Inclusion and more

Right now, I am a student in the LOPES Academy program at the Cardon Center at Grand Canyon University. We're talking about our passions and strengths. My strengths are to: develop relationships, be an empathetic person and being reliable. I am often flooded with people asking me what I do. I won't bore people by expelling my full employment journey. I work at BridgeWater Assisted Living as their dining room attendant. I serve residents food and ensure our dining room is thoroughly clean for meals.  As I navigate the ups and downs of a COVID pandemic, I aim to trust God in everything I do at work and in life. But I often don't let God work. Sometimes I grow used to rushing him. I look at the ways he allows me to use my passions everywhere I go and through the people I meet. Last year, I had a senior resident tell me that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. This made my day  and shaped my months a...

  My name is Lindsey Eaton and I am 27 years old. I have autism but it doesn't define me. I live independently at First Place-Phoenix, have a job at BridgeWater Assisted Living and participate in the LOPES Academy at the Cardon Center Program at Grand Canyon University.  When I was younger, I was diagnosed with autism. I remember asking myself "Why me?" I just wanted to be normal. I struggle with making friends, dealing with change and with the struggle one dealing with changes, I see things as black and white. But I did quickly figure out that I have strengths like fixing computers, speaking in front of big groups and developing leaders.  Yes, you read that right. I have a strength for developing leaders. I am told often that one day I will be in a management role at work because of my leadership skills. People come to me when they are  new at work and at First Place. I live independently at First Plac...

  October always COMMEMORATES National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Companies like Sodexo hire people with disabilities to work for them year-round.  Corey Smith, a Best Buddies Jobs participant is employed with Sodexo and works as the Kitchen Attendant at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  In 2019, Corey was recognized as the Best Buddies Jobs Employee of the Year for Best Buddies Massachusetts .  My name is Lindsey Eaton and I am 27 years old.  I have autism, but it doesn't define me. I love to speak in front of big groups, hang out with my friends and boyfriend. I am currently a student at Grand Canyon University in the LOPES Academy at the Cardon Center program.  LOPES Academy students like myself are taking classes on topics like college success, career readiness and developing their Christian faith.  For the two year program, we get our own L.O.P.E.S Buddies. These buddies are GCU students who participate in classes at GCU. My buddies ...

 God always hears our prayers but He doesn't necessarily answer them instantly. He answered them on His timing. As a Christian, I struggle from time to time with trusting God's timing for when He answers prayers. On Tuesday, I celebrated my 1 year work anniversary at BridgeWater Midtown as their Dining Room Attendant . I remember my interview at the Solterra headquarters office with two Solterra employees- Heidi and Nicolle like it was yesterday. I went in with initial nerves because I had not met them before. My job coach Fiona helped me find common things to talk to them about like my involvement in Best Buddies, my experiences with Seniors and obviously previous employment. I got the job. There were emotions of happiness and honestly still nervousness because I didn't know what was next. God provided me opportunities to get to know my team and eventually my manager. When I started, he was at all of BridgeWater's facilities helping out within their culinary department...

My name is Lindsey Eaton and I have autism. Autism makes my life challenging.  I struggle to deal with change, take feedback and make friends.  When I was in high school, I remember vividly watching my sisters head to college. My sister Molly first at the University of San Diego. Then my sister Kate at Texas Christian University. While I was thrilled for them, I wondered if I would live independently or stay at my parents house forever.  I started to receive habilitation services through Arion Care Solutions and HOPE Group. I had providers from agencies work with me independent living goals like cooking, budgeting and meal planning once a week at my parents house.  These once- a- week sessions were a highlight of my work.  In 2016, my parents and I found out about the First Place Transition Academy, operated by SARRC, which at the time was located at 29 Palms, a senior living facility. Transit...

  People with disabilities often face barriers in employment. Here are some tips for those with disabilities to survive work: 1. Find a job you LOVE You spend 90% of your time at work. It's importantly to love your job. Find a job that fits your strengths and interests. If you're good with interesting with people, find a job that fits your strength of being a people person. If you enjoy working in a restaurant as a dishwasher or server, apply.  Yes work is sometimes filled with rough days and struggles. If you love your job, you will see those days as a thing of the past 2. Utilize job coaching Job coaching is used as a service to help people with disabilities learn their jobs and their employers and co-workers learn them. Locally in Arizona, organizations like HOPE Group offer job coaching services. HOPE Group sends their HOPE coaches to client workplaces to do "Autism 101" trainings. Before I started my current job,  I started my HOPE ...

