SCRANTON, Pa. — When runners from our area take part in next month's TCS New York City Marathon, they'll be raising money for new equipment at Allied Services. But the money raised by Team Allied also.
Kristen Marconi from Madison township is one of a hundred workers who take part in Allied Services' vocational program.
Some of the funding for the program comes from Team Allied, which raises money through events tied to the TCS New York City Marathon.
On this day, Kristen showed Newswatch 16 how she packs fundraising boxes for Gertrude Hawk. The chocolate maker partners with Allied to give Kristen and others with disabilities an opportunity they can put on their resumes.
“My mother worked at Gertrude Hawk years ago, so I was thrilled to see this job,” she said.
“They find stuff sometimes we don't find at the plant. They do a phenomenal job, super meticulous, making sure everything is perfect for their customers,” said Kristen Shemanski, Gertrude Hawk Manufacturing Production Coordinator.
Through Allied Services' vocational program, employees with disabilities contribute to organizations throughout northeast PA.
“These people who work here are very proud of the work that they do, they feel value in doing this work, and they feel like they are a contributing part of the community, so it's super important to have them be a part of it,” added Shemanski.
The employees who take part in Allied's work services program have created a close-knit community that helps them look forward to going to work every day.
“It's like a family to me, this is my second family, so I'm very thankful for them,” mentioned Cara Vanfleet, Work Services Program Participant.
“Their families absolutely love that they can send their family member somewhere safe where they feel like they belong and that they can really relate to those people who are around them,” explained Sarah Keier, Allied Services CPS Work Coordinator.
Allied Services also provides employees with a safe work environment and a paycheck. While preparing them for jobs in the competitive workforce.
“They can have a goal in place of being productive and having a place to belong and having a place where they can contribute,” Keier said.
Showing that employees with disabilities have the ability to thrive in the workplace.
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