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In April of this year, Webb wrote a letter to Senator Wicker, explaining that she watched a webcast of a Senate Committee Meeting titled “Improving Employment Opportunities for People with Intellectual Disabilities.”
Though the webcast recognized the innovative approaches, levels of support and integration efforts that are reaching new levels, Webb shared in her letter that she “sensed a disturbing tone, if not an inference…that [all] sheltered employment is outdated, often or generally poorly executed, and of no meaningful value to those served.”
Coordinating his schedule with an annual visit to the Rotary Club of Senatobia, Senator Wicker toured The Baddour Center’s campus on Friday, August 5th, seeing both vocational complexes, one of 14 group homes and the campus life facility.
Following his tour of a room shared by two residents, who were both at work during the time of the tour, Senator Wicker asked to pass along a message that he was “impressed.”
That feeling is exactly what Webb was counting on.
“If the efforts by Senator Tom Harkin [who conducted the webinar] prevail, sheltered employment would be removed as an employment option,” Webb explained. “That will leave many adults with intellectual disabilities, including many of those at The Baddour Center, without viable employment choices.”
According to Webb, the webcast discussed a case involving Henry’s Turkey Service in Atalissa, Iowa, whose employees were mistreated during their vocational experience in a sheltered workshop.
“Though Senator Harkin was an advocate for those individuals with intellectual disabilities who were being mistreated, our goal was to show Senator Wicker that sheltered employment can be a good thing,” Webb said. “Actually, it’s a great thing because residents earn pay checks, Baddour contributes to our community as an employer and is a source of industry, revenue, and more.”
Following the Senator’s visit, Parke Pepper, Executive Director of The Baddour Center, shared that having the Senator on campus was exciting for everyone at The Center and a great opportunity to show a successful sheltered employment option in the Senator’s district.
“We hope Senator Wicker enjoyed his time at Baddour because we certainly enjoyed having him here,” said Parke Pepper, Executive Director of The Baddour Center, who accompanied Webb during the tour.
“Meeting residents, seeing The Center’s facilities and understanding The Center’s role in residents’ lives are important,” Pepper explained. “Seeing our mission at work in daily life – and the smiles and happy people that are a result of it – proves that we are not just an option for persons with intellectual disabilities but an organization in Senator Wicker’s district that is doing sheltered employment right. We are proud of this and hope he is, too.”
Although Senator Wicker’s visit was a result of a webinar that focused on sheltered employment, his tour included other areas of The Baddour Center’s mission, which is to provide a model residential community for adults with intellectual disabilities in an environment that promotes maximum growth intellectually, spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally, and vocationally.
For information about The Baddour Center, contact
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