ABLED: Building Pathways to Employment for Adults with Disabilities

In this episode, I'm speaking with Kara Green, co-founder and executive director of ABLED, alongside Kelsey Emmett, a participant whose journey captures exactly why this work matters.

What began as a deeply personal mission to support Kara’s son Ben—who is on the autism spectrum—has grown into a thriving organization helping transition-age youth and young adults develop the skills needed for meaningful, independent employment.

ABLED fills a critical gap. For individuals who are ready to work but need additional support to build stamina, confidence, and real-world experience, this program provides a structured pathway forward. Through job training, community partnerships, and hands-on opportunities like working at Sutter Health Park, clients gain both technical and emotional skills that prepare them for long-term success.

From serving just five individuals to now supporting more than 50 clients annually, ABLED is proving that when people are given the right environment and support, they don’t just participate—they thrive.

This conversation highlights not only the systems change needed in workforce development for people with disabilities, but also the human side of growth—confidence built, fears overcome, and futures reimagined.

💡 Why It Matters

There’s a staggering reality at the center of this conversation: roughly 80% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed or underemployed. 

ABLED is directly addressing that gap—creating a bridge between potential and opportunity.

This episode is a reminder that inclusion isn’t just about access—it’s about preparation, belief, and building systems that actually work for people.

⏱️ Chapter Timestamps (YouTube-Friendly)

00:00 – Welcome + The Origin of ABLED
 02:00 – From 5 Clients to 50+ Served
 04:00 – The Gap Between School and Employment
 06:00 – What “Graduation” Looks Like
 08:00 – Real Work Experience: Sutter Health Park
 10:00 – Community Partnerships + Collaborations
 13:00 – Funding + Grassroots Support
 15:00 – Big Vision: Scaling ABLED Nationwide
 18:00 – Measuring Impact Beyond Data
 21:00 – Confidence, Growth, and Breakthrough Moments
 24:00 – Greatest Needs: Volunteers + Transportation
 27:00 – Success Stories + Real Outcomes
 30:00 – Beyond the Mission (Personal Side of Leadership)
 33:00 – Closing Reflections + Community Impact

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

Transcript

Kara Green: [00:00:00] 80% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed or underemployed, and many of them rely on family members, and that's a terrifying statistic because when you think about the fact that that social or that family structure may not always be there, and so making sure that they have everything that they deserve.

Not need, but deserve in order to capitalize on their, their skillset is I believe what we owe them.

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion are simple to highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our community stronger. Each episode is a chance for these organizations to tell their story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it matters to the [00:01:00] people they serve, to their supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

Through podcasting, we hope to amplify their voices, inspire connection, and give them one more tool to impact the hearts of donors, partners, and neighbors alike. Our work is made possible through the generous support of our partners captrust, offering fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations, Western Health Advantage, a local not-for-profit health plan that believes healthcare is more than coverage.

It's about caring core executive leadership and comprehensive support services. They work in it so you can work on it. And Five Star Bank, a local trusted advisor to community nonprofits for over 25 years. Our episode sponsor is Sacramento Venture Philanthropy, a community of generosity, combining people, expertise, and capital for good.

When a system leaves [00:02:00] gaps, it often takes a parent's love to step in and build something better. In this episode, I'm talking with Kara Green, co-founder and executive director of Abled alongside Kelsey Emmett, one of the program's, shining Success Stories. What started as a deeply personal journey to support Kara's son Ben, who is on the autism spectrum?

Has grown into a powerful organization serving transition, age youth, and young adults across the Sacramento region. Abled is doing something different. They're not just preparing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for employment. They're building confidence, independence, and a bridge to a future that too often feels out of reach.

From job training and real world work experiences to the emotional skills needed to thrive, this program meets people exactly where they are and walks them forward. You'll hear firsthand what that journey looks like from uncertainty to [00:03:00] meaningful employment, from hesitation to I'll try. This conversation is filled with moments that remind us what's possible when opportunity meets belief, and maybe most importantly.

