It is hard to believe that the Two Foundation is six years old and the Two Café and Boutique is over four and a half years old.

It is even harder to believe on a personal note, that my children are 30, 28 and 26 years old. Time has flown by and I cherish each age, stage and moment that I have with them. They have gone from babies to children to teenagers and now adults. My eldest has even transitioned into parenthood and what a joy that has been!

Life is full of transitions and if there is one word that describes the “What we do?” at the Two, it is TRANSITION. The word that describes the “Why we do it?” is HOPE.

In this post, I am going to focus on the Transition.

Our goal at the Two is to transition individuals into the work-place, after high school, or out of a segregated work setting. We know that this is where many of those we serve struggle the most. “What happens after high school,” is a question that we hear a lot. As a team, we strive to assess the strengths and interests of those that go through our job readiness program and then make a match with one of our amazing business partners. We are so proud of our graduates and their successes!

Beyond that mission, we want our community, and society to understand that we are NOT “a special place for special people”. We are all just people with strengths and weaknesses, working and doing life together. We are a place of business that models every day what a truly integrated community looks like, and we should be nothing unique. A place where all are embraced regardless of label or exceptionality. We all have something, and it is time we understand that.

As we embark on our children’s services, what an inspiration it is to watch as our teachers live out our motto, “Serving all Children, Embracing all Abilities”. It touches my heart to be able to offer parents a place where their child belongs regardless of diagnosis or label. Here, at the Two, they are not only welcomed but loved. Those “typical children” that attended our “Integrated Young Entrepreneurs” summer camp, will hopefully be searching for those in school this year that need a friend or an extra hand. These children will become the natural supports that will be needed in “tomorrows” workforce.

These are the outcomes that we are really after – a movement that will spread across the country – an understanding that we all need each other to do life best. That the things that make us different may be the very things needed to solve the challenges of today and tomorrow – that life is so much better when we do it TWOGETHER.

 

 

Ecclesiastes 4:9 and 10 (paraphrase): Two are better than one, when one falls down there is someone there to pick you up and the return for your labor is even greater.

-Shari

#fullyintegrate #integrate #jobplacement #jobreadiness