Bobby Dodd Institute

10/06/2026

Atlanta employers, looking for entry-level talent? Host paid interns through BDI's Elevate Academy at no cost to your business.

Our interns are young adults with disabilities, ages 18–30, who are ready to learn on the job. Elevate Academy pays their wages, and our job coaches support both the interns and your team for all eight weeks.

You'll see how an intern fits your team before you make a hiring decision, with no obligation to hire.

Next class: October 26 to December 18, 2026
We're looking for: Atlanta-area businesses, from warehouses to offices, that can host 2-3 interns

Interested? Fill out the Employer Interest Form: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/019ffc30fee87f249a57e91c57c1304c?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=NDEAM

Don't hire for your business but know someone who does? Share this post or tag them below.

10/06/2026

Small changes can make a big difference for autistic and neurodivergent employees. Start with clear instructions, flexible interviews, and support that continues after hiring. Provide structure for the processes they need to do and set up a predictable schedule.

Save this cheat sheet, share it with someone on your hiring team, and start practicing these strategies! What’s one change your workplace could make?

ID: An infographic titled “Practical Strategies for Hiring and Workplace Support” displays six strategies for supporting autistic and other neurodivergent employees in the workplace. The design uses a navy blue, magenta, light green, and white color palette, with six rounded rectangular panels arranged in two columns and three rows. Each panel has a numbered heading, a simple workplace-related line illustration, and two bullet points. A navy banner at the bottom emphasizes removing barriers so people can use their strengths. Bobby Dodd Institute's logo is in the lower-left corner.

10/02/2026

Jordan, one of our Elevate Academy graduates, has reached a significant goal. He got the job at HD Supply!

He is appreciated by his coworkers, who describe him as fun to work with, intellectual, and a fast learner. He has earned praise for being a dedicated, hard worker, and he is thriving in his career.

If you’re looking for an opportunity for your loved one with a disability to develop job skills and find meaningful employment, Elevate Academy could be perfect for them! Through skills-building, confidence development and employer partnerships, we help interns achieve sustainable employment and independence.

Learn more about Elevate Academy and consider joining one of our information sessions at https://bobbydodd.org/elevate-academy/

10/01/2026

Every company is looking for loyal, dedicated, and hard-working employees. Many people with disabilities fit these descriptions, but many are not hired. Here are five legit reasons why companies should hire people with disabilities.

- They are disciplined and loyal. Finding meaningful employment as a person with a disability can be challenging, so they are grateful and faithful to the companies that hire them.
- Hiring employees with disabilities helps boost the overall morale in the workplace. This action sends a message to your organization that you care about diversity and inclusion. Employees will be proud to support their organizations that actively support inclusive practices.
- People with disabilities bring unique problem-solving skills and creativity to the workplace. They are people who have overcome many challenges and barriers in their lives. They understand how to get through difficult times and face problems head-on.
- Employees with disabilities bring experience and understanding that people without disabilities don’t have. They can evaluate how accessible their organizations are. They understand the struggles of customers with disabilities. They bring more empathy and can help an organization create more user-friendly products.
- Finally, there are financial benefits to hiring people with disabilities. Tax credits, grants, and wage subsidies are available for companies who do. Money can also provide an incentive for committing to inclusive practices.



ID: An infographic titled “5 Reasons to Hire People with Disabilities.” The upper-right portion shows Leila, BDI Elevate Academy intern. Leila is smiling wearing glasses and a light-blue shirt working at a packing station, placing or labeling an item in a cardboard box. The left side features a large dark-blue number 5 and the headline in dark blue and magenta. Below it are five numbered sections arranged in two rows, each with a magenta numbered circle, a bold heading, explanatory text, and a simple line illustration: Dedicated and loyal employees, illustrated by three people shaking hands. Higher employee morale, illustrated by a group of three people. Creativity and problem solving, illustrated by a light bulb. Better understanding of customer needs, illustrated by a person with a heart symbol. Tax incentives and financial support, illustrated by coins and a dollar sign.A dark-blue banner near the bottom states that the disability community is one of the largest untapped labor pools in the United States. The bottom section invites viewers to learn more about employing people with disabilities or accessing free disability awareness training and directs them to BobbyDodd.org. The BDI logo appears at the lower right. The design uses a white background with dark-blue, magenta, gray, green, and yellow accents.

09/28/2026

If you've traveled around Georgia, there's a good chance you've flipped through the official Georgia Travel Guide. And before those guides reached you, Angela probably had her hands on them.

Angela was just named a 2026 Working Wonders Award winner by Georgia Enterprises for Products and Services (GEPS). GEPS gives this award every year to Georgians with disabilities who show outstanding dedication and go above and beyond at work.
Angela has been on the Bobby Dodd Institute team for more than a decade. At our warehouse, she packs and organizes the Georgia Travel Guide so it gets where it needs to go. Contracts like this are part of how BDI creates jobs for people with disabilities across Georgia.

Congratulations, Angela. This award is well deserved, and we're proud to have you on our team.

09/22/2026

Applying for SSI disability benefits and unsure where to start? Join the BDI Empowers Webinar session on Thursday, September 24 from 6 - 8 pm about how to apply for SSI in 2026 with Anna Maki, Director of Program Services here at BDI, for a step-by-step walk through the application process.

