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The annual David S. Weiner award was established in 1997 in honor of Children's Hospital Boston's former President and CEO to recognize an individual for leadership and innovation in the field of child and community health.
This year's recipient, Jim O'Neill, Materials Management supervisor, was given the $20,000 award in recognition of his 31 years of dedication to the Work Experience Program (WEP) and partnership with the Institute of Community Inclusion (ICI). The WEP offers training and temporary jobs at Children's, mostly in the mail room, to people with physical and mental disabilities. Since the program started, O'Neill has not only worked with and trained more than 60 percent of the people who have gone through the program, he's also hired several of them as permanent employees upon their completion of the program. Two of these hires are currently going on their 18th year of service in the mail room.
"Jim has given these individuals with disabilities the confidence and belief in themselves that is critical to their future success," says Marianne Gilmore, program supervisor of the ICI. O'Neill and his team are dedicated to providing an individualized work experience for WEP members by patiently training them for as long as they need and by making necessary adjustments so that each can successfully complete tasks. For example, O'Neill created a specialized mail bag system for people who use wheel chairs and an alternative bin numbering system for the vision-impaired. "Jim gives people an opportunity to really contribute in the mail room," says John Quinn, director of Materials Management. "Over the years, I've been aware of a number of people who have left Jim's supervision and have been able to secure employment with other organizations."
This is of particular significance because, according to William Kiernan, PhD, director of the ICI, between 30 and 60 percent of people with significant disabilities in Massachusetts do not go on to employment once they leave their special education programs. With the grant money, O'Neill will set up scholarships for employees to continue to work through the WEP, since securing funding for the program can sometimes be difficult.
"Every year, we have a chance to acknowledge and celebrate the unsung heroes at Children's with this award," says Laurie Cammisa, Esq., vice president of the Office of Child Advocacy. "The award recognizes individuals who are committed to improving the health of children, and Jim O'Neill exemplifies the spirit of this award. He's dedicated to Children's and goes above and beyond in his role to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities."
An event celebrating O'Neill's award will be February 25 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Patient Entertainment Center. For more information about O'Neill and his WEP employees, read the story about him in the June issue of Children's News: www.childrenshospital.org/chnews/06-01-07.
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