Spring 2016 News

Careers Industries Participant’s Job Gets Sweeter Every Day at KP! Toffee

careersindustries.org | 262-752-4100 1

Unwrapping butter is serious business and labor intensive when

you consider the quantities needed to create delicious KP! Toffee

sold in more than 340 specialty grocers, coffee shops, hotels,

resorts and gift shops nationwide. Made in Sturtevant, KP! Toffee

is named for original owner Karen Peltier.

When Mike Clark purchased the business in 2015, Peltier suggested

Careers Industries Fulfillment Services as a possible option for busy

season support. However, ultimately it is our Partners in Integrated

Employment (PIE) program that has become the right staffing

solution for this confectioner of Premium Gourmet English toffee.

PIE provides job training and employment opportunities for adults

with disabilities including paid work experiences (internships)

funded by the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and

matches employers with qualified talent.

There are a lot of dirty dishes that result from mass candy

production and KP! Toffee had a need for a dishwasher. Trish Wimer,

a Careers Industries employment specialist, met with KP! Toffee

to learn more about the job requirements. She determined Jimmie,

a PIE participant, would be a qualified candidate for the position.

He started with KP! Toffee last November in a paid internship

funded by the DVR.

“Mike and I are firm believers in supporting and giving back to the

community,” says Kate Clark, Mike Clark’s sister and kitchen

manager for KP! Toffee. “Karen had suggested Careers Industries,

Trish came in and led us to Jimmie and everything just lined up.

He was fairly quiet at the beginning but as he got to know everyone

he really started to open up. We would strongly recommend

any business owner give a job candidate from Careers Industries

a chance.”

An onsite job coach is a valuable component of all paid internships

arranged by Careers Industries. However, it didn’t take long before

Jimmie felt comfortable on the job and scaled back Wimer’s onsite

support. In fact, he gained so much confidence that his job

description quickly expanded.

(Continued Page 5)KP! Toffee’s Kate Clark (left) and Jimmie

Director’s MessageBOARD OF DIRECTORS

President—Bill Seidel

Vice President—Skip Riley

Board Treasurer—Ko Kryger

Secretary—Cheryl Zwaga

Member at Large—Karla Boho

Member at Large—Dave Maurer

John Benavides, Scott Goroski, Jennifer Hemmer,

Sara Luther, Jim Murphy, Robert Swanson,

Andy Sykes, Dustin Van Peursem

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Executive Director—Joe Greene

Rehabilitation Director—Laura Spaulding

Director of Fulfillment Services—Stacy Quickstad

Director of Internal Services—Vicki Maki

It seems like more than the seasons are

changing at Careers Industries. Some

changes have been developing for a

while. Others have been more sudden.

All are strategic priorities for us.

The first change we see affects our

operating environment. There continues to

be mounting regulatory uncertainty that’s

having a drastic effect on the services

traditionally offered by agencies like

Careers Industries. Across the country

organizations like ours are closing as rules

are implemented that eliminate the funding needed to keep operating. Here in

Wisconsin, we are not immune. There is increasing pressure to eliminate the

onsite, facilities-based work option many of our people choose and need.

We are keenly aware of the potential of the changing regulatory and funding

landscape to limit service offerings and eliminate participant choice. We will

fight these changes every step of the way, while making sure we have the

revenues and programs to continue to serve participants’ needs.

Our participants have changed. Over the last 8 to 10 years we have seen

increased diversity in the demographics of the people we serve. Our participants

have aged and require more personalized services. Also, we are serving

populations beyond those with developmental and cognitive disabilities.

We have had many more participants referred to us with traumatic brain injuries,

autism, and mental health and substance abuse issues. We plan to enhance

our staff training and expand or develop programs to meet the changing

needs of those we serve.

Finally, our safety and security needs have changed. We are all increasingly

vulnerable to the risk of violence at our work and public places. We need to

protect our most innocent and plan to make significant changes to our

buildings and processes to help ensure a safe and secure, yet still welcoming,

environment for our participants. We’ve engaged the Peaceful Warrior Training

Group as our guide, an organization of instructors and first responders who

have all had real life experience with these situations.

These changes and our plans to respond to each of them have been top

agenda items for our staff and board discussions. We know change is constant.

That’s why we are committed to being a nimble, self-reliant organization with

an intense focus on our mission so that for years to come we can continue to

enrich the lives of our participants through work, care and community.

Sincerely, William J. Greene

Enriching the lives of people with disabilities2

James and Kaila, participants in our Fulfillment Services program, work on a new project for Quick Cable kitting various raw components into poly bags.

careersindustries.org | 262-752-4100 3

Pierce can quote verbatim from hundreds of movies. He dreams

of being an actor, director and producer. His favorite play is

Sweeney Todd and favorite film is Avengers: Age of Ultron,

attesting to his broad range of interests. And now, after a paid

internship secured through Careers Industries’ Partners in Integrated

Employment (PIE) program, Pierce has the backstage knowledge

to continue to pursue his career passion.

Besides providing job training and employment opportunities

including paid work experiences or internships funded by the

Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), PIE also matches

employers with qualified talent. In this case, a young man with a

great love of performing arts inspired our job developers to

contact the Racine Theatre Guild.

“Pierce is no different from you or I being a huge movie buff with a

knack for reciting his favorite lines,” says Careers Industries job

coach Lisa Goroski. “This was his first work experience after high

school and proved to be the perfect role for a budding young actor.”

