This article is part of a five-story series created in partnership between ECHO and Gabriel Homes. Each story shows how ECHO’s programs empower participants, and how Gabriel Homes residents use their skills independently in everyday life and in their community.
Independence and teamwork may seem like opposites, but they often go hand in hand.
The more responsibility one takes on, the more they can empower the people around them.
One Gabriel Homes resident, Stephen, shows how taking initiative goes beyond personal success. During the week, Stephen works at the ECHO Barkery, a local dog treat business that provides employment opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He helps fulfill orders, packages products, and performs quality-control checks.
Praise from Teammates
Stephen’s work ethic has earned the trust of the ECHO staff and his coworkers. As orders increase and production expands, Stephen consistently steps up to help ensure products meet the Barkery standards before they reach customers.
“If bags are too light or the wrong treats are in the package, Stephen lets you know the order needs to be fixed before we ship it to our customer. He cares about our product, its presentation, and making our customers happy.”
Stephen’s growing confidence at the Barkery extends to his independence at Gabriel Homes. When he’s not at work, Stephen takes pride in helping around the home and often talks about what he accomplished during his shift. He takes pride in preparing meals for his housemates, a skill he developed cooking with his mom at a young age. Gabriel Homes staff joke that residents line up their plates for Stephen when he cooks eggs sunny-side up in the morning.
“Stephen sees himself as a leader, but he isn’t demanding of anybody. His housemates look up to him as an example of independence, and they’re often willing to follow his lead.”