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.
When you gain confidence in your work, you start to gain ownership of what you make.
You begin to feel more capable of trying something new, more certain that you’ll succeed, and more in control of your future.
Empowerment Through Employement
January, a resident at Gabriel Homes, is one such participant at ECHO’s Blue Elegance enterprise. At Blue Elegance, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) create and sell handmade products from raw materials. Employees like January grow their professional skills through hands-on work.
The Tools for Independence
Blue Elegance has all the resources at its disposal for January’s success in the workforce. Staff mentorship, adaptive tools, and a structured workplace help participants stay focused and work with care. The everyday support helps January build confidence and independence in everyday life.
“January has become much more comfortable taking initiative and completing her work with less prompting, Now she steps in to help others and shows them how to work with the materials.”
Success in Everyday Life at Gabriel Homes
January brings the same confidence from ECHO into her life at Gabriel Homes. Her income from Blue Elegance gives her the freedom to make spending decisions that often support local businesses. When Gabriel Homes’ staff pushes her to try new things, January takes on more tasks on her own and follows through from start to finish. By supporting her peers, January has helped make the community stronger and more supportive for everyone.
