Ready, willing, and able

When Mark Kravis talks about his work delivering meals to residents at the Weinberg Community for Senior Living in north suburban Deerfield, you’d think the job was made for him–and you’d be right.

Kravis received support from the Duman Opportunity Center, a JCFS Chicago agency dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities find employment. The Duman team guided him through the interview process and testing different roles at the Weinberg Community to find the position that matched his skills. “I can only use one hand, and at first, they had me filling pudding cups, but that didn’t work out. [So] they created a job for me,” he said. “They didn’t give up on me. They respected me.”

“We try to get to know individuals on a personal level,” said Leah Rudy, Manager of Client Services at Duman. She and her colleagues help clients identify employment goals, develop their resume and interview skills, and establish connections to potential employers. They also provide on-the-job coaching for up to a year, all at no cost to the employee and employer.

Kravis, 59, was four years old when a boating accident left him with brain damage and paralysis on his right side. After years of operations and therapy, Kravis lives mostly on his own in Glenview and cares for himself, but he’s only able to stand for one hour at a time. Still, he earned a customer service certificate from Oakton Community College and is thrilled to put his education and talents to work with two weekly, one-hour shifts at Weinberg Community.

“I put the food on a cart and deliver it to apartments. I meet the residents, ask them how they’re feeling, how their day is going. I enjoy the work I’m doing now,” he said, explaining how his Duman coach taught him what to say when residents answered their door, giving him the confidence he needed.

“Mark is happy. He knows what he’s doing,” said Mayra Carbajal Andres, Dining Room Manager at Weinberg Community. While she recognizes the value of the job for Kravis, she also sees the benefits for herself and her staff. “Our employees help each other more. It’s changed them to be more understanding and so much more patient. It’s a gratifying feeling to make a change in someone’s life.”

Jack Bartky, 30, who lives with Downs Syndrome, also found a job with help from Duman. Five days a week, Bartky works at Kol Tuv Kosher Foods on West Devon, not far from his home in West Rogers Park. He’s responsible for everything from bagging groceries to helping customers to their cars to keeping the store neat and clean.

In addition to facilitating Bartky’s job application and interview, his Duman coach guided him in growing the skills necessary to get his work done efficiently. “He helped me get faster bagging with tons of practice. Speed is important for the job because sometimes we have many customers, and it’s busy,” said Bartky.

Working in his own neighborhood near Congregation Khal Chasidim, where he worships daily, means Bartky sees familiar faces. “He gets to meet more people, and I tell him, he helps put food on the table of Jewish people of Chicago, and that’s very important,” said his mother, Ethel Bartky.

In addition to food services, Duman has placed employees in just about every other sector, including retail, office settings, health care, pharmaceuticals, graphic design, and big box stores.

While the pandemic cost many people their jobs, the current demand for workers is creating tremendous opportunities for people with disabilities, who make for exceptionally loyal employees.

“Employers have opened their eyes and are taking a second look at people with disabilities,” said Rudy. “They are getting an amazing candidate, someone who has worked hard to get a job, and once they do so, they don’t want to leave. They are willing to go above and beyond and grow with the company.”

Julie Mangurten Weinberg is a Northbrook-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience in broadcast, print, and digital media. She has no connection to the Weinberg Community for Senior Living.