NewsBreak Original

Bluffton, South Carolina – The South Carolina (SC) Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) awarded Beaufort County the 2021 Golden Palmetto Award. The Golden Palmetto Award is DDSN’s way of honoring SC county governments for providing outstanding support to individuals with disabilities.

Columbia, South Carolina - Since 2015, the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) has been fully committed to competitive integrated employment for those eligible for services. “DDSN believes that employment outcomes (and individual employment in particular) for adults of working age are the most meaningful.” This assurance is outlined in the state Directive 700-07-DD.

(Sponsored Content) DDSN is featuring employment success stories during October National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Columbia, South Carolina - In 2020, Clarence’s grandmother, who is a Master Gardner, bought him a planter. The planter was filled with blue salvia, red geraniums, and later white pansies. Clarence chose the colors based on the colors of his favorite football team, the Patriots. This planter was the catalyst for Clarence’s interest in gardening as well as Happy Souls Heirloom Gardening.

(Sponsored Content) DDSN is featuring employment success stories during October National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Greenwood, South Carolina - Some years ago, Jonta Hackett worked with the Burton Center, a regional disabilities and special needs organization, on a contract with the Real Estate Solutions (R.E.S.) Pallet Company in Greenwood, South Carolina. The company approached the Burton Center about renting their warehouse to use as a pallet shop. The Burton Center agreed with the understanding that if there were any possibilities to gain real work experience, that they would give individuals that were supported, the opportunity. R.E.S. Pallet Company provided several job experiences in their shop. Some workers scrapped and shaved off bark, some stamped identification markers on the wood, and a few learned to use a nail gun to assembly pallets. Jonta caught on quickly and learned how to build the pallets.

Columbia, South Carolina - (Testimony of Cierra Walker, Employee at the Cregger Company) At one time, I worked at the University of South Carolina in their dining area. I shared with my Employment Specialist that wanted to do some other type of work and that I wanted a job that was closer to home. I shared that I like to keep things clean and organized and that my dream job was helping a company to maintain a clean work environment. My Employment Specialist assisted with me with finding a new job at Cregger. Cregger is a wholesale distribution center for building supplies and construction materials. Having a clean and organized work area is very important to help things run smoothly. I have worked for Cregger for more than one year and I have made a lot of friends. There were lots of things to learn when I started the job, but I now know all the tasks involved in the position.