Empowering Employees with Disabilities in Delaware Cafeterias

Despite many advantages to working in school cafeterias over restaurants, including school breaks and weekends off, many school nutrition departments still face staffing shortages. One district in Delaware discovered that finding a place for employees with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) has added more than just staff to fill positions – they created a more positive work environment in the process.

This school year, Caesar Rodney School District nutrition department set a goal to hire one team member identified as IDD within each of its 15 schools. The district says it is well on its way to reaching that goal!

The school district works with state agencies and a district program called “Roads to Success” to find employees. The experience has been amazing, according to Paul Rodgers, Child Nutrition Department Supervisor for Caesar Rodney School District. Employees come in do their job and are happy to be there.

“We have the same expectations of our IDD employees as we do for all employees,” said Rodgers, who feels support from the management team at Caesar Rodney has been the secret to the success of integrating IDD employees onto each school’s nutrition team.  They work to cultivate relationships between co-workers and develop strategies for success for each person.

“It is important to make them feel loved, safe and secure,” said Rodgers. “In return, they are dedicated and happy to be part of the team.” Rodgers shared best practices and success stories of team members during a presentation on hiring employees with disabilities at School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference.

A study from the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation found employees with disabilities who are happy in their jobs are likely to stay in those positions for much longer than their non-disabled peers. It also found that companies that hired adults with disabilities improved their retention and reduced turnover. 

Matthew Guest was hired for a food preparation job through the “Roads to Success” program. He shows up for work every day and on time with his Job Coach. Rodgers describes him as a bit mischievous, for example, jokingly getting his aid to do work while he watches.  However, when there was a staffing shortage, the cafeteria manager could count on Guest to work on the serving line.  

“It was the best feeling. I received a call from Matthew Guest’s mom and she told me he came home so excited because he received a promotion at work,” said Rodgers.

Another success story Rodgers shared was with Lisa Ann Carlucci. She came to the nutrition team after filling out a job application herself (not through the program).  After she was hired, Rodgers realized Carlucci needed extra assistance to get through her day so they have signs up around the school kitchen to remind her of her daily tasks.  The district has reached out to a Delaware state agency to secure Carlucci state assistance, including a job coach.

The nutrition department says employees are all paid the same amount and get the same benefits. At the end of the presentation about hiring IDD employees, Caesar Rodney’s nutrition team left the audience with this quote from International Poet, Robert Hensel:

“There is no greater disability in society than the inability to see a person as more.”