<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3>I understand that not everyone is a rocket scientist, and some people maybe more comfortable in a sheltered work shop. However if this is the case then they need to be paid at least minimum wage. If indeed the are doing a competitive job. I'm sorry Suzanne and Chris but I have to respectfully disagree with you folks. I can understand the parents wanting to have some kind of work order for these folks, but to pay them less them a minimum wage is totally unacceptable. And again I have to say that the only people who are profiting by this are the management of these places. No I'm sorry I just can't swallow this and I am still in favor of closing down these sweat shops. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3>Look I was raised in a very large family my parents had 10 children and for that reason, and the lack of guidance when I was in school during the sixties and seventies Connecticut had no idea how to help me. Teachers used to let me just lie on my desk and do nothing, because they had neither the patients nor the knowledge to teach some one with my limited sight. Now that's my problem and it's up to me to pick up the pieces and work with what I was dealt. But even with my lack of education I was able to hold down a real job, even if it was pushing carts, or bagging groceries.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3> Now that I'm unemployed again and I am attempting to find a job. What does the state do they have me working through Marrakesh what do they do send me to New Haven S&S to bag groceries with a job coach for a 40 hour assessment. NO Job and my ride who drops me off at North Haven instead of New Haven. No if we allow this sheltered work shop crap to continue the state will force or manipulate the blind to work in there instead of finding them real jobs. Look what has happened to Joyce for example. I for one am tired of this stuff and plan to wage my own war against this sub standard work environment and miss treatment. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR>--- On <B>Thu, 6/21/12, Suzanne <SPAN>Westhaver</SPAN> <I><swesthaver@comcast.net></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><BR>From: Suzanne Westhaver <swesthaver@comcast.net><BR>Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott<BR>To: "NFB of Connecticut Mailing List" <ct-nfb@nfbnet.org><BR>Date: Thursday, June 21, 2012, 5:38 PM<BR><BR>
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<DIV>My feelings on sheltered workshops is mixed. If you asked me about sheltered workshops twenty years ago, I would tell you I was absolutely opposed to them.</DIV>
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<DIV>My uncle was blind and worked in a sheltered workshop in the 1960’s. He was an educated man and was grossly underemployed in sheltered work after he became blind.</DIV>
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<DIV>He died before I was born, but when I lost my sight, I was told I could be trained to go back to work at Stop&Shop. I thought of my uncle and even though S&S wasn’t a workshop, I was working to pay for college. </DIV>
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<DIV>I informed the voc counselor I was working for health benefits and money to pay for college and I intended to continue with higher education.</DIV>
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<DIV>I went back to college and found competetive employment because I did not want to be underemployed as my uncle was. I did not want to work in a sheltered workshop because I believed I was capable of more than what that had to offer. I did not want to work behind a cash register, on my feet all day, at S&S for the rest of my life.</DIV>
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<DIV>I agree many disabled individuals are steered to sheltered work as an easy closure, but I believe these people had the same choice I had- if they settled for less, why is the workshop to blame? Why aren’t they seeking other employment?</DIV>
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<DIV>Rich- I respectfully disagree with you regarding money being wasted on disabled individuals incapable of competetive employment. Many of them look forward to the workday because it is an opportunity to interact with others and it makes them feel good to contribute. It gives them self-esteem and self-worth. They are human beings and deserve to have respect and dignity. </DIV>
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<DIV>Justin, I completely disagree with your assessment that the individuals I refer to are capable of competetive employment. Come ride the van with me one morning and you will see what I mean.</DIV>
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<DIV>What is wrong with sheltered work is when disabled people do not meet their full potential by taking a placement in such a job, by not demanding better services through voc rehab programs and by failing to self motivate to a higher level.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">There- I said what I wanted to say and now I’m going back to my quiet corner.</DIV></DIV>
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