News
Published on August 21, 2024 at 14:55
A new employment office will open in Old Town this fall, focusing on employment for adults with disabilities.
The BEST (Building Employment Solutions Together) employment program will open at 919 King Street, in the former building of the Sacred Circle metaphysical bookstore, which closed in June.
The program is a collaboration between the Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund and ServiceSource, and they launched their work in 2020. The following year, The BEST gift shop opened at 122 S. Patrick Street, selling jewelry and other items made by adults with disabilities. The memorial fund was founded in 1998 by parents Robert and Paola Pizzano of Alexandria after their six-year-old son Joey, a child with special needs, drowned.
An opening date for the store has not yet been set, but signs on site indicate that it will open this fall.
Under the program, at least four supervised employees are available for two to six hours of work between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The cost per employee, excluding supervisor, is $11.25 per hour.
The services include:
- Inventory and stocking of office and kitchen supplies
- Shredding
- assembly
- Copy
- Easy cleaning (vacuuming, disinfecting, dusting)
- Light gardening (watering plants)
- Mailing/Packages
- Tailor-made tasks
- Disinfecting/cleaning fitness equipment
