Chimes helps food service vendor get the job done.
You’ve probably heard it numerous times at your favorite store or restaurant: “In this job market, we just can’t find people to work.”
Bon Appetit, the on-site food service vendor for St. Timothy Episcopal boarding and day school for girls, was one such company and they knew that Chimes had people who couldn’t wait to get to work.
As you may know, Chimes runs an Employment Services team that provides qualified candidates for local businesses that range in size and scale from local grocery stores to BWI airport. Chimes also provides job coaching, onboarding and other supports for people with disabilities and can help employers like Bon Appetit by providing dedicated employees who look forward to coming to work each day.
This past August, the company's district manager urgently reached out to Chimes for help in hiring for the upcoming school year.
With just three days’ notice, our employment team identified 13 candidates, and created a schedule to cover Bon Appetit operations for 13 hours a day, seven days a week. Chimes went into high gear to process applications, gather ID cards, coordinate with participants’ care providers, and arrange transportation to work.
Three days later, 13 people arrived eager to get started with Chimes job coaches by their side. For the first four weeks of employment, Chimes job coaches also assisted as participants completed their onboarding and training processes. Today, all our participants are working independently as employees of Bon Appetit with only occasional drop-in coaching support.
Katie is one Chimes client currently employed by Bon Appetit. After the pandemic left her unemployed, Katie was eager to get back to work and grateful to land her new job. At the school she washes dishes, stocks silverware, plates and cups, and assists with keeping the dining hall clean. On days off, Katie attends the Chimes Day program to relax and socialize.
Chimes residential program client Stanley also works at St. Timothy’s School performing similar tasks. After being downsized from his previous job, Stanley was glad to obtain employment with Bon Appetit, where he could earn money to support himself while learning crucial skills.
The Bon Appetit/St. Timothy’s School partnership is a terrific example of the role Chimes plays in both growing the mid-Atlantic area’s workforce and providing meaningful employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our Employment Services team — job developers, coaches and supervisors — have driven this partnership’s success by meeting the needs of both the individuals and the employer at every turn.
By supporting Chimes — not just during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but all year long — you help ensure that we can offer vocational training and competitive employment opportunities, so that all our clients can live empowered and enriched lives to the best of their abilities. Thank you!
