The annual event celebrates the success of individuals who excel in their jobs after going through JFCS’ Supported Employment program.
On Nov. 30, hundreds gathered at the Katz JCC in Cherry Hill to celebrate seven individuals who have had vast success in their careers.
The honorees came from different backgrounds and work in different fields, but they have a lot in common. Hard-working, positive and punctual were all adjectives used to describe them.
The honorees had one other thing in common as well: they have become successful in the workplace in part thanks to the Jewish Family and Children’s Service Supported Employment program.
On Nov. 30, JFCS held its 13th annual Dubrow Vocational Celebration Breakfast. The event honors adults who have excelled in the workplace after going through the JFCS Supported Employment program. The program helps special needs adults find a job and provides support and training in furthering their careers.
Success for the honorees was defined in multiple ways. For Voorhees resident Joey Lovallo, a cook at Ambrosia Treatment Center in Medford, success isn’t just about what he does in the kitchen.
“He’s learned how to improve his reading and writing, just from doing his job,” said Victor Martin, head chef at Ambrosia Treatment Center and Lovallo’s supervisor. “His job was his main purpose, but it’s helped him out in so many ways.”
Lovallo arrived at Ambrosia through the JFCS Soups and Sweets program, where adults with disabilities receive training to prepare for a culinary career. Lovallo has been at Ambrosia for three years and loves every minute he is there.
“I do a lot of prepping,” Lovallo said about his job. “Basically, whatever they need me to do, I’ll do.
“I like the camaraderie about it, the people who I work with,” Lovallo added.
Lovallo also helped train another honoree at the event, Shakira Swaby. Swaby was also trained in the Soups and Sweets program and arrived at Ambrosia earlier this year.
Three years ago, Lovallo could have never imagined being such an integral part of Ambrosia’s kitchen team. Today, he’s preparing to move into his own apartment and plans to continue being a chef for many years.
For some honorees, the job they landed through the Supported Employment program was their first. That was the case for Valentino Medina of Lumberton, who works for Hyland Levin LLP law firm in Marlton. Medina does a lot of important filing work at his job, scanning, copying and organizing files.
“I like the organization, keeping things in order,” Medina said.
“This is my first job and I’ve been able to acquire a lot of job experience,” Medina added. “I’ve learned how to work with other employees.”
Medina’s supervisor at Hyland Levin, Audrey Edwards, said Medina has brought an infectious, positive attitude to the firm and has a remarkable work ethic. She said Medina comes into work 10 minutes early each day and gets his routine started promptly.
“He can do anything that he wants to do,” Edwards said.
A strong work ethic is a good adjective to describe another honoree, Laini Sohn. Sohn works for Jefferson Health in Voorhees and began working there as an intern as part of Jefferson’s Project Search, a work-transition program for young adults with disabilities.
Sohn proved to be a strong intern in her role of entering information into a computer database. Sohn’s success would lead her to being hired as a file clerk for the health system.
“She is phenomenal,” said Sohn’s supervisor at Jefferson, Robin Hermann. “Her honesty, her hard working, her positive attitude.”
“We had systems go down and power went out several times in a row over a two-month period,” Hermann added, “She said, ‘Oh well, no problem, we’ll manage.’”
Sohn said she likes how relaxed her job is and how proud she is of becoming an independent adult, a phrase many of the honorees mentioned at the event.
“Being independent feels good,” Sohn said.
Sohn was one of three adults with Jefferson who were honored at the event. The other honorees were Adham Baghdadi and Anthony Goodson.
The seventh honoree at the breakfast was Melanie Greenberg, an employee with Zallie’s ShopRite in Lawnside.