  What do you choose between God's way or your WAY? Hopefully God's way. When you choose God's way you choose to follow him and let him guide your life. God knows his plans for your life including  Where you will work and when you will get a promotion Who you will marry Where you will live Personally, sometimes for me I fall away from following God's way. I try and create my own plan for my employment situation and personal life. God always directs me back to follow Him his way and trust His plan. God's timing is always best.  God directed me away from past jobs and to my current position at BridgeWater Assisted Living Midtown.  I remember my interview like it was yesterday.  I was honestly scared beyond words. I remember thinking the following things: What will my experience be like interviewing with two people I don't know? If I get the job, what will my experience be like as someone with autism? ...

Established in 1997,  HOPE Group provides habilitation and vocational rehabilitation services for people with autism. HOPE Group was started by Lori Cairns when her son JR was diagnosed with autism.  He is now living independently.  On a personal side,  I started receiving services through HOPE Group in high school. I had habilitation providers come to my parents house once a week and work with me on goals related to budgeting and meal planning.  I had no idea how much my independence would grow. Even though it was at my parents house, I can say the skills the providers taught me helped me become the independent person I am today.  In the summer of 2020, I was able to get involved with HOPE Group again. I was invited to sign up with RIS (Rehabilitative Instructional Services) through HOPE Group. I had my informational interview with Allison Kolanko from HOPE Group. We talked about our families and life as well as...

  Over this past year and the past few months, I have been doing endless reflection on what my purpose is both in my personal and work life.  God has revealed to me that he is working on revealing to me that he has bigger plans for my life. One way God has revealed his purpose for me is through my job at BridgeWater! When I started my job, I was nervous and scared. I would not talk to the team. I just had a tough time knowing honestly what to do. Then in January, God placed someone very special in my professional life as a mentor. Her name is Nicolle. When she came by in January, she sought me out and we talked about our lives and families. It didn't take long for me to realize how special she is as a person. The day she came in was my boss's birthday so we sang to him. After this she proceeded to tell the team what a great addition I was to the team.  Our mentorship has grown immensely since the first time I met her....

I once had a friend named Lorraine Heydorn tell me that working with seniors is the most rewarding job. She works at Brookdale Senior  Living's Gilbert location as a Clare Bridge Program Coordinator. I want to share 4 lessons I have learned while working with seniors.  Lesson 1: A "simple" hi goes a long way Seniors like anyone else love when people say hi to them. In the morning as I prepare to walk into the kitchen, I am greeted by residents who want to greet me and want me to say hi to them. Some of my "favorite" residents are often downstairs waiting. One of them is ironically named Keith. I remember his name because it's my bosses name. The joy I get from talking to these residents is immeasurable.  Lesson 2: Life too short The toughest part of my job is often seeing an ambulance outside of our senior living facility. My heart breaks often because I know that could've been the last day I see them. I hav...

 This past weekend, Scottsdale Bible Church begun a sermon series called "The Battle Within" and it is very powerful.  As a Christian I face my own battles, I face battles on being  fearful, overwhelmed and anxious and wondering if I am meeting what people think about me, being disappointed by God and dealing with change.  James 4:1-3 :  What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions ar e at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. God calls us to wait on him for his timing for our battles.I know we've all been in situations where we have wanted something when God hasn't provided it right away. These are some of the battles God has calmed for me recently:  Worrying/Being fearful: God has performed miracles in telling me ...

Approximately 12.6% of people with disabilities are unemployed and underemployed. Imagine yourself without a job to go to and a paycheck to receive. This is the reality for people with disabilities.  Growing up around two grandpas, a dad and and other family members who worked hard, I always wanted to work but I was not sure what I wanted to do. When I was in middle school,  I worked for my dad's company Vantage Mobility International in their marketing department. I assisted with stuffing mailers and other marketing tasks. I had great co-workers and VMI had an amazing company culture. After this, I dove further into pursuing my goal fo working competitively. In high school, I took a career exploration class called Practical Assessment Exploration System. PAES helps participants/ students learn more about their interests in categories like  Computer Technology: Data entry, Word processing, mailing software and email and In...

A year ago, COVID came along and caused dysfunction in America by causing people to work from home, parents to help their kids with school online from home, delay wedding plans or even engagement proposals. When COVID first came along, I no doubt was irritated with circumstances that came with social distancing, masking up and having to project my voice around friends and family and a stay at home order.  I quickly started to realize that without a doubt that God had a plan for me and for everyone I know, knew or have known in some capacity. I got to work praying for those who I love- my family, friends, boyfriend Adam and those who I respect including my co-workers, boss and mentors.  I myself personally pray no matter the day and time.  I pray meeting a work meeting with my boss.  I pray silently for God to protect those I love from COVID. When I think about this past year and current times, ther...