SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — Pride Industries, a Roseville-based nonprofit with a mission to hire more people with disabilities in the workplace, hosts its second annual "I Am Able" Disability Job Fair Wednesday.
About 40 businesses will be looking to hire employees at the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center. Additionally, 20 nonprofit and government agencies supporting the disability community will be on-hand to offer employment resources.
People with disabilities are significantly less likely to be employed compared to people without a disability, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor.
“Across the country, we support over 3,500 people with disabilities in their employment journeys,” said Jeff Dern, president and CEO of Pride Industries. “We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to work and contribute to their fullest potential. Every day, Pride Industries proves the value of an inclusive workforce through our operational success across multiple industries. We show company leaders that if we can do it, so can they.”
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). It's a campaign celebrating the contributions of the nation’s disabled workers and showcasing supportive, inclusive policies and practices benefitting employees and employers alike.
The theme this year is "Access to Good Jobs for All." The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) chose the theme to help raise awareness about the issues people with disabilities face in the workforce like discrimination, lack of accessibility and social stigma.
“Our theme in 2024, ‘Access to Good Jobs for All,’ speaks to our commitment to expand the number of employment opportunities for people with disabilities and the quality of those opportunities,” said Taryn M. Williams, assistant secretary with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). “Good jobs change lives and all workers, including disabled people, deserve the opportunity to prepare for success in high-quality, good-paying jobs in workplaces free of discrimination.”
Pride hires people with disabilities to provide facilities management, supply chain management, manufacturing, packaging and fulfillment services, and employment services, the organization says.
The nonprofit says it offers several programs, like the "I Am Able" Employment Helpline, launched in 2021, which connects more than 7,000 people with employment programs, government and community resources. It has reportedly also placed more than 200 people into employment with estimated gross wages of $5 million.
“NDEAM’s theme this year, ‘Access to Good Jobs for All,’ is a vital one,” Dern said. “Workers with disabilities are often left out of conversations about workplace diversity, equity and inclusion. At Pride Industries, we’re working to change that. Everything we do is about normalizing workplace inclusion to help people with disabilities lead independent lives.”
More than 600 people attended the job fair last year. At least 1,000 people will reportedly look for work this year. Volunteers will be there, helping anyone in need of assistance. For more information, visit the PRIDE website.