Meaningful Work for Persons with Developmental Disabilities

By Grotto

Casey S. emodies service with a smile. She lives and works at Misericorida Heart of Mercy, an organization that provides a home and meaningful work for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“We love each other here, and it’s just fun because we make each other happy every day.”

Video Transcript

Meet Casey: Baker & Dancer

Casey S., speaking to bakery customer: Okay. Anything else? Any coffee or a hot tea?

Customer: Yes. I’ll have a coffee.

Casey S.: Okay.

Well, at Bakery Packaging we usually package all different baked goods. We do sweetbreads, we do cookies, we also do heart-shaped brownies, and then we’ll package them when they get done.

Casey lives and works at Misericordia Heart of Mercy where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities find a home and meaningful work.

We’ll take a whole pan of brownies, and then you would need to cut the brownies, and it will become like a heart. Then we put powdered sugar on it, and it’s usually really good.

Yeah, so this is my housemate, Jen. We live together at our apartment at Shannon Apartments. And we both like to have fun, and we like to laugh together. We’re just one big happy family.

I’ve been dancing for at least 12 years. So I’ve done ballet, tap, and jazz. The Heartbreakers is a big dance group that we do at Misericordia. It’s just really fun hanging out with friends, and we perform like all different areas. It’s just really, really, really nice.

(Dance group bowing and laughing)

I enjoy all the customers here, and I like to talk to them and give out compliments. I like to say — like they might have a cute scarf or they might like…they have nice clothes. And I’ll just tell them about my day and stuff. We love each other here, and it’s just fun because we make each other happy every day.

Chris: You know Casey’s not afraid to give me a hard time. If I’m making mistakes, she’ll let me know.

Casey S.: Oh geez.

Chris: And, you know, she just —

Casey S.: Sometimes. Sometimes. (laughing)