Register now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-do-you-apply-for-ssi-a-step-by-step-guide-to-the-application-process-tickets-1994607837736?aff=oddtdtcreator

We hope to see you there!



ID: A promotional graphic for a webinar in the BDI Empowers Webinar series. At the top of the graphic, the title "BDI Empowers" is in teal text, with "Webinar" displayed underneath it in bold white text, over a navy-blue background. Below the title, the subtitle in a smaller font reads, "How Do You Apply for SSI? A Step-by-Step Guide to the Application Process." The center of the image features one circular photograph of the speaker, framed in a light blue circle. Below the photo is her name and title in navy-blue text: Anna Maki, Director of Program Services at BDI over a white background. At the bottom of the graphic, the date and time of the webinar are displayed: "Thursday, September 24 · 6 - 8 pm EST." Below that is a registration button depicted in magenta with white text reading "Register."

09/18/2026

Jihad loves going to the movies, visiting comic bookstores, and trying his favorite restaurants—especially Wendy's! He's always excited about the latest movie releases and is a big fan of superhero films, especially Spider-Man.

Jihad dreams of having an office job. In the next five months, he will be working on improving his skills and will be excited to start exploring career opportunities. If you have a business or know someone who may need fully trained and dedicated employees, consider hiring Jihad.

You can join Elevate employer partners like HD Supply, Milner, the Atlanta Braves and Piedmont. They have already opened their doors to some of our interns and are already seeing the benefits. Our team is here to support you with the tools and resources you need to make your workplace a great place to work for everyone.

Want to learn how to get involved? Send us a message at https://bobbydodd.org/contact/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Elevate%20Interns

ID: Jihad is smiling and standing in front of a softly colored, light green wall. He is wearing a dark blue polo shirt with white accents on it. Behind him, is the Bobby Dodd Institute logo. At the bottom, there is a fading navy-blue rectangle with bold, white text on it that reads, "Jihad, Elevate Academy Intern. Dreams of having an office job."

09/17/2026

As part of SourceAmerica’s Grassroots Conference, BDI’s Todd Hermon and Devan Jones met with Jon Ossoff and Congressman Sanford Bishop to talk about the potential impact of the Protecting Small Business Competitions Act of 2025, which could put more than 40,000 jobs for people with disabilities through the AbilityOne Program at risk.

Devan knows firsthand what meaningful employment through AbilityOne can provide. She works as an Alarm Monitor at the Ft. Benning E-911 Dispatch Services near Columbus, Georgia, and has been with Bobby Dodd Institute for four years now. She wants to keep working, keep moving up because she genuinely enjoys her job. In D.C. she's advocating for more opportunities and better wages for people with disabilities.

We appreciate the opportunity to bring the voices of AbilityOne employees and the disability community to these important conversations.

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09/16/2026

Every morning, Devan Jones spends 40 minutes driving to work, and she's not complaining. She's excited to get there.

Devan was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis before she turned two. She credits her mom, Donna, with a lot of the strength it took to get where she is: getting her to doctor's appointments, making sure she had what she needed for school, making sure she was never treated differently. "Mom would say I'm brave," Devan said. "I don't pull myself back, and my mom is proud of that."

Devan works as an Alarm Monitor at the Ft. Benning E-911 Dispatch Services near Columbus, GA, and has been with Bobby Dodd Institute for four years. This week, she and Donna traveled to Washington, D.C. together for the Grassroots Advocacy Conference, Devan's first time meeting with legislators. Her message: listen to employees, explain things clearly, and give people with disabilities more and better job opportunities.

"The people I've met are really driven, loyal, committed to working every day and doing their best," Devan said. "More opportunity and better wages, this is what I'm advocating for in D.C."

Todd Hermon, CFRE, IPA represented BDI in D.C. this week alongside Devan. Kylie Moore joined virtually, co-presenting with Rick Sebastian of The Kennedy Collective in Connecticut. As Todd put it: "I feel incredibly fortunate to join this backbone of our nation as we meet with legislators over the next two days."

SourceAmerica

Every morning, Devan Jones spends 40 minutes getting to work. She's not complaining about the drive and is excited to get there. Devan was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis before she turned two. "Living with a disability has not always been easy," she says, "but it has taught me to be strong, det...

09/14/2026

The wait is over! The applications for Elevate Academy, a paid internship for people with disabilities, are now open. This program helps people with disabilities gain confidence, job skills, and meaningful employment opportunities.

If you are between the ages 18–30, eligible for Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) services or able to private pay, able to work independently, and committed to developing a transportation plan, we want to see your application.

“Elevate Academy helped me tackle some of my fears about not being competent enough, which was a big concern of mine for quite some time. What I like the most about the program is the fact that I could take part and be able to self-improve,” Jordan, an Elevate Academy Intern, describes his experience with the program.

Consider attending one of our virtual info sessions and/or the two open houses!
Learn more and apply at https://bobbydodd.org/elevate-academy/

ID: A schedule for Elevate Academy informational sessions appears on a light blue background. The heading “Informational Sessions” is centered above the large magenta title “Elevate Academy.” Six sessions are listed in two columns, each paired with a dark navy rounded date box containing the month and day. At the lower right, a smiling person wearing glasses in a blue Elevate Academy shirt and a branded lanyard is shown from the chest up. The year “2026” and the website “bobbydodd.org” appear beside the person.