Ryan’s Story

Being a part of the community is important to Ryan Heuer. With assistance from Bethesda’s Community Job Placement Program, Ryan accepted a job at Lake Mills Cleaners and Dryers. There he regularly interacts with customers and co-workers.

Chad Kittelson, Bethesda’s Day Program Instructor, made the initial contact with Lake Mills Cleaners and Dryers. After someone else using the program had to drop out for medical reasons, Chad asked Ryan if he would be interested in working at the shop. Together, Chad and Ryan had already begun determining what kind of jobs Ryan would like.

“I was interested right away,” says Ryan. Ryan started out with the same responsibilities as the last person, such as folding towels, but he quickly exceeded expectations.

His expanded tasks soon included maintaining the cleanliness of the shop, hanging work uniforms and placing foam protectors on hangers.

“[The hardest part is] putting the foam protectors on the hangers,” says Ryan. His chosen job goals are staying on task, reporting to work on time and taking breaks in the break room. So far he is doing a great job, he has been at this position for more than 18 months.

Job coach Erin Shaver accompanies Ryan to work. “She gives me a hand,” says Ryan.  Job coaching is an effort to assist organizations that work with the program in overseeing employees and empowering co-workers to work with people with developmental disabilities.

As Ryan gets more comfortable, Shaver spends less time at the shop working with him.  One goal of the program is to place people in positions that they will eventually have the aptitude to perform independently.

Once a month, Ryan gathers with Shaver and Aaron Warren from the Wisconsin Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, for which the program is a vendor. At these meetings, they discuss Ryan’s goals and job performance. Ryan also volunteers at Bethesda’s National Christian Resource Center.

Over the holiday season, Ryan attended Lake Mills Cleaners and Dryers’ Christmas party, where he mingled with co-workers and enjoyed a fish fry. “I had a lot to eat,” says Ryan. Among the reasons Ryan would recommend a job to people with developmental disabilities, the top ones are raises, working in the community and with co-workers.