05/20/2026
Drew’s Story: From Exploration to Employment
Drew and his family connected with The Arc of Harrison County (The Arc) through the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), seeking support to help him build independence and pursue employment aligned with his strengths and interests. Drew is a 20 year old nonverbal individual with an intellectual disability who communicates primarily through his tablet and receives services through West Virginia’s Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (ID/D) Waiver program.
Through Customized Employment services, The Arc staff worked closely with Drew to identify his abilities, interests, and ideal work environment. A community based assessment played a key role in helping staff better understand his vocational goals and preferences.
Building Communication and Workplace Readiness
One of the primary challenges early in services involved establishing effective communication in workplace settings. Drew communicates through his tablet with hand-over-hand support, and it initially took time for both Drew and his job coach to fully understand each other’s communication styles. Through consistency, patience, and ongoing community based experiences, they developed a strong working relationship that allowed Drew to communicate his preferences, provide input on tasks, and express long term employment interests with increasing independence.
Discovering Strengths Through Community Based Assessment
During his assessment, Drew demonstrated a strong aptitude for counting and basic math skills. He excelled at tasks such as:
• Checking whether food items were within date
• Completing inventory counts
• Pricing items for purchase
• Identifying when shelves need to be restocked
As he gained more experience, Drew became increasingly confident in expressing his preferences and offering input on how tasks were completed. While participating in community work experiences, he identified Ace Hardware as his preferred long term workplace. After communication between his job coach and the store manager, Drew was offered a position at the location he selected.
Employment at Ace Hardware
Drew was hired part time in November 2024 and has continued to grow in his role. Through long term employment supports funded by the ID/D Waiver program, he works alongside a job coach while learning new responsibilities and advocating for the support strategies that work best for him.
Shortly after being hired, Drew took on responsibility for completing the store’s monthly inventory counts. More recently, he has expressed interest in increasing his work hours, and his job coach, family, and the store owner are collaborating to help make that goal possible.
Looking Ahead
Drew continues to thrive at Ace Hardware while building new skills and exploring growth opportunities. His journey highlights the importance of individualized support, strong community partnerships, and long term community based services—such as the ID/D Waiver program—in helping individuals with disabilities achieve meaningful, lasting employment.
