11 Firms Honored For Helping The Disabled
Accessibility, hiring policies win praise

BY CAROL HAZARD
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Aug 13, 2003

It´s the little things, and sometimes bigger things such as providing motorized shopping carts and wide aisles, that count.

Eleven businesses, mostly in the Richmond area, received awards this week for being friendly to people with disabilities.

Recipients received "disability friendly business" seals from the Virginia Business Leadership Network, a nonprofit, business-led group focused on increasing work-force and marketplace diversity by including people with disabilities. Businesses are nominated for the honor.

The seals can serve as symbols to patrons, staff and others for businesses´ efforts to hire or provide accessibility for people with disabilities. In all, 74 seals have been presented to Virginia businesses since 2001, the inception of the program.

Ukrop´s Super Markets Inc., the hometown grocer in Richmond, was among the honorees. Ukrop´s provides the motorized shopping carts as well as help for customers with disabilities.

Other recipients are:

• Imperial Plaza, a Richmond retirement community, has shown commitment to work with people with disabilities and hire people with disabilities.
• J.C. Penney Telemarketing Center in Midlothian has demonstrated a commitment to training, providing guidance and employing people with disabilities. At least three employees are blind.
• Virginia Pewtersmith in Richmond was started in 1984. The family business has hired two people with severe disabilities. The employer is flexible with work hours and willing to accommodate personal limitations.
• Educational Credit Management Corp., a student-loan provider in Richmond, is committed to hiring, promoting awareness of and accommodating people with disabilities.
• Buford Road Pharmacy in Richmond is committed to hiring and helping employees with disabilities advance in their careers. It promotes positive awareness about the needs of customers and staff with disabilities and meets accessibility needs of those with disabilities.
• Old Dominion Window & Door in Ashland has hired four people with disabilities in the past four years, and it has helped employees learn skills when new technologies threatened their jobs.
• ServiceMaster Services Inc., a commercial cleaning service in the Richmond area, is committed to hiring and aiding career advancement for people with disabilities.
• Lenscrafters, Potomac Mills shopping center, provides 150 to 200 pairs of eyeglasses each year to people unable to pay. Countertops and displays are easily accessible to people in wheelchairs.
• Monticello Animal Hospital in Charlottesville has hired people with disabilities and developed job training for an employee with a learning disability. Dr. Michael Rose works with his staff to help them be role models for others.
• Starbucks in Sterling has worked with Potomac Falls High School to hire students with disabilities. The business has modified work schedules and duties to accommodate students. A recent graduate hired to work 20 hours a week receives a full benefits package.

A list of all recipients is listed on the Web site, www.vabln.org

Contact Carol Hazard at (804) 775-8023 or chazard@timesdispatch.com

Powered by Google®