Rachel Quigley has been working with AHEDD since November of 2021! She came to us already employed at Amazon but did not feel that it was the right fit for her. At the initial intake, both Rachel’s family and AHEDD Employment Specialist, Terry McLenagan, agreed that the best way for Rachel to succeed would be to find a different work environment. Terry took Rachel’s needs into consideration and suggested employment at Weis Markets. Rachel submitted her application and has officially been a Weis employee for almost six months now!
Rachel works in the frozen food department stocking products and has additionally been asked to help front products in other sections of the store! In the short amount of time that Rachel has been working at Weis, she has shown so much growth both professionally and personally! Terry stated, “Rachel has exceeded my expectations. I knew she would do well. From the moment I met with the family for the intake, I knew there was something remarkable about Rachel. What I did not know is just how quickly she would learn her new job and how much she would love doing it.” Terry’s remarks stand true because recently, Weis has asked if Rachel would be available to work more hours a week due to her great performance!
Rachel has also shown major improvements personally. Her family said, “Since taking advantage of the employment services offered through AHEDD, there has been more optimism, more smiles and less concern about Rachel’s future.” They said how her social skills have also blossomed as one of Rachel’s favorite parts about her job are the relationships that she has made with her co-workers and her regular customers!
At the start of Rachel’s employment Terry would come to the store each time Rachel worked. It has since decreased to weekly, and now both Rachel and Terry are comfortable with Rachel working on her own! She has even set a goal to one day be a full-time employee at Weis!
Next steps for Rachel are moving forward as Terry has sat with the family to complete an Individualized Work Plan (IWP). Once her case is closed with OVR, we can then enroll her in the Ticket to Work program through AHEDD! We see great things for Rachel’s future!
A message from the family:
“The Quigley family has had nothing but positive experiences with AHEDD and would recommend their services to any family that needs support and guidance in securing employment opportunities for a disabled family member.”