Contact: Susan Jouard, Director, Community Relations
Phone: (212)727-4244
Fax: (212) 727-4374
Email: sjouard@fedcap.org

Fedcap Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried.

New York, NY, October 17, 2001 – Fedcap, a nonprofit organization that provides training and jobs for people with disabilities and disadvantages, and outsourcing services to business and government, recently hosted a reception to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Two awards were presented to honor recipients of the New York State Rehabilitation Association's (NYSRA) Business/Industry Recognition Awards and the New York State Industries for the Disabled's (NYSID) Customer of the Year Award.

Susan Fonfa, Executive Director of Fedcap, welcomed all in attendance at the awards reception, on West 19th Street in Manhattan, including award recipients Sodexho and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. "Today, we are very pleased to celebrate and recognize private and public champions of employment for people with disabilities," said Fonfa. "Fedcap has been at the forefront of providing employment for people with disabilities for over 60 years. However, there is still a need to remind employers that people with disabilities can and want to work. In fact, only 29% of people with disabilities work, compared to 79% of the general population." Fonfa continued by introducing Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried.

Assemblyman Gottfried, representing the 64th Assembly District--Chelsea, Clinton, Murray Hill, Midtown and part of the Lincoln Center area in Manhattan, toured the Fedcap facility prior too the awards reception with various Fedcap staff members explaining their programs and areas of expertise. "Since the events of September 11th, although we have been dealing with extraordinarily difficult budget realities, we have also participated in many happy occasions, and today is one of them. Although I am aware of the great work of Fedcap, this is my first visit and tour of the facility. I am extremely delighted to join you today to present these awards," said Gottfried.

Sodexho, a food and facilities management services company with locations all over North America, received the NYSRA Recognition Award for its partnership with Fedcap in both developing training programs and providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities. Sodexho offers food services, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, and integrated facilities management. Two graduates of the Fedcap Career Design School have been placed at Sodexho's SUNY Maritime site in the Bronx and internship opportunities have been made available to Fedcap students. The award was presented by Assemblyman Gottfried to Robert Simmons, General Manager at the SUNY Maritime site of Sodexho.

"Mr. Simmons has a long relationship with Fedcap and hires many Fedcap graduates. The day-to-day, person-by-person work he does with Fedcap is enormously important," said Gottfried. "We at Fedcap were happy to nominate Sodexho for NYSRA's Annual Recognition Award, and we are so pleased that they have won," said Susan Fonfa, Executive Director of Fedcap. "Mr. Simmons has made an effort to spread the word about Fedcap to other Sodexho divisions, and we are thrilled to be a partner with them. Sodexho serves as an excellent model of how businesses can reach out to employment and vocational rehabilitation agencies. They have come to Fedcap to meet our students, discuss job opportunities in the food service industry, and see our training facilities."

Larry Barker, Executive Director of NYSID, presented its Local Government Customer of the Year Award to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). "The Department of Environmental Protection has $2 million in contracts for people with disabilities, and they are primarily Fedcap workers," said Barker. "This NYSID award is testimony to its success!" The DEP's Bureau of Conservation Services began contracting with NYSID in 1994 for data entry support provided by Fedcap. Each year the contract has been renewed, it has grown in scope.

Diana LaMadrid and Debra Butlien of DEP accepted the award on behalf of Commissioner Joel A. Miele, Sr. "We have had the opportunity for Fedcap participants to work side-by-side with DEP workers and can attest to the fact that individuals from Fedcap are hardworking and professional," said Butlien.

Attendees of the awards reception enjoyed beautifully displayed refreshments - omelets, finger sandwiches, fruits and baked goods - prepared by culinary arts students from Fedcap's Career Design School, a New York State licensed business and trade school.

Founded in 1935, Fedcap is a national leader, a provider of comprehensive vocational services and an employer of people with disabilities and disadvantages. Fedcap, a not-for-profit organization, helps New York City work. Through training, jobs and outsourcing services to business and government, Fedcap has helped thousands of people transform their lives and successfully enter the workforce.