A Fort Wayne program to help people with disabilities secure jobs was recently awarded $500,000. Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana will use the money to train their clients to enter the workforce.

With the grant, Easterseals plans to create simulated training labs to prepare people with disabilities for work in manufacturing, hospitality, and healthcare jobs. The program also offers on-the-job coaching and extra support as needed for clients to thrive at work and at home.

Donna Elbrecht is the president and CEO of Easterseals Arc. She says with the labor market predicted to remain tight in 2020, there’s an opportunity for companies to hire workers with disabilities they might typically pass over.

“So we anticipate seeing those needs increase and the opportunity for us to help the business community fill some of those positions that go unfilled,” she says.

The grant was awarded by the City of Fort Wayne as part of its quality of life plan. That plan also seeks to address the opioid epidemic and improve area neighborhoods.

Contact Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.