*James enjoys his duties at Heat It Up, such as putting labels on the products*

*Mopping and sweeping the floors are part of the tasks that James performs as a direct employee at Heat It Up.*

*This group photo was taken at K.I.D.S. Day Camp held at the Texarkana Fun Park in 2016.*

Being valued and appreciated as an important member of society is the #1 goal of most human beings. Inclusion means giving people the opportunity to fully participate in every facet of life, regardless of their circumstances. Texarkana is fortunate to have several businesses in and around this area who believe in integrated employment for all. These employers have policies in place to remove barriers for those with physical, mental, and intellectual disabilities. The efforts of Texarkana Resources for the Disabled, Inc., and Heat It Up’s owners, Whitni and Bryant Allen, have helped one Texarkana resident to reach his highest potential while learning valuable life skills. When asked what having gainful employment at Heat It Up means to him, 57-year-old James Buxton replies, “I am as independent as I can possibly be.

Texarkana Resources for the Disabled, Inc., is the result of growth of a program that was established over 50 years ago to help individuals with disabilities to help themselves. The mission of the organization is to provide education, training, and support to enable all persons with disabilities to reach their highest level of potential and self-sufficiency within the community. They do this by offering a variety of programs including life skills training, vocational training, residential living, and employment training and support.

As the very first resident at Texarkana Resources when it began its independent living program, James was the first trainee in the nonprofit’s new vocational training program location in 1979. A year and a half ago, James made the decision to seek integrated employment within the Texarkana community. Although it is nearly unheard of for an individual who has been in a segregated setting for that many years to transition into the community, James had the confidence to pursue a career. With encouragement from the Texarkana Resources staff, James transitioned to the Supported Employment Program and started working on skills that he would need to get a job within the community, including resumé writing, job searching, completing applications, and interview skills.

Texarkana Resources CEO, Jennifer Lewis, explains about the organization’s Supported Employment Program. “We strive to close the gap in the unemployment disparity between those with disabilities and those without. We do this by using a method of customized employment. We meet with employers to discover what their employment needs are specific to their business. Then we match them with an employee with a disability in our program that has the skills, strengths, abilities and interests to do the job,” she says. No cost job coaching services are provided to interested individuals, meaning the employer gets the staff qualified in working with an individual with a disability to learn the job at no cost to the employer. Employers, in turn, get to save time and money on training and obtain an even more qualified staff.

A customer of Heat It Up, a healthy meal prep service, Jennifer approached the business’s owners, Whitni and Bryant Allen, about any employment needs they might have and explained to them what Texarkana Resources is all about. A few weeks later, when Jennifer was in to get her morning smoothie, Whitni let Jennifer know that she and Bryant had been thinking about the program and wanted to hire a Texarkana Resources trainee. “When we started looking to hire someone to help us at Heat It Up, we knew the right fit would be someone who didn’t look at Heat It Up as just a job,” Bryant says. “Everyday, we get up not to go to work but to have fun doing what we love to do.” Jennifer discussed the specific needs of Heat It Up with Whitni and Bryant, and then she met with Jen Mugno, Texarkana Resources’ Supported Employment Specialist, who felt that James was a good fit for the job because of his skills, strengths, and abilities. Jen approached James about the proposition, and he was very interested. He then dropped off a resumé, agreed to an interview, and the rest is history. “When we met James for an interview, we knew he would be a great fit!” Whitni explains. “James is the best! He works hard, is always in a happy mood, and we consider him to be one of our closest friends. He is just as passionate and proud of his work here as we are, and that is a rare trait to find.”

Since August 28, James has been a direct employee of Heat it Up, and he hopes to remain employed there until time for his retirement. His duties include placing labels on the meal boxes, washing and sanitizing dishes, storing them appropriately, mopping the floor, and taking out trash. Proud of the fact that he gets to work in an integrated employment setting, James says with a smile, “The owners are really nice, and I get to meet people and make more money.” Thank you, James, for being a contributing member of society, and thank you to the Allens for giving James this great opportunity to be the best he can possibly be.

Anyone interested in employing a Texarkana Resources trainee is urged to call Jen Mugno, Supported Employment Specialist, or Erica Chapman, Chief Program Officer, at 870-774-9675.

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