Community Integrated Services

10/13/2026

On Friday we spotlighted CIS’s array of school-to-work transition programs, and today we’re excited to forefront one in particular, our Project SEARCH program at Aramark!

These fantastic photos are from the recent PS Aramark Alumni gathering! Quickly becoming a fall tradition, it brings back program graduates to share advice and words of wisdom with the new batch of interns, who are just getting underway in a range of internship roles at Girard College and at Aramark headquarters.

“It was a great chance for all of our interns to come together, share their experiences, and create new connections,” said our own Rachel Gregory, a Project SEARCH Skills Trainer who helps direct and run the PS Aramark program.

CIS school-to-work transition programs like Project SEARCH help students with disabilities transition into employment, and the Aramark program is a testament to their efficacy: In the last two years, 12 graduates have been hired within the Aramark community in Philadelphia, including at the Philadelphia Zoo, Aramark headquarters, Girard College, and Temple University.

Two standouts from that group are Zaire and Amiracle. Zaire (glasses, image 7) was the first ever intern at the cafe at Aramark headquarters, and did such a great job that he was hired at the end of his internship.

It’s a similar story for Amiracle (center, image 6), who so impressed her managers during her internship at Girard College that they asked her to stay on as an official employee. Not only is Amiracle doing an awesome job at work, but she always takes the time to give a warm welcome to the new Project SEARCH interns working at the college and is a real-life example of what they can achieve through hard work.

We’re excited for our interns for the valuable work experience they’ll get in the year to come, and exceedingly grateful to our Project SEARCH staff, who are truly the life of these life-changing programs.

10/09/2026

Did you know that CIS helps students with disabilities successfully transition from school to employment?

Preparing to exit high school can feel like a scary and uncertain time, but CIS’s School-to-Work programs are there to help students across Pennsylvania and Delaware navigate the transition and find success in the workplace.

Through a mix of classroom instruction and paid, community-based work experiences, students get to explore different careers, develop skills that help them ace their job interviews and thrive in their the workplace, and connect to systems of services that aid them both at work and in their lives outside of it.

Learn more about these programs at cisworks.org/school-to-work-transition/, where you’ll find stories of people like Rymair (picture 1) whom CIS helped transition into a teaching assistant position at the same school district from which he graduated, and these incredible Delaware Pre-Employment Transition Students (picture 2), who learned the ins and outs of running a pizza parlor and ice cream shop during their recent summer internships.

It’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and every Friday in October we’ll be spotlighting some of the many programs at CIS that help jobseekers with a disability connect to meaningful employment. Stay tuned for more!

10/07/2026

What better way to get in the spirit of National Disability Employment Awareness Month ( ) than to hear from the organizations and individuals working day in and day out towards more inclusive cities, workplaces, and technologies!?

Get yourself to the Philadelphia Disability Summit, happening today and tomorrow (Oct. 7 & 8) at the Convention Center in Philadelphia!

Say hello to our colleagues at Inglis, a sponsor of the event whose staff and leadership will be participating in a number of panels across the two days, and put on your radar Thursday's panels on building a more inclusive Philadelphia, which will feature CIS participant and legislative advocate Michael Anderson!

More info here (https://citiesofinclusion.wordpress.com/2026-summit/), and hope to see you there!

Inglis is proud to sponsor Cities of Inclusion & Empathy Tech in Philadelphia this Wednesday and Thursday, bringing together innovators, advocates, and community leaders to explore how technology can help build a more accessible and inclusive future. You may also see a few familiar faces on stage 💙🧡

If you’re attending, be sure to stop by the Inglis table to say hello and learn more about the programs, services, and resources we offer to support people with disabilities in living independently and thriving in their communities.

We’re excited to connect, share, and be part of the conversation around creating a more inclusive Philadelphia!

10/05/2026

Hit that like button for David, who's hitting it out of the park in year 2 of his job at Sussex Montessori School in Seaford!

CIS's own Briana Lecates reached out to spotlight David and his coworkers at Sussex, who've been outstanding allies in helping him find success.

"David's manager Alan Carroll has been very helpful and supportive along the way," said Brianna. "He encourages David to improve every day."

A little over a month into his second year at the school and David is really finding his stride. He worked throughout the summer, learning a whole new facet of the school's back-end operations, and with school back in session he's returned to his usual routine, impressing his colleagues with his hard work and the surety he brings to all his tasks.

As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, David's success is a great example of the great things that can happen when a jobseeker with a disability is paired with an employer committed to their success.

For more on CIS services or to learn about our open positions, head to cisworks.org!

10/02/2026

To kick off National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we’re excited to share this story showing what a person can achieve in the workplace when paired with an employer committed to their success.

