Social media makes or breaks small businesses

Posted on March 12, 2015 by comm5775

Story and photo by ALEX HARRINGTON

Small-business owners struggle to find the time in their lives to simply start a business, let alone worry about the smaller tasks like establishing a presence in social media. But, having a solid presence on social media like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram is critical.

Kristen Lavelett, executive director for Local First Utah, knows from her own work with the educational group how important social media influence can be. Local First Utah has more than 20,000 followers on Facebook, through which it informs its audience about various campaigns and services it offers. Local First Utah can quickly and effectively distribute information about its mission.

However, social media are not all rainbows and sunshine. There are difficulties with social media that aspiring business owners must grapple with as well.

One artist, Talin Tanielian, experienced these difficulties firsthand. She had been creating art from a very young age, dabbling in everything from watercolors to animation. She even traveled to France to take art courses at “Gobelins,” a prestigious art school where she received training from animators who worked with Walt Disney Studios and Pixar. After she graduated from the University of Utah, she started thinking about turning this passion into a career.

She began selling her art out of her home in Sandy, Utah, via online websites like “Deviantart.” In January 2014, she turned this process into a new business, “TabbyToons.” To start to advertise her newly built business to a wider audience, she branched out from Deviantart and posted various drawings she had done on Facebook and Instagram.

Though she could now more easily distribute her art and show off her talents, Tanielian found the change from doing art as a hobby to doing it for a living was much more daunting than she expected. Before creating her business, she received nothing but positive feedback for her many art pieces. Hardly anyone outside her friends and family had access to her drawings, paintings, and animations. However, when she started using Facebook and Instagram as a medium to advertise her various creations, she experienced an unexpected and disheartening result.

Her newfound viewers began critiquing her art, posting comments from the constructive to the downright cruel. Tanielian said it was difficult to receive “harsh feedback from others.”

But she realized these critiques didn’t have to have a negative impact on her or the artistic reputation she created. She strove to use the criticism as another positive aspect of social media, rather than retreating from the judgments people have made about her art. “Feedback is inspirational and pushes me to keep going forward,” she said.

So Tanielian embraced social media. She put her art out on Facebook and Instagram and prepared for the judgments that would inevitably come from complete strangers. “[TabbyToons] adds to who I am and what I do,” she said.

Her business has grown from a small group of admirers to dozens of fans and buyers, due largely to social media. She said she still has a long way to go to get “TabbyToons” where she wants it. But her goal is to have multiple websites devoted solely to selling her art.

Ann Marie Thompson said the Women's Business Center is available to help all small-business owners, both women and men.

Ann Marie Thompson said the Women’s Business Center is available to help all small-business owners, both women and men.

This growth may have occurred in a small business like Tanielian’s, but can a larger, locally-owned business expect the same success?

Ann Marie Thompson, program director of the Women’s Business Center, works with small businesses ranging from a one-woman operation like Tanielian’s to larger ones. She swears by the importance of this online presence. “[The] Women’s Business Center utilizes social media every day,” she said. “Business appears to be driven more by social media than traffic.”

 

Filed under: Business, Nonprofits, Profiles, Small Business | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Maeberry Vintage collaborates with local artists through Instagram

Posted on March 10, 2015 by comm5775

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Story and slideshow by MEGAN DOLLE

In her spare time as a child, Rachael Skidmore reveled in trips to her local thrift store, combing through piles of discarded attire in search for that rare and timeless treasure.

Skidmore, now 27, admits that vintage clothing has always made her feel beautiful. She still looks forward to those trips to the thrift store, and has since turned this uncommon passion into a commercial venture. At her business, Maeberry Vintage, located on 207 E. Broadway in Salt Lake City, Skidmore showcases her coveted possessions.

Tireless exploring of thrift outlets, estate sales and yard sales seem to be the secret behind creating a timeless inventory.

“It’s not just old stuff, these are treasures. It’s hard to find those quality pieces,” Skidmore said.

Skidmore simply needs potential customers to appreciate her passion and hard work. Yet, she faces another problem. Location. Maeberry Vintage is situated in the basement of a local retro furniture store.

“I do miss the light of day,” Skidmore said when speaking about her unconventional location. She has found that owning a physical store is more difficult than her experiences with an online business through Etsy, an e-commerce website for handmade or vintage items. “It’s hard for some people to find us. … Getting people here is a challenge,” Skidmore said.

Large companies with enormous marketing budgets don’t appear to have a problem creating foot traffic. Local businesses, on the other hand, need to be more resourceful. How do these resilient entrepreneurs overcome such an overwhelming task? The answer is collaboration.

Salt Lake City business owners and artists have built supportive relationships with one another through Instagram, a popular social networking application. These collaborations allow each participant to take advantage of following, thus dramatically growing his or her own client base and social media reach.

In Skidmore’s case, she is able to reach out to local photographers and stylists through the photo-sharing platform, offering her inventory for trade. Artists with upcoming shoots can rent the clothing for free in exchange for photographs that will be used in marketing by both parties.

Instagram is also an important tool for artists Zach French, 20, and Audrey Tran, 19, who use it for marketing and collaborations. Her boyfriend, French, is majoring in photography at Salt Lake Community College and describes himself as a fashion and street photographer. Tran runs a fashion blog, working alongside French as a stylist and makeup artist.

“I have always loved fashion, it’s always been my passion,” Tran said in a phone interview.