You'll hear why this work matters, not just for the individuals served, but for all of us as a community. Because talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not abled is working to change that. Kara Green. Kelsey Emmett, welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. 

Kara Green: Thank you for having us, Jeff. 

Kelsey Emmett: You having us? Jeff?

Jeff Holden: We're happy you're here. So Kara, like so many other community based organizations, they usually start from a point of passion. There's something that causes you to get involved and to want to change something, change something in the system, change something in an operational procedure, whatever it is that you see.

What was it that brought you to want to [00:04:00] create abled? 

Kara Green: Well that passion is my oldest son, Ben. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Kara Green: Uh, Ben is 22 years old and he is on the autism spectrum. And about seven years ago, Yara, who's our director of program operations and I, we were at a, an event at uc Davis, and we were. Working with other people who have family members and loved ones who are on the spectrum.

And we realized that there was a need for more services for transition age youth and young adults who were coming outta the school system. And so we decided that we were going to start a social recreation program, and that's how Abled started. At the beginning of the pandemic, as all great things do, we decided to start a social wreck for our population, specifically for Ben and his friends, so that they could have access to social activities in a safe way during a time when they weren't able to have those social structures that they usually get through school [00:05:00] or other means.

Mm-hmm. And as we met and. Developed relationships with other families, we realized there was a bigger need than just social recreation. There was a need for more services that went past that point. That were more robust and that we're really focused on independence for people like Ben and his peers. So we decided to start a job training program through Alta.

We became Vendorized in 2023. 

Jeff Holden: And for the benefit of the audience, vendorized means, 

Kara Green: I'm sorry. So we are able to provide, uh, job training services directly to people who are receive services through Alta California Regional. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. So Alto would be a funding source, 

Kara Green: correct? Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Alright. And then as you got abled started, which was how many years ago now?

Kara Green: Almost seven years ago. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. In the orientation of it, it was just a very small program. 

Kara Green: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: So from from seven years ago to today, where are you in terms of [00:06:00] who you serve and how many individuals you're working with? 

Kara Green: So when we opened our doors as a job training program in late 2023, we opened our doors with Kelsey.

And with 

Jeff Holden: Kelsey. You've been around here for a while, 

Kara Green: huh? Yes, she is one of our OGs. Yes. So we started with Kelsey and four other, other peers as well. So there were five people in our program. We now serve over 50 clients a year. And our goal is to help them learn the technical and emotional skills that they need for competitive integrated employment.

Jeff Holden: And we talked about this a little earlier too. There are other organizations in town that have employment for people with disabilities, but sometimes it's overwhelming. It's too much for them to go from, let's say, zero to a hundred miles an hour all at once. But. This could either be a stepping stone to that, or it could be the solution that works them [00:07:00] into, or eases them into employment to where maybe it starts with five or 10 or 15 hours a week where they're then able to work their way up to a full-time job, if I'm not mistaken.

Correct. 

Kara Green: Absolutely. So our program tries to meet that need of scaffolding services. So typically when Kelsey or Ben or anyone comes out of the school system, they've done workability or they've done some similar program where they've worked maybe two hours for four, four times a month. 

Kelsey Emmett: Mm-hmm. 

Kara Green: Maybe for about four or five months.

And when you transition into services like from the Department of Rehabilitation, or if you're looking at competitive integrated employment, you're looking for more hours than that and there are higher expectations. And I know that personally because Ben went through the Department of Rehabilitation through their employment assessment program, and he failed spectacularly.

He did not make it through, and it was no fault of his own right. He just didn't have the skills and the stamina [00:08:00] necessary for the expectations that they had for him. And so that's where we feel like our program is the perfect place for those people who need a little additional support. Who just, you know, they have the skillset, they have the desire to work, they just need to work on some of those skills, and that's where, where able comes in.

