ST. LOUIS — A program at Mercy Hospital is becoming a model for others across the country.
The "Supported Volunteer Program" gives individuals with developmental disabilities volunteer opportunities, with the goal of employment at the end.
Molly Cantonwine is one of the many success stories of the program. If you walk the halls of Mercy Hospital St. Louis, you'll probably see or hear her.
"I love volunteering, I love helping out others, I'm very outgoing," she said.
Dr. John Bruno, Pre-Employment and Supported Volunteer Services Supervisor, said Cantonwine is loved by her bosses, co-workers and patients.
"She is a star pupil. Molly is a really amazing volunteer who, when I got here was pretty independent, but again, some of her soft skills were keeping her from actually getting the employment that she wanted. As Molly and I worked together, we started tweaking all of those little things that would keep someone from thinking that she might be a good fit in their role," he said.
It wasn't that long ago that Cantonwinem, herself, was the one in the hospital bed.
"They had me hooked up to so many things like the IVs and all that. I woke up and I'm like, 'What are they trying to do, get free Wi-Fi off me?'" she said.
Despite the adversity Cantonwine's faced, she's never lost that sense of humor. Dr. Bruno said it's that personality and incredible work ethic that's made the two-time brain aneurysm and stroke survivor a role model in Mercy's "Supported Volunteer Program."
"Individuals with disabilities often are struggling with, either getting that foot in the door, getting some experience, or just knowing what they might be interested in, and so here, we're giving people a chance to find what they're good at," he said.
The program gives people with disabilities volunteer opportunities within the hospital, from the kitchen to administration to even the operating room, according to Dr. Bruno. The hope is the volunteers will become employees at the end.
"The hiring managers start to understand that these guys are bringing strengths, it's not a nice thing to do. It's somebody who's coming with some real strengths. They're loyal, hard workers, detail-oriented, usually, and so those skills are some of the skills they're actually looking for," he said.
Cantonwine is one of the 14 volunteers who moved to employment this year. Now, she's working as a patient transporter, and five months in she's already succeeding; just ask her.
"I'm really good at what I do. Dr. Bruno can accompany to that," she said.
Volunteers that go through the program don't only learn the technical skills of the job they're doing, but according to Dr. Bruno, they also learn soft and hard skills to help them with future employment.
"Part of their volunteering is we also do a career readiness training course for them. It's really those soft skills that is the struggle for individuals. It's not the work they can do, the tasks, it's those people skills that don't come naturally sometimes or no one's ever just taught them," he said.
Dr. Bruno said watching individuals, like Cantonwine, succeed has been incredibly impactful for him to witness.
"I'm very blessed just to be part of a ministry where we're helping individuals really move into their fullness of what their potential is," he said.
It's that potential that Cantonwine wants to inspire others to find in themselves.
"If you got your heart set on something, just volunteer in that field or and get another job, and if that's what you want to do then go for it," she said.
Cantonwine has even recruited some of her friends to be a part of the "Supported Volunteer Program."
Aside from the pre-employment services and the actual job coaching Mercy Hospital provides, they also offer retention services to these individuals to help them maintain whatever job they have.
There is another element of the program that's for high school students with disabilities. They go through a similar volunteer program with the hopes of being hired full-time.
Volunteers typically work one day per week. The hours are Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
If you are interested or what to learn more, you can contact Dr. John Bruno at (314) 251-4844 or John.Bruno@mercy.net.
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