Tran found Skidmore’s store through Instagram and discovered she was searching for artists to collaborate with. Tran jumped at the opportunity to get creative with Maeberry Vintage’s wardrobe. French photographed Tran and other models in a variety of outfits and accessories.

“We have something that is valuable to photographers, which is basically a huge wardrobe full of lots of period pieces, a lot of interesting items that are fun to photograph,” Skidmore said. “They get a wonderful opportunity to put the wardrobe together and it’s free of charge. We get wonderful images of our items in the store and that social media part is just huge.”

That social media part is huge for Maeberry Vintage. When customers arrive, Skidmore asks each of them how they found out about her hidden store. The No. 1 answer she receives is “Instagram.” The young business owner attributes this to her collaborations with local artists like Tran and French.

Yet Skidmore isn’t the only one who benefitted. Tran also experienced a dramatic rise in social media presence since their collaboration — from 1,500 to 2,000 followers in just two weeks.

“I’ve seen a huge increase in my followers. … A lot of them were due to Maeberry Vintage,” Tran said in a phone interview.

Between the three locals involved in this collaboration, their Instagram posts reach almost 14,000 people.

Tran and French appreciate these collaborations because they are also discovering the difficulty of building a client base. In February 2015, they rented a shared space in a studio together at 329 W. Pierpont Ave. French is excited about the opportunity, but they also have some clear concerns.

“So far it’s going great. I love the space. … I think that I will be able to take my art to the next level here,” French said in a phone interview.

But Tran understands the need for increased social media reach and collaborations. “It’s just hard to spread your name out there,” she said.

Kristen Lavelett, executive director of Local First Utah, knows that marketing is one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face.

“Actually expressing who they are is the hardest things for businesses to do. They certainly can’t hire marketing firms, they can’t afford traditional media advertising,” she said.

While Lavelett recognizes the preferred social media platform may differ for each business owner depending on his or her style, she identifies an increasing number of younger users on Instagram. For local clothing companies and artists, Instagram seems to be the new way to reach their target market.

Lavelett expressed it simply, “[Instagram] allows you to very quickly visually represent your business.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Business, Nonprofits, Profiles, Small Business | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

My ride-along with Meals on Wheels

Posted on April 17, 2014 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by IAN SMITH

Experience the ride-along as we delivered meals to about 70 homes.

 

From the moment I hopped into the truck I knew I was in for more than I could have ever expected. I saw the route list. I saw the 70-plus houses that I was going to have to visit. I was excited about the journey I was about to embark on.

The emotions that I would feel throughout the day were making me shake. It wasn’t the feeling of fear, however, more of just a heightened sense of things.

The Salt Lake County Meals on Wheels program was the right choice for me to bring out my emotions on paper. The program itself has an eligibility that older adults must meet to become part of the program.

I walked downstairs and met my driver for the day, John Neerings. I quickly noticed his big smile. It put me at ease. Usually there is some tension between two people when they first meet, but that feeling was nowhere to be found when I was with him.

Of course, we took our time so he could show me exactly where all the meals are cooked and processed. He began walking around the kitchen, which is in the basement of the south county building on 2001 S. State St. I was surprised to see how fast all the employees and volunteers worked.

Meals were taken to different trucks, which were outfitted with a refrigerator and a warming oven. Drivers then quickly left on their routes.

Neerings showed me how the holding section of his truck worked. He had controls by the steering wheel that regulated the temperature.

We got everything ready and it was time for my ride-along. He packed me a Coke and muffins for the ride.

Vital to the community

Jeremy Hart, the independent aging program manager of Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services, said he realized how important the program is to the community once he experienced a ride-along for himself.

In a phone interview, he talked about how vital the meals are for people’s overall health. He told me that the recipients get one-third of their required dietary intake with the meal they get daily.

Hart said the program is growing quickly. Meals on Wheels delivers 1,300 meals per day and currently has around 1,500 clients. In 2013, he said, 330,000 meals — 11,000 more than the previous year — were delivered in Salt Lake County alone.

The volunteer support is substantial. One-third of the drivers who deliver the meals are volunteers. Hart said having them is important to the community and keeps the program from having to start a waiting list for clients.

“The senior population is going to be expanding exponentially by 2020,” he said. “Really soon you’ll have more seniors than you’ll have school-aged kids.”

Meals on Wheels is “a godsend”

As we pulled out of the parking lot, I asked Neerings how he likes his job. The response was more than I had imagined.

“I do love the clients,” he said. “I do care about them. I feel like I’ve got 80 grandmas. I love the job and the people and it gets me exercise.”

Neerings said he enjoys being that “sparkle in their eyes.” That is what motivates him to get going every day — so much so that one of his clients told him the same happy story for about a month straight.

I could see in his eyes that he was struggling when the topic of death was mentioned. I asked if he has many instances of clients who die. He said it happens too often.

I asked Neerings about negative events he’s been through. When he related a few troubling stories, I knew I was in for a long day of emotions.

One client fell during the night and broke her hip. She was unable to reach her phone, so she lay on the floor for hours. Neerings found her in the morning when he brought her a meal. He said he had trouble sleeping for weeks because of it.

Our route took us to places around the city that I didn’t even know were there. Some places I’d like to forget; others were really nice and clean.

One stop after another, we checked homes off the delivery list. We often stayed for longer visits with clients.

June Poulton, 86, who lives near Highland High School, called Meals on Wheels “a godsend.”

“They are the most wonderful people,” she said. “The treat you with respect. They are so comfortable and the food is always so good.”