Jeff Holden: So tell us, if somebody goes through the program, is there a point when they actually, or like a better description, graduate? 

Kara Green: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: What does that look like? 

Kara Green: Graduation? It's my, I mean, I have so many favorite parts about it, abled, but graduation day is a very special day at Abled 'cause it's a day of celebrating accomplishments.

It's, uh, celebrating all of that hard work. So graduation is when a client is, has found a job. So they've gone out and they've applied for a job just as you or I or anyone would. Maybe they needed a little support with that application or preparing for an interview or working on their resume, but they went out and earned that [00:09:00] employment and they are ready to work.

Typically, we will still provide support in terms of a job coach or someone to help make that transition, but it's the point where they are ready to leave our program and they've shown that they are ready to work alongside anybody. Mm-hmm. All of their peers. 

Jeff Holden: What is an average length of stay? How often, how long are they in the program?

Kara Green: Our program is designed to be an average of about two to three years. Some will stay longer in our program, some will leave earlier. We've had clients who have left our program in four months. 'cause they were ready to move on at that point and and secured employment. We have others who will need additional support because they're either may be looking for something special or maybe they need additional accommodations that we need to make sure they have really honed those skills so that they will be successful in the workplace.

So Kel Kelsey has [00:10:00] been with us for about two and a half years. We're getting close to the point where she will be leaving our program, unfortunately. But we are also very excited about what her future is going to look like when she's working. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, and I'm sure so proud of her because she's now going to graduate into a job, right?

Kara Green: Yes. And Kelsey is, she is, has come so far in our program, just the. That she is able to develop the accommodations and use them to help her be more successful. And the way that she is able to support so many, so many of her peers in our program and help them also be successful each and every day is a real testament to the person that she is.

She is an absolute joy to be around and we are just so proud of everything that she is doing. 

Jeff Holden: Kelsey, I know it's an emotional moment for you. What kind of work will you be doing? 

Kara Green: Where would you like [00:11:00] to work? Healthy Health, Sutter Health 

Jeff Holden: Park, Sutter Health. Uhhuh. 

Kelsey Emmett: And Goodwill. 

Jeff Holden: And Goodwill. Okay. Goodwill is a partner of ours.

We do a lot of work with Goodwill too, and 

Kara Green: Sutter Health Park. Kelsey gets to work at the concession stands. We go and work there. We've already been twice this season already, but it's a great opportunity for our clients to work on their fast food skills, their food handling. Everyone who goes and works at Sutter Health Park has to have their surf safe food handler certification, so they need to know how to handle food safely as well as practicing their customer skills as well.

Jeff Holden: Excellent. And so do you like baseball? That'll work. Right. 

Kara Green: What's your favorite sport, Kelsey?

Kelsey Emmett: Basketball and[00:12:00] 

base 

Kara Green: baseball. 

Jeff Holden: Baseball, good. Well, basketball you won't see much of there, but just a lot of basketball. That's, or a lot of baseball, that's for sure. That'll be fun. 

Kara Green: A long suffering kink. 

Jeff Holden: Oh that. Yeah. Like so many of us. Yes. Me too 

Kelsey Emmett: lot.

Jeff Holden: So in terms of organizations you work with, because I would imagine you have a lot of tentacles into the community simply because of the opportunity for jobs and employment, but other organizations that maybe are in the purview of abled that are collaborators or engagement or referral sources, what's that look like?

Kara Green: So most of our referrals come through the regional center, but we also have. Relationships with We Embrace, which is a sister organization that started around the same time that we started. They focus more on social [00:13:00] recreation. So it's an opportunity for us to work together because they do social recreation really well.

We do not, so we focus more on the job training aspect of it. So we share our connections in that way and support each other. In that regard. Like I mentioned, we also work with Goodwill. Our relationship with them has been really a godsend and they're just so supportive and passionate about supporting our clients and our community and wanting them to get into jobs as soon as possible, which is a wonderful thing.

