Your Next Star

Did You Know?

92% of consumers report feeling more favorable toward businesses that hire people with disabilities.

Accessibility costs for workers with disabilities are almost always covered by federal tax incentives for businesses.

The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 120 percent higher than for people without disabilities.

Only 1/3 of eligible adults with intellectual disabilities are employed.

Employees with disabilities have nearly identical job performance ratings as those without disabilities.

⅓ of eligible adults with intellectual disabilities have never held a job.

438,000 of the Massachusetts’ 3.8 million working age adults have a disability.

87% of consumers said they would prefer to patronize businesses that hire people with disabilities.

The majority of workers with disabilities do not need special equipment or accommodations.

Nearly ⅔ of eligible adults with intellectual disabilities who are working have been at their jobs 3 or more years.

46% of accommodations cost nothing while 45% of accommodations have a one-time cost, typically around $500.

Companies can reach as many as 4 out of every 10 consumers with marketing programs aimed at people with disabilities and their family members.

30% of America’s 69.6 million families have at least one family member with a disability.

Resources for Employers

MDSC awards inaugural Employee of the Year Award to Lowell’s Philip Donahue, who has worked at Market Basket more than 25 years

Burlington, MA. (May 1, 2022) – The Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC), the premier resource for Down syndrome information, advocacy and networking in Massachusetts, is proud to present Philip A. Donahue of Lowell with MDSC’s inaugural Your Next Star Employee of the Year Award. Philip, 53, has worked at Market Basket for a total of […]

Campaign

Forbes: Collette Divitto, Cookie Entrepreneur, Stars In New Peacock Docuseries

Reprinted from Forbes online by Steven Aquino Contributor, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion NBCUniversal-backed Peacock launched an original documentary series late last month called Born for Business, which premiered on August 23. The show chronicles the journeys of four entrepreneurial disabled people who are running their own small business. In a press release, Peacock describes the series as “powerful” […]

In the News

WBUR: Bill Aims To Increase College Access For Mass Students With Intellectual Disabilities

WBUR September 03, 2021 by Carrie Jung Ipswich resident Matthew Cullen said he knew he wanted to go to college since his early teens. “My friends and brother and sister went off to college, and I said, ‘Why can’t I?’ ” Cullen told lawmakers in a recent public hearing for the Massachusetts Joint Committee on […]

In the News