ServiceSource

Staff from ServiceSource and several of our affiliates took full advantage of the training, networking, and collaboration opportunities at last week’s 2026 SourceAmerica Xforce National Conference in Grapevine, Texas! With exciting speakers, informative sessions, and plenty of chances to exchange ideas with others working in the disability employment space, Xforce provides an unparalleled setting for professional learning and connection. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event!

Who says Senior Prom is just for high school? The ServiceSource CARE Mobile program’s senior prom at Lake Anne House yesterday brought together more than 60 older adults for an afternoon of dancing, music, games, and great food with friends and neighbors. Working with the Fairfax County Government One Fairfax initiative CARE Mobile helps eliminate transportation and technological barriers by going directly to neighborhoods and creating opportunities for older adults and individuals with disabilities to stay engaged and connected. Thanks to Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn who stopped by to join the celebration, and to FOX 5 DC for sharing this story and spotlighting the impact of CARE Mobile: https://lnkd.in/eeYZ8Mqv #OlderAmericansMonth

ServiceSource is proud to introduce our latest cohort of Restaurant Ready Graduates! Presented in partnership with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) Restaurant Ready is a national program that aims to help people acquire the basic job and life skills needed to pursue careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and jumpstart a pathway to independence. While working on our #AbilityOne contract at US Army Fort Carson in Colorado these employees completed training in six competency areas defined by the restaurant industry: personal responsibility, communication, attitude, learning, customer service, and industry- and work-specific skills such as food safety. Congratulations on your achievement! We’re excited to watch your career growth!

May is Older Americans Month and we’re excited to announce that our CARE (Community Access to Resources and Engagement) Mobile program was awarded first place in the Best Practices Awards from the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services' Commonwealth Council on Aging (CCOA)! The CCOA award recognizes our commitment to fostering health, wellness, and social connections for older adults, including those with disabilities. The CARE Mobile program utilizes a public-private partnership model to provide roving on-site health and wellness programming, engaging community activities, and entertainment for adults age 50+ including adults with disabilities. Partnering with a variety of nonprofit organizations, CARE Mobile delivers on-site programming that reduces social isolation and supports physical, social, and mental well-being in safe, familiar environments. In addition to CARE Mobile, ServiceSource provides an array of supportive services virtually and in-person at local senior centers and our Wellness Center for Older Adults. These services enable older adults and individuals with minor cognitive or physical disabilities to actively participate in day-to-day activities that support accessibility and full inclusion for all.

The Abilities of Florida High School High Tech (HSHT) program recently welcomed Kim Salmon, Pinellas County HSHT liaison, for a hands on job shadowing visit at the Pepin Café on the Pepin Academies Tampa, campus. The student run café gives students with disabilities real world experience in food service operations, customer engagement, and teamwork. During her visit, Ms. Salmon shadowed student employees and met with Café Supervisor Ryan Morton, gaining insight into daily operations, point of sale systems, and training practices. Now Ms. Salmon is sharing what she learned at Café Pepin with HSHT students working in the student-run Snore No More Coffee Shop at Osceola Fundamental High School. Through facilitating the sharing of best practices across HSHT programs, Abilities of Florida is helping strengthen student led enterprises and expanding opportunities for students with disabilities across Florida. #HSHT The Able Trust

After a discussion about the importance of kindness and how we can give back to our communities through small actions, members of our PIERS (Preparing Individuals for Employment Reaching Success) program partnered with The Giving Ministry, a nonprofit in Woodbridge, Virginia, to create “Blessing Bags.” Participants assembled 40 bagged lunches and 30 hygiene care packages for individuals experiencing homelessness, delivering the bags to the Katherine K Hanley Family Shelter. The project gave participants a meaningful opportunity to build vocational, social, and teamwork skills while giving back to the local community. Later, the PIERS participants engaged in a “Think, Pair, Share” activity where they reflected on the importance of treating others with dignity and compassion, as well as how giving to others made them feel.

We were thrilled to host the Leadership Fairfax Institute (LFI) 2026 cohort at Ellmore Farmhouse last week! It was a pleasure to talk with these future community leaders about our collaboration with the Fairfax County Parks Authority Resident Curator Program to preserve this historic property while creating meaningful opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Ellmore Farmhouse is one of 14 ServiceSource sites providing community integration services (CIS). Following lunch at the Blossom Daily Cafe operated by CIS program participants, LFI members visited the Bloom gift shop on the premises. The gift shop sells candles, cards, soaps, bags and more created by artisans with disabilities, who receive all proceeds from the sale of their creations. Thank you to members of the LFI 2026 cohort for the visit. We look forward to working with you and your organizations to build stronger communities where people of all abilities can thrive.

Meet Arthur Griggs, a recent graduate of the ServiceSource DEN New Heights program at Denver International Airport - City & County of Denver Dept of Aviation that offers employment and work experience to individuals exiting the justice system and transitioning into the workforce. Arthur developed new job skills in the program and became a peer recovery counselor supporting others in their journeys.   Shortly after stepping into his new role, Arthur shared his lived experience at Advocacy Day at the Colorado State Capitol. There he joined Senator James Coleman and other community health partners to support legislation extending funding for Overdose Prevention Centers, making Colorado only the third state in the nation to take this step! Congratulations, Arthur, on your transition to counselor, advocate, and legislative contributor making a difference in expanding resources for individuals facing addiction, homelessness, and recovery challenges. Your journey reflects the impact of the DEN New Heights program – creating pathways to meaningful work and empowering individuals to give back to their communities.

It’s been three weeks since we cut the ribbon on Friendship House Cottages, and residents are officially moved in. Friendship House Cottages represent the next phase of independent living for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Employment Source Friendship House Fayetteville program. The Friendship House model provides affordable, integrated housing where residents build social and independent living skills alongside college students or young professionals. The Cottages build on that foundation, offering individuals the opportunity to live more independently while continuing to refine those skills in a familiar, supportive environment. We are grateful to the partners, donors and community members who helped bring this vision to life, including ServiceSource Board member Weyher Dawson; Ben Stout Construction; the Rev. Chip Stapleton of Highland Presbyterian Church; Friendship House Chaplain the Rev. Scott Cameron; Dr. Franklin Clark; the McClimon and Cameron families; and the late Connie Bubon. We look forward to seeing this community continue to grow and to welcoming more residents in the years ahead.

ServiceSource was honored to sponsor and participate in the annual vaACCSES - Virginia Association of Community Rehabilitation Programs Provider Conference this week, an event that brings together disability service providers from across the state. This gathering offered a valuable chance to connect with our partners throughout the Commonwealth, allowing us to collectively reflect on our work and engage in meaningful collaboration as we strategize for achieving greater impact in the future.