We also work with helping Hands ov, helping Hands Orange Vale, and that's a great way for our clients to give back to their community. So we do small projects like maybe it's trimming a hedge or doing some light cleaning around a house. We're building a 10 by 12 shed in a couple of weeks. So it's that, that sort of thing where once again, we can take the skills that we've been practicing at abled, whether it's, you know, using [00:14:00] tools or communicating back with the customer and give that directly to other folks who are in need as well.

Jeff Holden: Is there a particular geography that you focus on, or is it whatever is appropriate for the individual? 

Kara Green: Yeah, so we get clients from all over the greater Sacramento area. Okay, so our headquarters are in beautiful Orangeville, California, but we have clients as far away as West Sacramento. We have clients in Elk Grove.

We have clients in Placerville. Primarily our clients are in the Antelope Carmichael Citrus Heights area. But if they are able and willing to get to our program, we are ready to support. 

Jeff Holden: Kelsey, where are you coming from? Where do you live? Antelope are Michael. Hi, Michael. Great. So not too far. Yes. Very fairly easy to get to the uh, yes.

To the facility. How does one [00:15:00] go about getting involved in the program? 

Kara Green: As a client? 

Jeff Holden: As a client, 

Kara Green: yes. Or part or participant. So typically our, our participants come through as referrals from the regional center. Okay. We do a lot of outreach in the community, including our And 

Jeff Holden: you did say that. Yeah. I was, I was, was thinking from the individual, not so much from the, the corporate side of things.

Yes. But yes. So. 

Kara Green: So we do a lot of outreach in terms of going to various fairs, like resource fairs so that people are made aware of our services. We are always posting on social media that we are accepting new clients. They do have to be in order for services to be covered by the regional center. They do have to be a regional center client.

Jeff Holden: Got it. Okay. In terms of funding, how are you funded? Again, we're gonna say regional again, right? Yes. Yeah. Okay. 

Kara Green: We are primarily funded through the regional center and very grateful for that partnership and the opportunity to support the community. But we also do have relationships with other [00:16:00] funders. We have a relationship with the Bonito Foundation, uh, the Golden One, credit Union.

We've worked with SUD in the past. We recently got a, another grant from Sydney Stern Memorial Trust, as well as a lot of people in the community. We, we just find that there are so many good people out there who want to support our population, and you know, whether it's giving $5 or $500, whether it's coming to one of our car washes or volunteering their time, there are a lot of people out there who just want to see our clients succeed.

Jeff Holden: And I remember you saying something about car washes. The clients seem to really enjoy doing car washes for some reason. Right. 

Kara Green: Do you like doing car washes, Kelsey? It's, we're really good at it, aren't we? Yes. We love doing car washes. We're actually doing another one for a Mother's Day car wash in May to support special, uh, special Olympics of Northern California.

Okay. But yes, our clients, it's a great way for them to practice [00:17:00] teamwork. Working together because they all have to get together to wash that car in a short period of time. They need to communicate with the customer, you know, to let them know that the car is ready to make sure that they go over the car with them, and, and it looks the way the, the customer expected it to look.

And they're also practicing money handling. So whether they're getting cash or they're showing them our Venmo or Zelle app so that they can pay, they're just a really, a lot of ways that we can integrate those skills that they need out in the workforce into something that actually is. A lot of fun. We have a lot of fun.

There's music. We're dancing, we're having a good time, and we get a lot of just people driving by who see us out there and want to be a part of it. 

Jeff Holden: Sure. And it's usually good weather, so you're outside having a good time, right? 

Kara Green: Yes. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: With a hose 

Kara Green: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And spraying each other. 

Kara Green: Yes. Yes. We have the hose master 3000.

Right. 

Jeff Holden: Is is that for real? You have a thing? 

Kara Green: It is what we call the hose. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Okay. [00:18:00] Big vision. If a funder were to come through, or let's say a donor who really appreciates what you're doing and says, Kara, you know, I've got a blank check. If you can give me a reason to give it to you, what would it look like?

