Didlake joins the nation in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and held annually in October, NDEAM celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities and promotes supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. NDEAM traces its roots to 1945, when Congress […]
This summer, 14 youth with disabilities are working at the SplashDown Waterpark in Manassas through Didlake’s Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Program, which helps students plan their transition to life after high school. Didlake is an approved provider of Pre-ETS services through the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). SplashDown is Northern Virginia’s largest […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
