SEQUIM — King’s Way Foursquare Church and Pastor J.R. Proyen recently accepted the Clallam County Health & Human Services Business Leadership Advisory Committee (BLAC) award for the church’s commitment to diversity in its hiring practices, particularly in hiring employees with disabilities.
This Employer of the Month award is presented to area employers who have one or more individuals with developmental disabilities in their employ.
Lisa Pierson of Pierson Financial Group in Sequim made the presentation along with a member of the BLAC.
King’s Way Foursquare Church saw the need for someone to come in to the office and collate welcome packets and ensure they are neatly arranged in the pews, assemble gift bags for children and teens, shred paper, sanitize nursery toys and perform other assigned tasks in order to free up the clerical staff to focus on other duties, according to a news release.
The church thought this might be a good fit for an individual with a developmental disability and hired Courtney Brown through Pierce, Jones & Associates, a local employment provider contracted with Clallam County Health & Human Services-Developmental Disabilities to provide supported employment services.
Proyen said that Brown is a full member of the staff and her work is highly valued.
The BLAC is a business to business network that promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in the community and workforce.
It has established a mentorship program for businesses interested in exploring the possibility of hiring individuals with developmental disabilities.
For more information about the Business Leadership Advisory Committee, visit www.clallam.net/HHS/HumanServices/blac.html or phone 360-417-2000.
Mary Cliffton, developmental disability case manager for Clallam County Health and Human Services, can connect employers to the various community employment providers and agencies should they be interested in hiring workers with developmental disabilities.
She can be reached at 360-417-2407.