What would you say? 

Kara Green: I would say that I would love to see abled everywhere around the country, around the world. I think what we're doing is very special in terms of getting people ready for competitive integrated employment, but also giving people who sometimes are overlooked an opportunity to showcase their skillset.

For example, we had a client gauge who for Earth Day yesterday. Made a an amazing if Yes, he made an amazing Earth Day post. He, it's a four and a half minute video that is so well produced. He narrated over it, added his own music, cut in his own, his own pictures, and it's just again. [00:19:00] We don't even know the skills that our clients have.

Mm-hmm. Until we, until they have the opportunity to showcase them. And so I would just love to be able to give everyone who wants to join our program, everyone who wants to develop the skills that they need in order to be successful and competitive, integrated employment and opportunity to do so. And not only the work aspect, but also the independent living skills.

You know, I think a lot about Ben and the fact that. Me as his parent, one of his parents is not going to be here forever and making sure that he is set up for success after I'm gone and, but set up well before that point, right? But also that he has a community that he needs in order to thrive. And so that comes with developing independent living skills so that he can go out into the community safely and navigate our world and has the housing and the ability to [00:20:00] live independently, and also has that tribe of people who are there to support him.

Mm-hmm. So that's what I, I would just love to have. The ability to be able to provide all of those services and help kick open those, those doors for our community so that they can step through and show just what they are capable of. 'cause they're, each one of them are so incredible and so unique in their, they're them.

Like what they, what they do Yes. Is just really, really special to be a part of. And I would like so many more people to have the opportunity to see what they can do. 

Jeff Holden: We'll be right back with more from Kara Green and abled following these brief messages from those who make this program possible. 

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Jeff Holden: We're back to hear more from Kara Green and Kelsey Emmett of abled. Can you imagine just whether it be throughout the state, throughout even our own region, community, there's so many opportunities for people and individuals like Kelly who have the ability, haven't met Ben yet, but there is opportunity and why should we squander that when the skillset is there, let's take advantage of it because the alternative is not good.

Kara Green: Correct. And you know, 80% of people with intellectual and developmental [00:25:00] disabilities are unemployed or underemployed. And many of them rely on family members to support them. Mm-hmm. And that's a terrifying statistic because when you think about the fact that that social or that family structure may not always be there, not for, for 80% of the people, you know, that's not necessarily that a hundred percent of them are going to have a, a support That's great.

And safety net for the rest of their lives. And so making sure that they have everything that they deserve. Not need, but deserve in order to capitalize on their, their skillset is, I believe what we owe them. You know, I owe that to Ben and as, as his parent, I owe that to all of our clients as the executive director of Abled.

And I want that for, for everyone in our community. I. I'm always running into people who have never heard of abled. You know, we're still very small, but growing and I want us to be a [00:26:00] household name, not because of, you know, because of abled, but just because if, if it means that we're that well known, then that means that everyone is getting the services that they deserve.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. Or at least they know the place to go to get some help. 

Kara Green: Yes. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Tell me about impact. How do you gauge impact when you. Look at your reports at the end of the year and you say, okay, here's, here's what we did. Here's how many clients we served. Here's how many people we got, jobs, or whatever it is.

What is the gauge that you say We're successful, we're doing a good job? Because now I know we have one of them sitting right across from us. Right? 

Kara Green: I feel like there are so many ways to gauge impact. We collect a lot of data and we see the growth in our clients, you know, on a weekly. A daily, weekly, monthly, annual basis.

What I love to see the most is when our clients come to our program every day, we proudly boast that we have about 94% [00:27:00] attendance rate for our program because I think people really just like being there. And that 

Jeff Holden: Drew Kelly, do you like being there? Or Kelsey, I'm sorry, Kelsey. 

Kara Green: Kelsey almost always gets perfect attendance, 

Jeff Holden: I would imagine, for, for two and a half years now.

