A senator is bringing a package of good news for persons with significant disabilities as America celebrates the 70th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
On Wednesday, October 7, Sen. Frank Blas Aguon, Jr. in partnership with iCAN Resources, a nonprofit organization federally contracted to provide food and custodial services on the island, will host a job fair for persons with disabilities.
The purpose “is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities,” Aguon said in a statement.
The event will be held from 9am to 4pm at the Legislative Hearing Room in Hagatna.
NDEAM is an annual awareness campaign that takes place October each year. This year’s theme is ʺMy disability is one part of who I am.ʺ
The history of NDEAM traces back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year ʺNational Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.ʺ
In 1962, the word ʺphysicallyʺ was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
iCAN Resources will be recruiting for 17 custodial positions for a new project that will begin in January 2016. It will conduct an on‐the‐spot interviews for individuals who meet the qualifications under the AbilityOne Program. The AbilityOne Program provides employment opportunities to tens of thousands of Americans who are blind or have significant disabilities. More than 600 participating, community‐based nonprofit agencies from across the country train and employ these individuals with disabilities.
iCan Resources as a non-profitable organization has the specific and primary purpose of establishing employment opportunities for individuals with severe disabilities on Guam.
Its office is located at 865- Marine Corp Drive, Suite B102 Orlean Pacific Plaza in Tamuning. /The Junction News Team
