Firm Honored For Hiring Rocklanders With Disabilities

From The Arc: Ula Neumann Robertson, Executive Chef and Owner of At Your Service (AYS) New York Inc., will receive a statewide award at the 30th annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month Awards Breakfast, Friday, October 26, at The Chalet at Spook Rock Golf Course, 233 Spook Rock Road, Suffern, New York. The event will take place from 8:15AM- 10:30 a.m. The theme of this year’s event isAmerica’s Workforce—Empowering All. The event is hosted by The Rockland Employment Network, a placement consortium of agencies serving individuals with disabilities.

“At Your Service Catering has proven to be an exemplary employment partner, offering positions and expanding opportunities to employees with developmental disabilities,” says Kathy Canter, The Arc Rockland Senior Director of Employment Services. “Ula is willing to accommodate schedule changes as necessary. She sees the potential in each of the employees. We were pleased to nominate At Your Service for this prestigious award.”

Ms. Robertson’s affiliation with The Arc Rockland began eight years ago when she attended a Rockland Business Association event and met Esther Schulman, The Arc Rockland’s Philanthropy Manager. It was there that she learned about the array of services and supports offered by The Arc to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ms. Robertson subsequently catered several affairs for The Arc and, in 2016, she leased The Arc’s commercial kitchen to serve as home base for her catering company. She has since hired nine individuals who receive services and supports through The Arc Rockland. Employees work in the Café at The Arc’s Congers location and handle the AYS snack and beverage carts at The Arc headquarters and at county government offices in the Yeager Health Center complex in Pomona. For the past several years, AYS employees hired by Ms. Robertson through The Arc have worked at the AYS appetizer station at the annual A Taste of Rockland gala at The Hilton Pearl River.”

“I love meeting new people when I bring the cart around. They are nice and friendly. I also like the boss. It’s a good job and I enjoy it a lot,” says Karen Gritmon, AYS Catering Employee hired through The Arc.

“We are proud of our association with Ula,” says The Arc Rockland CEO Carmine Marchionda. She understands that people with developmental disabilities are people with abilities.”

Image via The Arc