After visiting about 20 more houses, we talked with Ruth Newbold, 89. She said the food is very good and nutritious and that every once in a while, the driver brings her a treat just to be polite.

Many of the older adults we talked with were very emotional. For example, a woman named Beth was in tears because her son was having some health problems. She looked so lonely. Neerings tried to help her, but there wasn’t that much he could do.

We got back into the truck and an urge to cry came over me. Neerings said he has dealt with instances like that in the past and it is never really easy for him to handle.

“They unload on you when you get there,” he said. “They just need someone to talk to.” He said that Beth was one of the stronger women whom we would be seeing all day.

Neerings also has to deal with frightening situations. Toward the end of the ride, we drove through one of the roughest neighborhoods I’ve ever seen in Utah. As we pulled up to a motel, I was shocked by the awful conditions that Neerings faces weekly. But, he still stopped and said hello to everyone.

As the ride came to an end, he told me about some of his clients who have made him appreciate his job and his health. Neerings, who is 74,  looked forward to returning to the county building in the morning and starting all over again.

Filed under: Aging, Food & Restaurants, Health & Fitness, Nonprofits, Organizations | Tagged: | Leave a comment »

Salt Lake City couple takes PALS program into their own hands

Posted on April 10, 2014 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by STACEY WORSTER

Spend time looking at adoptable pets and meet PALS volunteers Carol and Eric Hochstadt.

The Placing Animals with Loving Seniors (PALS) program managed by The Humane Society of Utah benefits both the owner and animal.

Meghan Zach, a volunteer at the Humane Society, said, “It is very beneficial to both the animal and the owner when the owner is in need of a companion and something to worry about, and the animal gets a new loving owner.”

The Humane Society of Utah, located at 4242 South and 300 West, offers low-price deals to people age 65 and older who are looking for a new addition to their life. The adoption fee is waived when they adopt a dog or cat that is at least 8 years old.

“It gives the seniors something to focus on, a reason to get out of the house,” Zach said.

“A lot of the younger dogs are far too energetic for an older adult to take in,” she said in the foyer of the Humane Society. “That is why we strongly push the older dogs for the seniors to adopt.”

Zach said that when an older adult walks in the door, the adoption counselor on duty always asks about their future plans as a pet owner and arrangements that are in place if an emergency were to occur.

“Unfortunately,” she said, “animals are mostly viewed as property so a lot of people are asked if they have a plan if something unexpected were to happen.”

Zach said helping people pick out their new addition is one of her favorite things to do while volunteering.

“It is different helping seniors pick out their new pet because they have decades of experience,” she said. “It is so fun so hear their stories, they love telling them as well.”

Zach is unsure how many older adults adopt pets at the Humane Society of Utah.

“We don’t keep numbers of who buys what dog,” she said. “I usually do at least two or three senior adoptions a week, and I am just one of six adoption counselors so I am sure the other counselors help seniors as well.”

The Humane Society uses word-of-mouth and advertising to spread the word about the PALS program.

“We have two volunteers that go to the senior living centers, we have the PALS program listed on our website and in newspapers,” Zach said. “Every year the advertising to seniors increases, we are just trying to help them find a friend and companion.”

Eric and Carol Hochstadt have taken the PALS program into their own hands.

“We have been volunteering for The Humane Society of Utah since September of 2009,” Eric said. “After retiring we felt that we could do something more to help the dogs in the shelter, this is when we came across the PALS program.”

The couple has spearheaded the program since October 2013. “Making seniors aware of this opportunity is our hope and desire,” Carol said.

Eric said, “We think our work is effective, and the program is progressing if there is awareness.”

So far, the couple only have anecdotal evidence of the program’s success. They hope counselors will begin noting whether an adoption is through the PALS program so they can gather quantitative data.

“Seniors are smart enough to know that there are plenty of costs that go along with owning an animal,” Carol said.

“Just because they get an animal for small cost or free of charge does not mean it won’t be an expensive purchase,” she said.

The Hochstadts said they are passionate about making older adults mindful of all the options that are available to them.

“Even if they don’t go and adopt an animal, it is interaction for them. As long as we’re helping them, we want to be there,” Eric said.

Carol added, “If seniors decide that owning a pet is not the best idea, they can still come to the Humane Society and walk the dogs. It can give them a sense of responsibility and self-worth.”

Walking a dog can help people strike up conversations with strangers. This is another benefit for an older adult who owns an animal.

“It is very important to have interactions if you want to stay sharp throughout aging,” Carol said. “Having a pet opens up that line of communication. Think of the walks you have gone on and recognized someone’s animal and a conversation started because of the pet.”

The biggest addition to the PALS program is the monthly and sometimes weekly visits the Hochstadts make to different Salt Lake City senior centers.

“We have checked out many different senior centers around the Salt Lake City area. Most of them told us we could not bring animals in,” Carol said. “This defeated our purpose of coming in because having animals there is the whole goal and best advertisement we could have.”

However, Tenth East Senior Center allowed Eric and Carol to bring in animals during their visits.

“The person we talked to at the Tenth East Senior Center was obviously a dog lover and wanted to encourage seniors to adopt a pet,” Carol said.

Because this center allowed the Hochstadts to bring in animals from the Humane Society, they decided to recontact the directors of the other senior centers in the area.

“We told them that Tenth East was allowing us to bring in dogs, and it is a county facility,” Carol said. “They didn’t know what to say so they agreed to let us bring in dogs, but they had to be small dogs, and we have to bring potty pads.”