Meet Melissa, who recently celebrated her five year anniversary in her job at the Willow Grove YMCA

In her five years on the job, Melissa has gone from full coverage job coaching to just a single check-in per month, meaning she’s fully independent at work!

Melissa’s managers and coworkers at her job site have been nothing short of outstanding. Melissa cites Willow Grove Y’s caring management and family-like environment as vital to building her confidence. She shared with us that her managers are extremely supportive of job coaching and went above and beyond to ensure that Melissa grew comfortable and confident in her tasks early on, which has helped her to fade from on-site job support altogether.

“It’s just a great team environment,” said CIS’s Mia Decker. “Her coworkers treat her like family, and even the YMCA members have come to know Melissa well, always thanking her for her excellent work. Melissa gets a raise every year, and she has become a true pro: working throughout summer camps, gymnastics meets, renovations, staff changes — she can handle it all!”

Congratulations to Melissa for doing a great job at work, and a big shoutout to the Willow Grove YMCA for being a model of the kind of supportive work community that can help employees with a disability find so much success!

For more on how CIS works for jobseekers with a disability, head to cisworks.org!

10/01/2026

October! It’s crisp, it’s golden, and as some of you may know, it’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month 🤩

is a celebration of employees with disabilities and the tremendous contributions they make in the workplace. All month long we’ll be sharing some great stories about the people we support, spotlighting businesses who’ve championed inclusive hiring practices, and letting folks know about CIS's long-standing services and the expanded range of supports CIS participants have access to through our affiliation with Inglis.

We also want to give a particular nod to our incredible staff: expanding access and opportunity for people with disabilities begins with raising awareness of their abilities and equipping them with the tools they need to succeed, and every one of our employees plays an important role in that work.

Happy , everyone! Stay tuned to our page for more!

09/30/2026

A huge congratulations is due to CIS’s own Hayden Howard and Andrew Jeffrey Wright, recipients of the Employment 1st Award and the Cultural Arts Award at last week’s Points of Transformation Awards, hosted by Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services.

This important celebration honors the life changing and often unsung work of Direct Support Professionals working with people with disabilities throughout the city. In addition to our two award winners, we were thrilled to see CIS nominee Alexandria Broxton win the Support Coordination Award and CIS nominees Brianaliz Oyola and Jazar Hall receive Honorable Mention for their outstanding work.

The day was filled with music, dancing, and moving speeches from a range of disability services champions across Philadelphia and throughout the state, from State Representative Joseph Hohenstein and former State Representative Steven Kinsey to a video message from Mayor Cherelle Parker.

As we prepare to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the event really brought home how vital and difference-making is the work of every person employed in disability services: “You do this, often, in very quiet ways,” said DBHIDS Commissioner Kehinde Solanke. “Helping someone get dressed for the day, helping someone apply for a job, helping someone get to an appointment: these may seem like small things,” she reminded the crowd, “but each one is a point of transformation.”

Congratulations to Hayden, Andrew, and all who devote themselves each day to this important work.

09/28/2026

There was so much to celebrate during Friday’s Points of Transformation Awards ceremony we can’t keep it all to one post, but we’ll start by spotlighting two CIS participants who took center stage at Friday’s festivities.

Meet Brittany and Javier. Brittany’s been employed at Thomas Jefferson University since 2012, while Javier has been working at the School District of Philadelphia since 2017.

In honor of their employment success, both were asked to participate in a panel discussion during Friday’s event. Speaking to a crowd of nearly 300 people and joined by standout Supports Coordinators Alexandria Broxton and Lea Fosco of Quality Progressions and QP President Adrienne Hill, Brittany and Javier spoke about their paths to employment, their keys to success, and what they love about their jobs.

“My team has helped me grow at work, and I’ve been given more and more responsibilities the longer I’ve been there,” said Brittany, who’s approaching her 15-year anniversary at Thomas Jefferson. “Keep fighting alongside us for our access,” she added, “and you’ll see what we can do.”

Making the panel even neater is the fact that it was moderated by Kelly Carroll, CIS’s Director of Operations, who kept it light with her trademark humor while drawing thoughtful, insightful answers from the panel participants through her deep familiarity with their work and the strong relationships she’s forged with each of them.

One of the biggest cheers of the day came in honor of Javier, who was not only a panel participant but also celebrating his birthday! When the birthday wishes died down, Kelly gave Javier the last word, and he ended it with a powerful reminder of what our work is all about:

“Having a job, working in the school district—it makes me feel relied upon,” said Javier. “My coworkers and team help me, and I get to help others. That’s what we’re here for.”

Stay tuned for more from Friday’s fantastic event (big thanks to Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services!), and have a great start to your week!