Janice is the kitchen manager at Redmond High School and with the help of 1st Choice Assisted Care LLC, she counts herself fortunate to have Katie as part of her staff, saying she is “always positive” and she’s very dependable. Her role in the kitchen frees up other employees to help in other ways, knowing “Katie is doing all the food prep” she’s assigned. If you ask Janice to share her one favorite thing about working with Katie, she has a hard time picking just one! She says Katie is terrific about asking questions to make sure she’s doing exactly what the kitchen needs, she’s cheerful and “she has an upbeat personality, walking in with a smile and leaving with a smile.” As a manager, Janice values that particular quality in any employee, saying it’s “hugely valuable” because it “lays the foundation for a positive work atmosphere.”

Katie says she “loves her co-workers” and the fact that she feels respected. Her position as a kitchen helper two days a week gives Katie a real sense that she is part of the community and the workforce. Janet, her supervisor, believes that all individuals have the right to work and hopes that other local employers will recognize the value people of all abilities bring to the workforce. “We were just waiting for the right special person to fill this position” and, with the hiring of Katie, Janice feels they have found her.