The couple’s persistence paid off.

“It was great, an employee from a senior center that was adamant about us leaving animals outside the door changed her mind,” Carol said. The employee told her, “If you’d like to come once a month, you should.”

The employees who work at the senior centers give the Hochstadts a call and let them know when there are going to be a lot of people in the building.

“We usually arrive around a quarter to eleven. People seem to be there before lunchtime,” Carol said. “Then we end up talking for awhile and leave around 12:30 p.m.”

The Millcreek Recreation Center put up a table for the Hochstadts to set up their display and talk about the PALS program.

“We sat right next to a fireplace. It was very inviting for people to come and visit,” she said. “It was great because they would tell us their stories about their pets. Even if they aren’t particularly interested in adopting a pet, they are able to tell their stories.”

Many aspects of the PALS program are altered to impress aging adults, but giving people the option to take home a pet can be comforting — as long as it’s a good match.

Carol said a family adopted a puppy for their aging mother, and one week later returned it.

“They came back to the Humane Society and adopted a 10-year-old dog and she loved it. Perfect temperament,” Carol said.

The Hochstadts have found that pet owners find it comforting to care for an older animal.

“Just as they shouldn’t be put out to pasture and considered not valuable because of their age, the older animals that are turned in to the shelter shouldn’t be ignored and considered unadoptable,” Carol said.

The couple said this volunteer job is incredibly rewarding.

“People we have helped adopt a pet still thank us every time they see us,” Eric said. “They say they cannot imagine life without their companion.”

Filed under: Aging, Business, Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Nonprofits, Organizations | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Salt Lake City library teaches older adults basic technology

Posted on March 18, 2014 by comm5775

Story and photo by STACEY WORSTER

Salt Lake City is known for its large library, which offers many services to the public, including the free rental of thousands of books and the free use of computers, study rooms, wireless internet and more. 

The busy atmosphere at The Salt Lake City Main Library not only allows anyone to enter, but it also offers classes to people who want beginning-level courses on technology.

Courses focus on applications such as: Google Drive, Excel and Word. Other classes teach people how to use the Internet to search for jobs, how to send an email and how to create a proper resume.

Errin Pedersen, adult services manager at the library, said she is passionate about helping the aging community.

“I’m particularly interested in finding ways to serve the aging population in terms of getting them engaged in creative pursuits,” Pedersen said in an email interview. “So in the next year we will start having programming at the library that is geared toward that in particular.”

The people who visit the downtown library at 210 East and 400 South range in age and education level. Each person who walks through the door has different aspirations, Pedersen said.

“You have baby boomers who are just beginning to enter retirement, and then you have seniors in their 80s and 90s,” Pedersen said. “And the needs and interests in that range vary widely, which means we have a lot of opportunities to connect.”

She said the technology instructors help people connect with their world so they don’t get left behind. Computers are now so fundamental to everything we do.

“I think we have well-suited instructors to teach the classes,” Pedersen said in a phone interview. “I think it helps knowing the end goal, that you’re taking someone with very limited technology skills and teaching them things that help them navigate the world around them.”

Pedersen served on Salt Lake City’s Aging in Place Initiative in 2013 and learned a lot about the aging community.

“Serving got me really interested in finding ways to serve the aging population. Also, it really helped open my eyes to the community needs regarding seniors,” Pedersen said in the email. “I want the work I do to be effective in reaching the aging people I’m trying to serve.”

An important aspect of reaching people is knowing where they live. Individuals who live closer to the library are more likely to patronize it.

“I think it’s important to constantly look at the data available to us that tells us what the population we serve looks like, so we can better hone our services to work for everyone,” she said.

Pedersen said the library has seen a rapid increase in attendance of the entry-level computer courses. She said the library is working on offering more classes in the future.

Anne Palmer Peterson, the executive director for the Utah Commission on Aging, said technology can be a barrier for older adults. The world is progressing at an ever-increasing rate and technology is now so fundamental to everything we do.

The award-winning Salt Lake City Main Library holds entry-level technology classes so all can learn computer skills.

The award-winning Salt Lake City Main Library holds entry-level technology classes so all can learn computer skills.

Palmer Peterson earned a master’s degree in public administration from The University of Utah. She focused on barriers and incentives to technology and online course delivery.

“I am very interested in finding out how our libraries can be better equipped as technology centers for people who didn’t grow up digital natives,” she said.

“These are people who are excited about being retired and the life of the mind is something that they are devoted to,” Palmer Peterson said.

Lisa Nelson, the program manager for the regional library for the blind, said in an email, “I think libraries will continue to function as community centers, with programming geared toward users of all ages. The focus is shifting from libraries being repositories of information and knowledge, to being an access point to information outside the walls. So to remain vital, libraries will provide what is most interesting to their users,” she said, “including the type of programming that the community wants. Remaining relevant to the community in this digital age is the biggest challenge for libraries, in my opinion.”

Filed under: Aging, Education, Nonprofits | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Utah’s employment resources for people with disabilities

Posted on December 5, 2013 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by PAUL S. GRECO

Meet Corby Campbell and learn more about his success story.

People with disabilities bring valuable skills to the workforce. For example, in 2008 the National Science Foundation reported more than 600,000 scientists and engineers in the U.S. have disabilities.

Some top innovators have learning disabilities, including chief executive officers of Ford Motor Co., Xerox, Kinko’s and Charles Schwab. Apple’s Steve Jobs had dyslexia.

