Our Impact
Jake’s Journey to Purpose
“Our son Jacob 16 yrs old is like most teenagers. He has a twin sister and she has a side business working at home parties. Jacob wants to go out and find a job and make money like all teenagers. But life is harder when you are a teenager with intellectual disabilities. As a parent we’ve seen him struggle from birth to present. We’ve seen the highs and lows and how society can be supportive and cruel at the same time.
We’ve found traditional jobs weren’t as open when you share with them your different abilities. That is until we found ANEWAY with Game on State. I met with Aimee Rubin owner of Game on State. I shared with her my struggles as a mom of a teenager who has different abilities. She shared how she started ANEWAY at GOS for her son and our community of people of all abilities.
Jacob started at GOS over the summer and let me share with you he’s been so happy. He works each Sunday with peers who welcome him in with open arms. They encourage him to do his best and give him tasks he’s able to complete on his own. After his shift he shares with us what’s happened at work and how he’s proud of himself for doing a good job. Jacob also loves getting a paycheck every two weeks and finally making money like his sister.
Without ANEWAY we would’ve been still struggling to find a job for Jacob. I know your donations are keeping my child and others in our community filled with a purpose and put a smile on their face each week.”
- Jake's parents
Spencer’s Journey Through Music
“Unless you have a child or family member or friend with a disability or special needs, it is easy to overlook the real value of what Game On State and ANEWAY truly mean. Common questions parents face, such as will my child choose the right college, meet the right girl, get a good job and be a success are replaced with will my son be accepted by the world or find a friend. Will my child be understood. Thoughts of the future are replaced by managing and living day to day.
Perhaps it was never their original intention, but ANEWAY and Game On State have laid the groundwork for something truly remarkable and amazing. For just one moment, imagine a workplace environment that provides a community of acceptance and a sense of belonging for everyone, where no job is too small and where your differences are not only celebrated but are fundamental.
My son was born to be a performer. His love of Broadway and music is his expression. At Game On State he is a resident DJ and leads Karaoke Night every Thursday.
It’s easy to overlook a group of people. We lead busy and complicated lives, careers, politics and managing the necessities of daily living. But for some, life is simpler. For some, life is about growing day by day and finding true friends, sometimes one song at a time.”
- Sharlee & Jeff Casnoff, Spencer's parents
Noah’s Path to Possibility
It wasn’t until Noah was close to ten when a formal diagnosis provided an explanation for the challenges we experienced with standard curriculum and social interactions. ADHD and being on the spectrum made certain things very difficult for Noah, but it provided him with talents that are truly unique. His vast knowledge of coins, rocks and minerals and other facts with a tremendous ability to retain the data shocked geologists and coin collectors with every conversation. It wasn’t unusual to be asked, “wait, how old is Noah?”.
The support Noah and our family received from various schools and teachers was tremendous. With the amazing dedication of his teachers, counselors and especially Francesca, his mom, Noah was able to graduate from Rose Tree Media with great grades. Noah spent a semester at a reputable University living on campus and was able to become a self sufficient college student. However, the challenges with a standard college curriculum, teaching methods and social interactions led our family to decide the best next step for Noah was to find a job, get some experience in the workplace and interact with society. But just as a standard approach to school was ineffective, we had the same concern around the working world.
As we started the search, the lack of “life structure’ resulted in too many hours on the couch, too much screen time, strange sleeping hours and an even further reduction in socializing, which has always been an effort for Noah.
That’s where Aimee and Game on State come in. Our search for Noah’s job with OVR, led us to GoS, who’s ultimate mission is to provide jobs for special needs individuals in an integrated environment. Noah started working at GOS under Aimee’s supervision, as she observed Noah and created a job based on his strengths although they’re not easily observed at first glance. Starting with cleaning arcade machines and stocking shelves, Noah now deals directly with customers, prints T-shirts and is involved in purchasing candy inventory. He also supports GoS social media.
The progress is amazing. Now outwardly and proactively social, Noah’s charm and sense of humor have blossomed. Whether it’s friends or family who have known Noah for years, we’re all amazed at how far and quickly he has developed thanks to this integrated environment. Noah’s now on a work week calendar, takes pride in his job and earnings and is always excited before and after his shifts.
We found it so special and effective, his dad Joel become a part of ANEWAY’s Board of Directors, to help explore how we can create more opportunities for special needs people like Noah. I know we’re not alone as the number of resumes we receive far outpaces the number of available jobs.
We’re all very proud of Noah!