Right? Aren't you getting tired of it? 

Kara Green: I don't know. I don't, I don't, I don't think she'll ever get tired of us, nor will we ever get tired of her. But when, when you see maybe someone who came into the program who was kind of like shy, quiet in the beginning. And then they come and they show you a magic trick that they did, or they get up and they sing karaoke in front of the entire program.

Or like Gage's case where he showed us a video that he made. 

Group: Mm-hmm. 

Kara Green: You know, that to me is where we show our impact because we're show, we have people who are comfortable in their skin, they're comfortable in their bodies. They're comfortable with themselves and who they are, and they feel that we, we, meaning abled is a [00:28:00] safe place where they can be themselves, where they want to try new things.

I mean, we hear clients all the time where, and we ask them to do a job and they're like, well, I'm not sure I can do it, but I'll try. And that huge impact, I mean, just. Going out of your comfort zone and, and trying something new and feeling like, okay, I may not do this perfectly, but I'm gonna try and I'm gonna learn and I'm going to keep trying.

And that's how we grow. Mm-hmm. That's how we develop as, uh, human beings. And, you know, that's how we, we develop that resilience that we all need in order to survive this crazy world. You know, you just have to really be willing to fall down and get back up again. I think that's the biggest impact in our, in our program.

Jeff Holden: So, can I ask Kelsey, what was one of the things that you didn't think you could do, but now you do? Do you remember[00:29:00] 

Oh, awesome. To go to Sutter Health Park? You didn't think that would ever happen, huh? But you said, yes, I'm gonna try, and now you've done it. 

Kara Green: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: That's awesome. That is awesome. 

Kara Green: You should be very proud of yourself, Kelsey, because she's come so far in our program and again, just running food that's not easy.

I'm sure you've worked fast food, Jeff. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. I think it 

Kara Green: lasted a 

Jeff Holden: month. 

Kara Green: Yeah. I still have nightmares about working at Back in the Box when I was in college, so. It's not an easy job, and they're thrown right into the middle of it. There's, you know, they don't get a lot of training on the job when they're at Sutter Health Park.

They're expected to, you know, get in there and start working. For example, yesterday the game was rained out, but they still had over 

Kelsey Emmett: 60 people, 

Kara Green: 600, uh, kids that need, that had food vouchers. Mm. And so our clients Oh wow. Served over 600 meals in an hour. 

Jeff Holden: How was that? Was it [00:30:00] fun? 

Kelsey Emmett: Mm-hmm. 

Kara Green: Yeah. I mean, I, I was shocked.

Not that they could do it, but just that, you know, when, and they came back happy, they came back and were bragging about what they had done as they should, because that's, that's, that's a lot of food. 

Group: Right. 

Kara Green: And, you know, and in less than an hour. And that's not what they expected to do that day. But they pivoted, they rolled with it.

You know, cath, Ms. Catherine talks a lot about being flexible. And so that's what we do. We just, we just adapt and keep moving forward. 

Jeff Holden: How many people do you have in the organization that are employed actually working versus volunteers? 

Kara Green: We have nine employees. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. And of the programs, what is the most demanded program?

Kara Green: Our, our job training program is really our only, it's our main program. 

Jeff Holden: Got it. 

Kara Green: Okay. So everything kind of flows around job training. We're adding job coaching and job development to our program later this year so that we can, again, [00:31:00] have that full spectrum of services available to our clients and then the independent living.

Portion of it is something that we do as part of job training. We're actually going to flesh it out into its own program within the next year 

Jeff Holden: as we see the vision of ables all over the place. Take it back to the reality of today, the single abled. What's the greatest need? 

Kara Green: I would say volunteers are the biggest need.

We love to have new people come into our program and see what our clients are doing and offer their skillset because we feel everyone has something that they can share with our community that will help them develop new skills. People are sometimes reticent because they hear disabled and they're like, oh.