The federal government and each state provide means for people with disabilities to receive assistance with getting employment.

The Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR) is located in downtown Salt Lake City inside the Utah State Board of Education building. Its mission is to assist eligible people with disabilities in obtaining employment and increasing their independence.

The USOR has four divisions: the Division of Rehabilitation Services, Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Division of Disability Determination Services.

Kyle Walker was recently selected as the director of the DRS. He’s been employed with USOR for 13 years.

Born in California and raised in New Mexico, Walker received his Bachelor of Science in sociology and Master of Rehabilitation Counseling degrees from Utah State University. He’s lived in Utah for 20 years.

Walker said every counselor working for USOR has a master’s degree and is licensed with the National Board for Certified Counselors in addition to being state certified.

“So when a person comes in our door,” Walker said, “we’re not just looking at ‘let’s go get you a job at McDonald’s.’”

Instead, clients are given an assessment by a certified counselor. This evaluation is to help the client make meaningful choices for employment, taking into account their interests, aptitudes, abilities and values.

But first, a client must be considered eligible for counseling.

As one of the four divisions within USOR, The Utah Division of Disability Determination Services (DDS) is designed to determine if a claimant is disabled or blind.

Because 40 percent of USOR’s clients have mental illness and 25 percent have cognitive disabilities, evidence must first be obtained. To attain evidence, a claimant’s medical records are sought. If that evidence is unavailable or insufficient to make a determination, the DDS will arrange for a consultative examiner’s evaluation in order to gain additional information.

After sufficient information is gathered, a determination is made by a two-person team consisting of a physician or psychologist and a disability examiner.

If the claimant is found eligible, employment counseling is conducted under the DRS’s Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program.

After completing the assessment, determinations are made for clients regarding not only their interests and abilities, but also what is needed to obtain employment.

For example, if it’s decided that schooling is the best option, VR will pay for the client’s tuition costs. If transportation is an issue, VR will provide travel arrangements to work sites through UTA or by making special accommodations to the clients’ vehicles — things like hand controls on steering wheels or wheelchair lifts.

If working for an employer is not the answer, USOR will fund self-employment opportunities.

“Really, our program is whatever we can do, whatever’s necessary to help them get back to work,” said Walker, director of the Division of Rehabilitation Services.

Eighty percent of the funding for VR’s services comes from the federal government. The remaining 20 percent is provided by the state’s Department of Education.

Employing individuals with a disability benefits both state and government.

In 2005, the University of Utah’s Center for Public Policy & Administration conducted an Economic Impact Study. The results showed that for every dollar the state contributes to the Vocational Rehabilitation program, $5.64 is returned. These returns are in terms of individuals paying taxes from employment and no longer needing government and state assistance.

Corby Campbell, 27, was born in Utah and lives in Orem. Nine years ago Campbell broke his neck in an accident and uses a motorized wheelchair.

“I can’t feel anything below my armpits or move anything below my armpits,” Campbell said.

He said someone told him about the Vocational Rehab program and that it might be able to help pay for college and other job-related necessities.

“And so, I went there,” Campbell said, “expecting to find help from them to get me through school.”

He talked with VR’s counselors and they helped him get started at Salt Lake Community College. Later, he transferred to Brigham Young University and graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Science degree. The Vocational Rehab program paid all his tuition costs.

“They’re wonderful,” Campbell said. “They’re super great people that are just all about trying to help you and figure out just where you want to go.”

In addition to helping with his schooling, VR got him in touch with the right people so he could buy a van.

He bought one with a ramp. VR paid for steering wheel modifications and other hand controls like special knobs to control the wipers, heating controls and other items.

“So that I could drive it independently, which was great,” Campbell said.

He felt his counselors liked working with him because he had direction and he was trying to obtain the goals they set with him.

Campbell finished school in December 2010 and started working full time as a software developer for Mobil Productivity Inc. in Orem the following February.

But his van broke down.

He bought a new one and paid for all of the modifications himself.

“I’m completely self-sustaining,” Campbell said. “That’s what a degree and a van did for me. That’s the point of VR.”

Another resource that helps people with disabilities find employment is TURN Community Services located at 423 W. 800 South in Salt Lake City.

Karen Wright directs two programs for TURN, vocational rehabilitation, and employment personal assistance service.

The latter assists clients who need help with daily living tasks so they can get ready for work. In addition, if the person needs help during work, a personal assistant will act as a liaison for the employer and TURN’s client. These services are provided free of charge.

Wright also works directly with USOR’s vocational rehab counselors once they have completed a client’s assessment and determined whether she or he can work.

“We start on thing like resume, job development, some life skills. Things like learning how to use a bus, learning how to use TRAX, learning how to advocate for themselves,” Wright said.

The list of companies that hire people with disabilities is long. Businesses include Home Depot, Kentucky Fired Chicken, Dan’s Market, WinCo Foods and Sutherlands.

Wright said people with disabilities are very dedicated. “They want to get up in the morning and get ready and they want to go to work. They really like working and they’re good hard workers.”

Being able to be in the workforce not only increases the income a person with a disability makes, but also betters their quality of life.

According to USOR, the following information demonstrates the individual and program success VR achieved during 2012:

  • 30,853 individuals were provided with VR services.
  • 3,427 individuals with disabilities were successfully employed.
  • $15,437,130 in estimated annual taxes were paid.
  • 146 public assistance recipients were successfully employed.
  • 671 Social Security Disability Insurance recipients were successfully employed.

