Community leaders and partners will celebrate Disability Awareness Month and the employers who provide opportunities for persons with disabilities at the annual “Disability Employment Celebration Luncheon” on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center.
The event is hosted by the City of Chattanooga Office of Multicultural Affairs, City Councilman Erskine Oglesby, the Chattanooga Area Employment Consortium and the Mayor’s Council on Disability, and will feature a keynote address by Jeremy Norden-Paul, the state director of Employment and Day Services for the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Mr.
Norden-Paul is an advocate for equitable access to employment as a matter of civil rights and said, “...we must not rest until all individuals have the opportunity to pursue competitive, integrated employment.”
Businesses that will be honored at the luncheon for their commitment to hiring persons with disabilities include; CARTA, Goodwill: Senior Community Service Employment Program, YMCA, Aramark, Memorial Hospital, Food City and Integrity Staffing.
“Our community members that are living with disabilities are able to thrive because of some of our amazing partners and employers,” Councilman Oglesby said. “I’m proud to celebrate them for truly serving all Chattanoogans.”
Attendees can buy individual tickets for $20 or a full table for $200. To purchase a table, contact Bessie Smith Cultural Center at 423-266-8658. Individual tickets can be purchased via EventBrite.
In addition to the lunch celebration, CARTA will host a job fair on Monday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ray Evans Transit Center. Those interested in attending are suggested to bring their resume and call 423-698-9038 to sign up and book a ride.