Our hope is to create a space of total inclusiveness and acceptance.

SNACKS is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that is focused on providing jobs for adults with disabilities as well as job training for teens with disabilities. SNACKS stands for Special Needs and Community Kindness.

 
 

JOB training

We believe there is so much potential for individuals with disabilities to graduate high school and go on and gain employment at a job they are proud to have.  There is a hole in the education system to provide proper job training.  That is where SNACKS comes in!  Through actual hands on training they will gain those skills that can then be put on a job application.  We will provide a mobile drink cart that the students will sell from. Creating a real life experience and connecting with their fellow peers.

Skills like:

  • Making proper change

  • Interacting with customers

  • Taking food or drink orders

  • Learning about universal health precautions 

  • Placing inventory orders for the following week

We really believe that by starting job training in high school each individual student will feel ready to graduate with confidence and go and apply for any job they want.  Teenagers with special needs want what their typical peers want, acceptance and independence.  SNACKS can provide these things for them.

Inclusion

The term inclusion captures, in one word, an all-embracing societal ideology regarding individuals with disabilities and special education.  Inclusion secures opportunities for students with disabilities to learn alongside their non-disabled peers in general education classrooms.

Inclusion in schools have been growing and growing.  Inclusion is so important, not just for the student with special needs but for the student without special needs. Inclusion promotes exposure to the special ed population. It teaches compassion and understanding. We feel that inclusion is so important but not just in schools but also in the community.

Here are some statistics:

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Only 35% of U.S. civilians with disabilities between the ages 18 and 64 had a job in 2015, compared to 76% for people without disabilities, according to the RespectAbility report.

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At the end of the day, our nation was founded on the principle that anyone who works hard should be able to get ahead in life,” RespectAbility president Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi said. “People with disabilities deserve the opportunity to earn an income and achieve independence, just like anyone else.”

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In 2015, the unemployment rate for persons with a disability was 10.7%, while the rate for those without a disability was 5.1%, according to the BLS.

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California falls 34th in the nation for employing those with disabilities. Only 33% of people with disabilities have jobs. Source

 

Paige Montanio

I  have worked in Special Education for the last 15 years with students of high school age. I have seen a huge gap when it comes to what our students do after they graduate from high school.  Individuals with mental or physical disabilities have so much potential to go on after high school and gain employment and become contributing members of society.  Unfortunately there are not very many opportunities for employment for the disabled population.  The jobs that are available are very few and limited.  Individuals with special needs have so much to offer in the workplace and they deserve to pursue their dream job.  We want to create jobs that will pay them a liveable wage and give them confidence and pride in their work.