I'm not sure I can do that, or I don't have, you know, the training, you know, our clients are loving, happy people who just want to learn and, and be around other people [00:32:00] and ask them questions about what their lives are like and you know, what they do at home and what, you know, just learn more about people.

And so there's really nothing that anyone has to do in order to be a successful volunteer at our program except. Be patient and open to working with our population. I can give another story. We had a volunteer who came through last week and he was very nervous. He said he was kind of scared about what to expect, and he said that it was in a positive way, nothing like he had expected and.

He was bragging to his, his friends and family about how much fun he had at abled and what a great experience it was for him. And he kept coming back. So what turned, what was going to be like a one time thing, he ended up coming back for the entire week, which was, you know, just a testament to Kelsey and our other clients because they create such a warm, inviting.

Environment that people want to be there. And so, yes, that was a long way to [00:33:00] say that we're always looking for, for volunteers to come and support our clients, to teach them a new skill, whether it's, um, working with them on mock interviews or planting something new in the garden or maybe, you know, teaching them a new way to vacuum or, um, deal with.

Like, um, bugs or other pests that get into the building, 

Jeff Holden: I take 

Kara Green: it 

Jeff Holden: somebody over here doesn't like bugs, huh? 

Kara Green: No, 

Jeff Holden: no, 

Scott Thomas: no. 

Kara Green: Or, you know, going out to the, the, to Sutter Health Park or other work experiences. There is no shortage of opportunities that are, are that people can. And support our clients in, and then, you know, we're always, look, transportation is always an issue for us.

Mm-hmm. You know, because we're working at so many different job sites, and again, giving our some clients the variety of job experiences that they deserve, we're always looking for more transportation to get us to and from places. So if someone has. Maybe they want to help drive or can [00:34:00] donate a vehicle or maybe know of somebody who offers some sort of transportation service.

We would always love to talk with those people as well. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. As you look at the organization today and the number of people, people that you're serving, if they're, if they're in there for that two, two and a half year window, you get to know these clients really, really well because they're, they're with you.

Is there a stagger. In terms of the, so 10 people here are on their second year, 10 are on their first year, and there's, there's this rotation all the way through. Is that typically how it works? 

Kara Green: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Kara Green: Yes. And we make sure we are differentiating instruction to meet every client's needs. So it's not about necessarily, as I mentioned, being there for the entire two years, we're just trying to make sure that we meet a client where they are, and then help them get to the skills that they need.

So like some clients might only be in our program for three to four months, some might stay a little bit longer, and that's 100% okay. Mm-hmm. We just wanna make [00:35:00] sure that we are helping people develop all the skills they need in order to be successful. And of course we, I. You know, I, I hate to say goodbye to any of our clients.

It's always very difficult, but when we hear back from them about how well they're doing, we just had one of our clients who, uh, former clients who reached out to us to say that he had had his most recent review, and he had gotten all like ex meets or exceeds expectations, except for in one in one place.

That's amazing. That is, that's just, that's exactly what you want to hear. And he's working in his community. He can, uh, walk or ride his bike to work. He's working with people who are very supportive. He gets full benefits and he is with a union. So, I mean, it's everything that we dream of when we, when we have someone come through our doors in the beginning, that's what we want them to have when they, that's who they 

Jeff Holden: end 

up.

Kara Green: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Well, we're gonna be hearing that about Kelsey at some point, right? 

Kara Green: Absolutely. 

Jeff Holden: Or next time I [00:36:00] go to Sutter Health Park, I'm gonna see you getting me a hot dog. Or, or a soda or whatever it is. Right? 

Group: Exactly. Or pizza. 

Jeff Holden: Or pizza. 

Group: Yes. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Well, this is gonna be a good question. Um, so, so the next. Question I want to ask you.

This is beyond the mission. It's to give somebody who's listening a feel for who you are, a little bit more than just the executive director and co-founder of the organization, but the more human part, because you don't get to really share that very often, and you carry the organization with you everywhere you go.

