Easterseals Receives BBB’s First Thrive Award for Community Impact

Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore is proud to be the first recipient of the Better Business Bureau’s “Thrive Award for Community Impact”, an award to celebrate leaders that embrace diversity and inclusion in their business. Easterseals, a leading provider of services for people with disabilities, earned this award because of its dedication to reflect diversity in its workforce and service recipients, as well as its role in building a more inclusive work environment in businesses across the state through its Supported Employment Program. 

“Easterseals is proud to be receiving this prestigious award from the BBB in recognition of our leadership in creating a more inclusive community,” Ken Sklenar, Easterseals President/CEO, said. “Diversity in the workplace must include people with disabilities. Easterseals is not only a role model in being an inclusive employer, but also a leader in making it possible for other companies to do so. Our Supported Employment program gives adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to earn competitive wages on jobs in local businesses. We are currently supporting 86 Delawareans in 63 businesses statewide. This program has been an essential part of Easterseals services for over 23 years. It is wonderful to be recognized for the work we are doing in our community.”

The Thrive Award was established by the BBB this year to celebrate leaders who embrace diversity and inclusion in their business. Entries were evaluated by an independent, voluntary panel of judges comprised of business and community leaders.
 

“Another significant basis for Easterseals’ nomination for this award centered on the work Easterseals does to ensure that people with disabilities are included in planning all aspects of their lives giving them the ability to live, learn, work and play in their community which is an important aspect of our important mission,” Sklenar said.