A key component of the Project SEARCH internship model is to prepare individuals with disabilities to get to and from work independently. As the Employment Services partner for four Project SEARCH sites, Didlake incorporates travel training into lessons each fall, at the start of the school year and internship program. At the UVA Prince William […]
News
Meet Joe Pascale: Football Coach, Educator and Longtime Didlake Board Member
For 26 years, and counting, Joseph “Joe” Pascale has been a staunch supporter of the Didlake mission as a member of the Board of Directors. “I have always worked with individuals with disabilities and I think it’s important to support organizations like this that provide opportunities,” said Pascale, who initially joined the board at the suggestion of […]
First Internship Class at Naval Air Station Oceana Graduates from Project SEARCH
On June 14, the first internship class of the Project SEARCH site at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana in Virginia Beach graduated from the program. The eight graduates are students with disabilities from Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) who are military-dependent or military-connected and in their last year of high school. NAS Oceana is […]
Didlake Custodian Learns Advocacy Skills through SourceAmerica Training
Thomas, who works as a custodian for Didlake at Naval Air Station Oceana/Dam Neck in Virginia Beach, recently participated in SourceAmerica’s advocacy training program. For the training, Thomas joined individuals with disabilities from nonprofits across the country for two days of virtual training sessions held in February and April. The participants talked about how to […]
Joe Diaz Graduates from Leadership Prince William
After 10 months of exploring the Prince William area, learning about critical issues and collaborating with other leaders, Didlake COO Joe Diaz graduated June 9 from Leadership Prince William’s Signature Program. In September, Diaz and his 29 classmates started their Leadership Prince William (LPW) journey with a Send-Off celebration and a two-day Opening Retreat. They […]
Didlake Internships Through Project SEARCH
Through Project SEARCH, Didlake offers internships for students with disabilities aged 18 to 21 in partnership with local high schools, the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and host businesses. Project SEARCH aims to prepare people with disabilities in their last year of high school for success in competitive integrated employment. Didlake is the […]
Opal Day Support Volunteers Connect with Senior Citizens
Participants of Didlake’s Opal Day Support Program connect with local senior citizens by volunteering at Mintbrook Senior Apartments, a 55+ community in Bealeton. Activities vary each visit, but often include bingo, arts and crafts, and birthday and holiday celebrations. Day Support participants and senior residents worked together weekly during the holiday season to make ornaments […]
Celebrating Quality Professionals During World Quality Month
November is World Quality Month, a time when quality professionals across industries and around the globe come together to celebrate each other. It is also an opportune time to celebrate the dedication and hard work of quality professionals and the impact of quality initiatives on organizational success. World Quality Month is an annual observance led […]
Pam Moody Dedicates Lifetime of Service to People with Disabilities
Pamela Moody, Ed.D, has dedicated a lifetime of service to people with disabilities, including some 30 years as a member of Didlake’s Board of Directors. “I am a longtime supporter of Didlake. I remember when we opened the first building that was just torn down. I have been involved with people with disabilities my whole […]
Prince William County Proclaims October 2021 Disability Employment Awareness Month
Persons with disabilities remain far more likely to be unemployed, underemployed, or in poverty than their peers, despite the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act over thirty years ago. This recent proclamation from the Prince William Board of County Supervisors affirms that the county believes individuals with disabilities deserve the right to live independently, […]