It's hard not to. Almost every executive director we speak with, even the most obscure foundations, they still carry it. Because you can't not see what it is that you do in the world at large. You know, you walk around, you're gonna see people with disabilities and it's gonna trigger, okay, that's back to work wherever you may be on vacation, Hawaii or, or Europe.

Kelsey Emmett: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: So let's, let's have a little fun going beyond the [00:37:00] mission early birder Night Owl. 

Kara Green: I, I wish I were an early bird, but I am a night owl.

Jeff Holden: What is your go-to? Comfort food? Popcorn. 

Kara Green: Popcorn. I love movie theater Popcorn. I love movie theater popcorn. 

Jeff Holden: She's learning a little about it. All about you now too, right? What does a perfect day off look like? 

Kara Green: It would be me on the couch with my, with a blanket and my cat ash probably on my lap. Reading a crazy book.

I'm reading this series. It's called Dungeon Crawler Carl. I'm obsessed with it right now. Yeah, 

Jeff Holden: I would not have seen that coming outta your mouth. Not at all. 

Kara Green: I'm obsessed with it. I, it's like nine books. I'm about halfway through and I need to know what happens with Carl and Princess Donut. 

Jeff Holden: [00:38:00] Okay. Any hidden talent we don't know about 

Kara Green: Hidden talent.

I don't know if it's hidden. I love to sing. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Kara Green: Um, they've heard me sing. Yeah. But no, I love to sing. I love to do karaoke. We have on fun Fridays every Friday. We do Fun Friday and we do karaoke at Abled and I usually don't sing because our clients are doing such a great job, uh, singing without us. But yeah, I, I, I wish I were a, um, like background singer for.

Somebody famous. 

Jeff Holden: Wouldn't that be fun? 

Kara Green: It would be so much fun. God, I would love it. 

Jeff Holden: And look, Kelsey's enjoying this 'cause she's laughing. But I'm gonna, I'm gonna ask her a couple questions now too, just because, 'cause I can. 

Kelsey Emmett: Uh oh, Kelsey. 

Jeff Holden: All right. So Kelsey, what is your favorite food? 

Kelsey Emmett: Pizza. 

Jeff Holden: Pizza. Of course, of course.

And then for you, what about your favorite program to [00:39:00] watch on tv? Or do you watch any TV 

Kelsey Emmett: I watch?

Uh, guy Top Gun, Marick. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, Maverick, top Gun Maverick. Yeah. That's a good one. Mm-hmm. So Top Gun, that's your favorite movie? 

Kelsey Emmett: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Tom Cruise. 

Kelsey Emmett: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Okay. And then one last one for you is. What do you like most? Coffee, tea, water, or soda? 

Kelsey Emmett: I have a coffee. Girl. 

Group: You, you're saying you, you're saying mom's taking you to Dutch Pros this afternoon?

Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Perfect, perfect. That's great. Well, Kara, what you do is so important in the community and what you do for the clients and the pe, the people who are employable, who have a skill that just needs to be developed. They have that disability that they don't have anywhere to go to [00:40:00] get them over that hurdle to make them productive citizens, to make people realize that there's an opportunity here for these individuals as well, regardless of that disability is just amazing and we, we don't see enough of it.

I know there's so many organizations that are, they're bigger, but they do it in a different way and. You're filling a, a niche gap in here for those who can fall through the cracks. So for what you and the team of amazing, amazing people you have working with you do every day is so appreciated. So thank you for what you do.

Kelsey, thank you so much for coming in. The best of luck to you at Sutter Health Park. I will be looking for you next time I go and you can bring me my pizza. 

Kara Green: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: So thank you. 

Kara Green: Thank you so much, Jeff. Thank 

Kelsey Emmett: you so much, Jeff. 

Jeff Holden: You're very, very welcome. Thank you for listening to the nonprofit podcast Network.

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