LETTER: Islanders can help those with different abilities by giving to local organization

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 6, 2017

My son, Carl Fox, began delivering The Loop to local businesses in 2006. This opportunity offered Carl some independence, as well as valuable community interaction. Carl is supported by fantastic job coaches from Seeds4Success (S4S) at Granny’s Attic — where he’s been working since 2013 — as well as at our friendly Vashon Pharmacy and behind the scenes at The Rock, where he has also worked since 2010. The employment opportunities Carl enjoys here in our own community are due to the hard work of the S4S organization and their outreach to the business community. With the help of S4S, Carl is an active participant in our local economy; he pays taxes and even enjoys picking up the tab for lunch now and again.

It wasn’t that long ago that families moved away after high school because of the difficulty in negotiating the transition from school to work for their children with “special abilities.” When a child leaves public school and is no longer eligible for help through the school district, a whole host of new challenges begin for parents. This transition period for Carl was very frustrating for me, and I was not alone. With the help of parents, self-advocates, the Vashon School District and many concerned community members, the ideas for S4Ss were launched, in part to bridge this gap in social services.

Today, with Lee Kopines’ years of commitment at the helm, S4S has grown to include many other services for Vashon residents. If you have ever considered supported employment for your business, if you’re looking for a dedicated employee or if you would like to learn more about job coaching, please remember Seeds4Success.

Please give by mailing your tax-deductible gift to Seeds4Success PO Box 2501, Vashon, WA 98070, making an online donation at s4svashon.org or dropping off your donation at our offices located at 9730 SW Bank Rd. Suite 107C.

— Ulla Blichfeldt Cooper