ST. LOUIS — July 26 is National Disability Independence Day in America, celebrating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, in 1990.
Several St. Louis-area businesses are taking note of the occasion, while at the same time, helping Americans thrive.
At Twin Oaks Schnucks on Big Bend, Chase Burnside regularly monitors and re-stocks the inventory of Smiley Face Cookies. Chase has autism and participates in a program known as Waigand Wheels.
Joshua Aasgaard is a Burnside family volunteer.
“In Waigand Wheels, he gets to interact with people,” said Assgaard. “He loves that. And then when someone will let him write down their contact information, he loves that, too. He just loves the interaction back and forth with people, and the opportunity to say hi.”
Janell Schleeper is the Twin Oaks Schnucks bakery manager.
“It's a local community effort,” said Schleeper. “So, we're not just nourishing people's lives through food, but we're nourishing the communities that we work and live in by helping people, like MacArthur's bakery.”
McArthur’s Bakery employs Waigand Wheel participants, and they produce enough of the Smiley Face Cookies to supply 77 Schnucks stores. Scott Rinaberger owns McArthur’s Bakeries.
“For them, it gives them a sense of meaning and self-purpose,” said Rinaberger. “They get a decent income. We’re competitively employing them above minimum wage. And what a great opportunity for them to demonstrate to others that this is such a great model.”
Waigand Wheels connects McArthur’s to Schnucks – providing an opportunity for people with developmental disabilities to deliver.
Samantha Waigand is Waigand Wheels program director.
“Not only are they given a platform to succeed and to be recognized and valued within the community they serve,” said Waigand, “but they have a chance to practice valuable job skills and social skills in a setting that they're comfortable in.”
Besides Smiley Face cookies, Schnucks stores have an entire section dedicated to local products.
Schleeper said, “Whether it's a distributor or a manufacturer, we know that if the community that we're in thrives, we thrive; and we want to be good corporate citizens and do everything that we can to help our customers and our communities.”
Clearly, value comes in many forms.