In addition, clients found work in the following areas:

  • 1,032 industrial
  • 754 sales/clerical
  • 727 service occupations
  • 704 professional occupations
  • 98 homemaker/unpaid family worker
  • 74 farm/fishing/forestry
  • 37 self-employed

“This is how welfare programs should work,” Corby Campbell said. “This is what I see Vocational Rehab as: (it) is something to help people that fell down … get back in a way so they can be independent.”

Filed under: Business, Education, Nonprofits, Organizations, People with Disabilities, Profiles, Utah's Economy | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Opportunities for actors who are disabled are scarce in Salt Lake City

Posted on December 5, 2013 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by MAKAYLA STOWELL

See photos of Sandbox Theatre’s production of “Curtains.”

The overture starts, the lights hit you, and you act your heart out. Actors across the country find this feeling to be one of the most exhilarating and exciting things in the world. Shouldn’t this feeling be equally available to everyone, regardless of disabilities?

However, that is not always the case in Hollywood. Actors with disabilities are finding it very hard to find work.

According to an article published by the Deseret News, actors without disabilities are being hired to portray characters with disabilities far more often for large-scale movies being produced in California.

This isn’t only happening on a national level, however. In a local perspective, there are very few actors with disabilities performing on Utah stages.

What few opportunities there are in Salt Lake are hard to find out about, and harder for actors with disabilities to actually audition for.

But it isn’t about the money. Some actors with disabilities say they just want the chance to perform and feel the exhilaration of performing in front of a live audience.

So how are disabled actors in Utah getting the opportunity to get up on stage and do what they love?

In November 2011, Jordan Valley School in Midvale, Utah, put on a production of “Beauty and the Beast.” The cast was made up entirely of students with disabilities.

According to the KSL news story, the show was a huge success and audiences loved it.

Jaycie Vorhees, music therapist for the school, said in the story, “A lot of them are smiling more than I’ve ever seen them smile before.”

This was one opportunity for actors in high school to perform, but what about those actors who are disabled who aren’t in school?

The Sandbox Theatre Company, located in Midvale, offers an opportunity for one blind actress to get on the stage.

Kira Larkin, who is now 36, has been blind since she was a child and loves to perform.

Bridgette Stowell, the producer for Sandbox Theatre Company, said Sandbox enjoys giving Larkin the opportunity to perform.

“It gives her something to do and she works really hard,” Stowell said.

Stowell recalled one time during a production of “Spamalot” that Larkin walked across the stage holding a sign that read, “Did you say Holy Braille?” instead of Holy Grail, which in a big joke within the show.

She said casting Larkin in the shows does present challenges. “She has to have someone guide her around stage and we have to come up with alternative choreography since she can’t do the major dance stuff.”

Stowell said she has received several comments from audience members who think it is really neat that Larkin can be involved with the shows.

Susan Noren, who came several times to see “Curtains,” the last musical produced by Sandbox, thought that Larkin did a great job.

“I wasn’t distracted by Larkin at all, however at one point I was not sure what she was doing in the background,” said Noren, who was aware of Larkin’s visual impairment before seeing the show.

The choreographers had placed Larkin in the background or off to the side of most numbers because she wasn’t able to do the more advanced choreography.

“I think it is really neat that they would make a part for her and that she can add enrichment to her life by being in the shows,” Noren said.

Noren regularly attends theater performances around the Salt Lake Valley and said she had never seen any other actors with disabilities in another show.

She did, however, say that in another Sandbox Theatre production, she had seen an actor without disabilities play the part of the wheelchair-bound President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Stowell said no actors with disabilities auditioned for the role and the actor who was cast worked hard to portray the disability to the best of his ability.

Larkin started performing when she was in the fourth grade. At her elementary  school, it was required that all students in the fourth and fifth grades audition for the school play.

She fell in love with performing and has been doing it ever since.

The first show she did with the Sandbox Theatre Company was “The Sound of Music” in 2008. She heard about it from a friend who encouraged her to audition. Figuring she had nothing to lose, Larkin went to auditions.

She was cast as a nun in the show. She enjoyed the performing and loved getting out and being involved.

Larkin has been in every performance the company has produced but one since then. These shows include “Beauty and the Beast,” “Annie,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” “Spamalot” and “Curtains.”

The only show Larkin didn’t audition for was “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” The directors told her there was a lot of dancing in the show and some on-stage combat. It would probably be best if she sat that one out.

She missed performing but understood and came back to audition for the next one.

“The hardest part is sitting and waiting while everyone else learns the choreography,” Larkin said.

The choreographers have to be patient as does Larkin while they teach modified versions of the more difficult choreography to her.

Larkin is not aware of any other theater companies in Salt Lake that allow and even encourage actors who are disabled to audition for the shows.

She does have other friends who are disabled who do theater in the community. Her friend Kyle, who is also blind, has been in “Savior of the World” at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Conference Center. Like many other talented artists, he also plays the piano despite not being able to see.

Resources for actors with disabilities are available, however. A company called Abilities United Productions allows actors who are disabled to post pictures, resumes and contact information on the company website for potential casting opportunities.

Abilities United works mostly with paraplegics but will represent any actor with any disability.

The company is based in Logan, Utah. Larry N. Sapp II created the company in 2005 after he nearly lost his life in an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He also designed the business model for the company.

Abilities United aims to create an accurate representation of people with disabilities in its independent films. It also hires crew members who are disabled.

