Highland Park proclaims National Disability Employment Awareness Month; Center for Enriched Living highlights local placements

The Highland Park City Council on Oct. 20 read a proclamation recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month and welcomed Don Minor, an employment specialist with the Center for Enriched Living (CEL), to describe the center's employment program and local work placements.

Presiding officer Bloomberg read the proclamation marking the month and noting the national observance's history back to 1945 and its purpose to raise awareness of employment among people with disabilities. "The city of Highland Park pledges to continue to take steps throughout the year to recruit, hire, retain, and advance individuals with disabilities," the proclamation said.

Don Minor, employment specialist with the Center for Enriched Living, told the council CEL has served 27 Highland Park residents in the past fiscal year and has operated an employment opportunities program since 2016. "Our goal is to help actualize this and land their dream jobs," Minor said. He described placements ranging from farm work to assisting in a law firm and said CEL provides employer support and job coaching.

Minor thanked the council for prior grant support through the Highland Park Community Foundation and the Highland Park Human Relations Commission and invited more local employers to partner on hiring people with disabilities.

Council members applauded the presentation and thanked CEL for its work.