Lorenzo’s Story (Community Employment)

Truly meaningful employment sets the foundation for personal and career success. That is the goal of Hope’s Community Employment Services (CES), the program that helped Lorenzo land an opportunity at Safeway.

As a young adult with a hearing impairment, Lorenzo needed support finding a job that would embrace his nonverbal communication style and allow him to demonstrate his capabilities. Teaming with his Job Coach, Sheila Davison, Lorenzo started as a part-time courtesy clerk and gradually expanded his responsibilities to include stocking, managing supply orders and fulfilling online deliveries.

It wasn’t long before store management took notice, and coworkers came to depend on Lorenzo’s teamwork. In fact, his exceptional performance recently led to a well deserved promotion and pay raise, acknowledging his invaluable contributions to Safeway.

Safeway Store Manager, Joe Miguel, expressed, “Lorenzo has become a major asset to the team here. Whenever someone asks where he is, we all say that he is running the store!”

Lorenzo’s employment recently enabled him to move into his own apartment, another major milestone on his journey. Looking forward, Lorenzo’s team is exploring the implementation of assistive technology to further enhance his communication abilities at Safeway. This exciting change could open new opportunities for Lorenzo, including the ability to work as a cashier in a direct customer service role.

With the combined dedication of Hope’s staff and community partners, we can continue to develop an acceptance of social diversity, helping individuals like Lorenzo discover their true potential and achieve their goals.