The company has produced several feature and short films, all starring actors with disabilities. These films include “London Time” and “Forever Yours.” All titles can be found on its website.

Through companies like Sandbox and Abilities United, actors who are disabled are getting more opportunities to perform. As Larkin wrote in her biography for the play bill of “Curtains,” “(I) would like to thank (the production team of Sandbox) for making my life better by performing in these shows.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Nonprofits, People with Disabilities | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Public transit services for Utahns with disabilities

Posted on November 12, 2013 by comm5775

Story and photos by PAUL S. GRECO

Jonathan Westling has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Monday through Thursday, he rides a transit service provided by UTA.

Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, people with disabilities have been given equal access to transit programs. Transportation providers have the responsibility to make that participation possible.

Throughout the country, this service is known as ADA Paratransit.

Greco_Outside_Story_2_Paratransit_Van

Riders must call for a curbside pickup by one of UTA’s Paratransit vans.

UTA’s Paratransit service consists of small buses, vans and taxicabs. Riders must schedule their trip up to seven days in advance, and service is curb to curb or from designated pick-up points.

“It’s a pretty good system,” Westling said. “UTA really does try to work with our schedules.”

To qualify to ride Paratransit, an applicant must have an in-person interview and an abilities assessment. For example, if a person is determined to be unable to independently ride UTA’s buses or TRAX rail service, even with training, they qualify to use Paratransit. Also, information provided by a health care professional may determine eligibility.

About 90 percent of Paratransit costs are subsidized, making the cost to riders less expensive.

UTA’s Paratransit costs $4 per ride. “Which I have to admit that is a pretty good deal,” Westling said. “But still for a person with a low income like I do, $4 is quite a bit of money.”

Costs vary from state to state. For example, in Los Angeles County, Paratransit costs $3.25 per ride, while in Colorado Springs, Colo., the cost is $3.50.

UTA’s Paratransit’s Rider’s Guide gives detailed information about what is expected of riders. Penalties are assessed to riders if problems arise.

For instance, after waiting five minutes, UTA’s Paratransit will leave a scheduled rider and issue a No-Show. Los Angeles County and Colorado Springs follow that same guideline.

UTA assesses points for penalties. Receiving 12 points within 30 days will result in a one-week suspension.

Points are calculated as follows: one point for rides not cancelled up to four hours before a scheduled pick up; three points for rides cancelled 30 minutes before a pick up; five points for rides cancelled less than 30 minutes or if the rider isn’t present within five minutes of a pick up.

“Yeah, I’ve been suspended a couple of times but not for quite a while because I am pretty responsible,” Westling said. He said other people he knows get suspended quite a bit.

Cherryl Beveridge, special service general manager for UTA, said in an email, “Because Paratransit service is a civil right, UTA cannot impose penalties that suspend a rider’s service without providing the rider an opportunity to appeal the decision, and to be heard.”

To help riders to not receive penalties, UTA offers incentives.

UTA’s Paratransit gives rewards to riders who have a good record — it’s called the “Responsible Rider Reward Program.”

This program says if a rider does not have any points on their record for a six-month period, free rides are issued. The six-month periods are specified as January through June and July through December.

Depending on how often a rider uses Paratransit during those six months determines the amount of free rides they’ll receive. For example, two free rides are given if riders use Paratransit once per week and have no points issued, 10 free rides for three round trips per week and 20 free rides for four or more round trips per week.

No rider rewards are offered by LA County or Colorado Springs Paratransit services.

Other transit services UTA provides also accommodate people with disabilities.

TRAX rail service connects individuals in the Salt Lake Valley.

TRAX rail service connects individuals in the Salt Lake Valley.

Buses, FrontRunner commuter rail line and TRAX rail services have the capacity to assist those with disabilities who do not qualify to ride Paratransit.

Katelyn Johnson is the program director for Turn City Center for the Arts (CCA). CCA gives people with disabilities the opportunity to develop their artistic skills. As part of her job, Johnson takes groups from CCA on UTA’s TRAX service for excursions.

“Their drivers are always accommodating,” she said, “with a few exceptions, nobody’s perfect.”

Johnson says a problem she sometimes runs into is when people with strollers and such use the seating area that’s designated for people with disabilities.

Katelyn Johnson, right helps a client at TURN City Center for the Arts, located at 511 W. 200 South in Salt Lake City.

Katelyn Johnson, right, helps a client at TURN City Center for the Arts, located at 511 W. 200 South in Salt Lake City.

This means that there isn’t enough room for Johnson, her colleagues and her group to all sit together. She then has to split up her group and wait 15 minutes for the next train.

To help with transporting people with disabilities, UTA created an advisory group. Individuals with disabilities are represented on the Committee On Accessible Transportation to ensure non-discrimination.

Members of this group meet each month for approximately two to three hours. “Attendance and participation are important,” UTA says.

Filed under: Nonprofits, Organizations, People with Disabilities, Travel | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Tax incentives in Utah for hiring people with disabilities may go unnoticed

Posted on November 7, 2013 by comm5775

Story and photos by DYLAN LIERD

Federal and state tax credits aim to help Utah businesses hire people with disabilities. However, many companies may be unaware of the incentives that also strive to reduce the number of unemployed Utahns with disabilities.

Work Ability Utah, located at 1595 W. 500 South in Salt Lake City, advocates for unemployed Utahns with disabilities.