Chris Reinhardt, technical director for the Racine Theatre Guild,

says, “I had some preconceived notions going in but I was wrong

pretty much on all of them. Until you meet a person and get to

know them, you don’t know what they are capable of. You need

to give every person a chance. All of our volunteers took Pierce in

from day one just like one of the guys. It was good for Pierce to

be surrounded by others to look up to as mentors, and a great

experience for our other volunteers to serve in that role.”

Chris and theatre volunteers trained Pierce how to use saws and

a variety of power tools including drills and crow bars. He also

assisted with tearing down, rebuilding and painting stage sets.

“They were putting legs on platforms with drills and large screws.

Chris went over the process and the angles,” Lisa says. “I was

able to provide Pierce with hand over hand support and remind

him of the best body position to get the right leverage.”

An onsite job coach, such as Lisa, is a valuable component of all

paid internships arranged by Careers Industries. Pierce cited that

support as an important element of his internship.

“Careers Industries was there to help make me familiar with jobs

I needed to do, and Chris and the staff helped me with a bunch of

things especially when it came to automatic tools,” Pierce says.

“But my favorite thing was painting the doors because it was the

most relaxing job.”

Since the Racine Theatre Guild is supported primarily by volunteers

with just a handful of staff, Pierce was not hired for a full-time

position. As he explores other job opportunities, Pierce plans to

continue to volunteer at least once a month and Reinhardt is happy

to have Pierce’s help.

Careers Industries secured a paid internship for Pierce, a young man with dreams of being an actor, director and producer, at the Racine Theatre Guild.

Internship at Racine Theatre Guild Sets the Stage for Careers Industries Participant’s Dream Job

Enriching the lives of people with disabilities4

HALO Collection Drive: From left Kay, Fred, Chuck and Warren help collect new towels and socks for HALO (Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization).

Pizza Fundraiser: From left clockwise Tremayne, Bryan and Dora enjoy pizza and gift baskets as part of our Racine CARE (Careers Advocates for Everyone) pizza fundraiser.

Flower Fundraiser: The Burlington CARE (Careers Advocates for the Rights of Everyone) Committee sold carnations for Valentine’s Day. From top left clockwise Steve, Andrea (FS staff) and Emily, and Bob and Donna (staff).

Red Nose Day: In partnership with Walgreens, we celebrated Red Nose Day, a campaign to lift kids out of poverty. Pictured from left clockwise are Annie, Curtis and Fame (staff), and Brian.

Basket Making: IDS Burlington participants from left clockwise Steven, Garrett, and Casey (staff) and Kathy enjoyed a basket making class at Pringle Nature Center.

careersindustries.org | 262-752-4100 5

KP! Toffee(Continued from front page)

That brings us back to us back to unwrapping butter.

KP! Toffee uses about 32-36 pounds of butter daily,

and up to as much as 60 pounds a day during the

holiday season, so the process is fairly labor intensive.

In addition to washing dishes, Jimmie unwraps all

the butter which provides kitchen staff with easier

access to this key ingredient and increases the overall

efficiency of the operation. Jimmie also regularly

suggests new sales ideas.

“The other day his idea was for all the high school

kids going to prom to buy toffee to give to their

date’s parents—for them to eat while waiting for their

daughter to come home,” Kate says.

When Jimmie’s paid internship ended, KP! Toffee

offered him a full-time permanent position which he

accepted. Since the business is closed Fridays

during slower months, Jimmie uses that time to

focus on sales.

Many ThanksMany thanks to the generous individuals and

businesses that made our participant holiday party

and gift program possible.

Roseanne & John Worrell

Jacob Hughes

Janet Vetrovec

Shirlie Macintosh

Bud & Mary Ann Meyer

Bill & Linda Seidel

Drew & Pat Abram

Cheryl & Dennis Zwaga

Bob & Kathy Weidman

Pam Kassner (Super Pear Strategies)

Rebecca Gianou

Bob & Carol Thiel

Gerald & Connie Schweitzer

Trina Schonert

QuadVergent

Meyers Racine Monument Works

Randy & Diane Jacobson

Hostak, Henzl & Bichler

Riley & Lowe Financial Solutions

Andrew Sykes

Karla Boho

Ko Kryger

Ben & Nancy Greenebaum

Roby & Bonnie Swanson

Spirit Days: Participants and staff dressed up as super heroes and wore red as part of our monthly Sprit Days. Pictured from top left clockwise are James and Jessica, Leah and Kelly, a group of participants and staff, John and Ben, Daniel, and Jeremy.

4811 Washington Ave. | Racine, WI 53406

Careers Industries enriches the lives of people with disabilities through work, care and community. We also help local organizations and businesses meet their business and staffing needs.

Learn more at:www.careersindustries.org

Call us at: 262-752-4100

Stop by and visit us at:4811 Washington Ave., Racine, WI 53406161 Industrial Dr., Burlington, WI 53105

info@careersindustries.com

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Careers Industries Retail Experience Training Program Hits a Milestone Scott was our 30th participant to complete our

S.H.a.R.E (Service, Handling and Retail Experience)

paid training program since we first started the

program at our former specialty grocery. He’s the

10th participant to complete the program since we

moved and expanded the training in partnership

with Malicki’s Piggly Wiggly—Washington Avenue.

Scott’s training included time as a cashier

checking out customers.

Above: David, Cameron and Wayne were recent S.H.a.R.E participants at Malicki’s Piggly Wiggly.

Front cover: Ben and Julie (staff)