Christian is a young man with big dreams. Like just about anyone his age, he has a steady job he enjoys, a supportive group of friends and interesting hobbies that he hopes can become a career one day. Without a doubt, for almost everything Christian does, he lets creativity guide the way.
Since 2018, Christian has been working at a local chocolate shop in Danville where he’s made friends with his co-workers and has gotten to learn new skills while contributing creatively. “I was working there as part of a work program with school but then Covid hit so we stopped working,” says Christian. But on one of his regular Saturday walks, he popped in to say hello and the owner, Jackie, offered him a job even though he was no longer in his school’s program. And he gladly accepted.
Christian enjoys all his tasks, like sweeping, keeping the cases stocked and putting stickers on the bags of fresh, handmade chocolates just as much as he likes coming up with new ideas – like his popular creation called “Party Bark” loaded with white chocolate and Fruity Pebbles cereal. Making a treat that quickly became a customer favorite is something that makes Christian feel incredibly proud. “It feels good to work here and it’s my happy place. It’s like being Willy Wonka!”
Having a sense of pride in a job that allows for community participation is especially important for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Not only are they enjoying the sense of independence that comes from being part of a team and earning a paycheck, but they’re also contributing great value to the economy and challenging the misconceptions people with I/DD face. And it’s one of the focus areas of Kaleidoscope – his day program through Easterseals Northern California.
“It’s been amazing to see Christian thrive in a job he truly loves while staying active in our community program,” says Renee Ryan, the program’s manager. “He’s naturally independent, but Kaleidoscope gives him the chance to explore new places and continue building his social and job skills. One of the highlights for me has been watching him proudly give our other participants a tour of his workplace, which inspires his peers to see what’s possible.”
While Christian loves working at the shop and plans to stay on the team, he’s also working on his other dream: to one day create a comic book franchise, called Core Comics, and grow it to match the likes of Marvel or DC. His collection of characters is vast, and they all have their own backstories and story arcs. His fellow participants and staff at the Kaleidoscope program are already big fans of his characters, with many of them having their own comic book characters modeled after them.
Christian’s creativity is clearly endless, from chocolate making at the shop to comic book worldbuilding at home. One thing’s for sure – the goals and dreams we all possess are something to be celebrated, with our achievements and skills fitting into the larger picture in a meaningful way.
To learn more about partnering with ESNorCal to host participants and show them what your business does, or enroll a loved one, click here.
