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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPROCLAMATION National Disabilty Employment Awareness Month JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Bonnie Obremski, Jefferson County Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Coordinator DATE: October 19, 2026 RE: PROCLAMATION: Proclaiming the month of October, 2026 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The people of Jefferson County recognize the positive impacts of people experiencing disabilities on the American workforce. Research shows employees experiencing disabilities inspire more adaptive, collaborative, and productive work cultures. That, in turn, fuels relationship and skill building in the workplace. Our county appreciates the employers and employees who are a part of the community of people who experience one or more disabilities. Cascade Community Connections, the sole provider of supported employment services for people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities, would like to individually recognize each of the businesses they partnered with in the past year in a 10-minute presentation at the Monday, October 19, 2026 meeting. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact. RECOMMENDATION: Support this effort to raise awareness by proclaiming the month of October as NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH. REVIEWED BY: ____________________________________ _____________ Josh D. Peters, County Administrator Date 10/16/2026 PROCLAMATION NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT MONTH WHEREAS, the purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to recognize the positive impacts of people experiencing disabilities on the American workforce; WHEREAS, October 2026 marks the 81st anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month; WHEREAS, disabilities affect all people; WHEREAS, employees experiencing disabilities inspire more adaptive, collaborative, and productive work cultures; WHEREAS, Jefferson County employers are leaders in providing opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and WHEREAS, all Jefferson County residents experiencing a disability who are age 14 or older have the opportunity to receive in-person, individualized job-related support services; NOW, THEREFORE, the Jefferson County Commissioners hereby proclaim October, 2026 as; National Disability Employment Month The Board of County Commissioners urges residents to recognize the talents of all people, including people who experience disabilities, as essential to an inclusive community and a strong economy. PROCLAIMED this 19th day of October, 2026. JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SEAL: Greg Brotherton, Chair ATTEST: Heidi Eisenhour, Member Heather Dudley-Nollette, Member Carolyn Gallaway, CMC Clerk of the Board The following Jefferson County employers work with Cascade Community Connections to provide jobs for residents experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities. The County recognizes that there are many more employers throughout the county not listed that employ people experiencing disabilities of all kinds. In alphabetical order, employers partnering with Cascade are: The Anchor restaurant Henery Hardware in Port Hadlock Henery Hardware in Port Townsend Olympic Peninsula YMCA Jefferson County Branch Jefferson Healthcare Jefferson County Transfer Station, which hosts 5 positions Marine Plaza Apartments Vending Machine Pane d’Amore, which hosts 3 positions Port Townsend Athletic Club Vending Machine QFC Quimper Mercantile Safeway The Entry Port Townsend And an honorable mention goes to: Camas Prairie Park, which served as a Community-Based Assessment Host. Community-Based Assessments provide job seekers with opportunities to gain hands-on work experience in a real-world employment setting. Thank you for being leaders in your community. By welcoming the work force talents of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, you are indispensable to building a diverse, equitable inclusive community, a robust economy and economic self-sufficiency.