite a bit. I have learned the difference between sympathy and empathy; I have learned that I should never take the simple things in life for granted because there are many people who do not have them or cannot do them. I am lucky enough to be able to help teach the people who cannot easily perform simple, everyday tasks to learn the skills they need to be able to master them. I have the privilege of taking the guys into the community and educating others who may not be aware of the disabilities that they possess.

That is why I work at Ability Beyond Disability.

Marie Caprio
As a college student at Western Connecticut State University, I first heard of Ability Beyond Disability through many of my classmates who were happily employed by (and highly recommended) the organization. I was working in retail at the time, and I was looking for a job that would be more fulfilling- something more meaningful and rewarding, that would also accomodate my college schedule. I was drawn to the mission and excited to work directly with the consumers. I also liked the idea of having a job that would make an impact on people's lives. It was not long after I began working here that it was clear that the consumers were the ones making an impact on my life. I truly feel blessed to be part of a tremendous effort in improving the quality of life of the people we serve.

Sharon Hall
After spending almost two decades in corporate America, I wanted to do something that would make me feel like I was "giving back"; Ability Beyond Disability has given me that opportunity. My experience with the organization has truly been an eye-opening one, in many aspects. Upon joining Ability Beyond Disability, I was both excited and hesitant, because I was not sure that I was cut out to do this type of work. I believe that it truly takes a special person to work with individuals with disabilities, and I wasn't sure I was the one for it. It only took me three weeks to realize that Ability Beyond Disability is where I am meant to be, and now I genuinely have a passion for working with people with disabilities.