Work Ability Utah, located at 1595 W. 500 South in Salt Lake City, advocates for unemployed Utahns with disabilities.

According to Work Ability Utah, an organization that links employers with the workforce of people with disabilities, tax credits such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and the Utah Targeted Job Tax Credit are available for all businesses who are willing to hire Utahns with disabilities. But Carol Rudell, project director for Work Ability Utah, said not enough businesses are taking advantage of these credits.

“I see businesses that are perfectly willing to hire people with disabilities, but there are others that don’t know about the incentives,” Rudell said. “I see a lot of misses out there and a lot of stereotypes that are not true, and when people have more information they are more than happy to hire people with disabilities.”

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a federal tax credit that is designed to encourage cooperation with the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to Work Ability Utah’s website, businesses can earn an annual tax credit of $2,400 per hired person with a disability. Businesses can also earn a $9,000 yearly tax credit when hiring a disabled veteran. To receive these incentives, businesses must complete the Internal Revenue Service Form 8850 and the Employment and Training Administration Form 9061.

Businesses can also receive state tax credit by applying for the Targeted Job Tax Credit. According to the Utah State Tax Commission’s website, the purpose of its creation is to entice companies to hire people with disabilities in order to foster an integrated workforce.

The allotted credit minimizes the amount of income tax the business has to pay, and the amount of money the company receives is based on the salary paid to employed individuals. The maximum credit given is $3,000 per employee per year. This is a credit that can be received for the first two years that the person with a disability is employed. Companies are also not limited by the amount of individuals they can claim under the Targeted Job Tax Credit.

The Division of Services for People with Disabilities ensures the rights of Utahns with disabilities. DSPD is located at 195 N. 1950 West
 in Salt Lake City.

The Division of Services for People with Disabilities ensures the rights of Utahns with disabilities. DSPD is located at 195 N. 1950 West
 in Salt Lake City.

In order to apply for these services, the person with the disability must be eligible for services from the Division of Services for People with Disabilities. Businesses must then complete a TC-40HD form and have it approved by an authorized representative from DSPD.

Tricia Jones-Parkin is the program administrator for DSPD. She is the authorized person who accepts these tax credit forms. Jones-Parkin is tasked with training job coaches and approving businesses that apply for the Targeted Job Tax Credit. Job coaches are responsible for teaching employers how to professionally treat people with disabilities, and how employers can receive tax credits by hiring Utahns with disabilities. However, she said more businesses should be taking advantage of The Targeted Job Tax Credit.

“I haven’t received a single form turned into me this year,” said Jones-Parkin in a phone interview. “When I do training for job coaches, I tell them to tell businesses about the Targeted Job Tax Credit, but there is still not many businesses that do.”

Jones-Parkin also said that nationally, people with disabilities are the most under employed demographic. In Utah, the state is not doing much better than the national average.

According to the Department of Labor’s website, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 13.1 percent. This is more than double the unemployment rate for people without disabilities, which is 6.8 percent. That is why Jones-Parkins said that beyond the tax credits that Utah businesses receive, it is important to hire Utahns with disabilities in order to reduce this number.

In Utah, the Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities works to advocate the importance of hiring people with disabilities to employers.

Leslee Hintze, executive director for the Governor’s Committee, said its members speak to employers about the tax benefits for hiring people with disabilities in order to entice businesses to hire these individuals.

“Once we advocate tax incentives to employers who have a tendency to say, ‘I don’t know if I can take this on,’ they are more likely to hire and continue to hire people with disabilities,” Hintze said in a phone interview. “Businesses really find out that they are great employees, they make the workplace better and they really do a lot for the business they are working for.”

According to the Committee’s website, businesses will also not see their Worker’s Compensation Insurance or Medicaid Insurance rates rise when they hire people with disabilities. Regardless of the incentives, Hintze said it also benefits the U.S. economy to hire people with disabilities so they can contribute financially to society.

“People with disabilities can give back tenfold by becoming taxpayers, which means they will become tax producers and not tax users,” Hintze said. “A country that does not take care of its least fortunate citizens, to me is pretty deplorable. It is a moral imperative, which is why businesses should be looking for opportunities like these because everyone will benefit.”

Filed under: Business, Law and Justice, Nonprofits, Organizations, People with Disabilities, Politics, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Utah organizations for people with disabilities see need for financial improvement

Posted on October 29, 2013 by comm5775

Story and photos by DYLAN LIERD

Under the mandates of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Utah State Legislature authorized more than $215 million to assist people with disabilities in Utah. However, organizations like the Division of Services for People with Disabilities and TURN Community Services Inc. still cannot provide assistance for all.   

According to the DSPD’s website, it is the main source of assistance for Utahns with disabilities. The DSPD serves more than 4,000 individuals, and helps fund some of the more than 50 for profit and nonprofit organizations that provide assistance for people with disabilities.

According to a source in DSPD’s financial department who asked not to be identified, more than 1,900 citizens are still on DSPD’s waiting list. He said that for those who currently receive services, the $215 million is not enough to finance the needs of all Utahns with disabilities.  

“We have half as many people on the waiting list that we are able to serve,” said the source in a phone interview. “The limit of financial assistance was not created from the sequester or the federal government. The legislature appropriated what they could, but there is not enough tax dollars to fill all of the need.”

Consequently, DSPD must determine whether a person is eligible for assistance by evaluating the severity of an applicant’s disability. According to DSPD’s website, individuals who have an IQ of 70 or lower lack daily living skills, which impairs their ability to grapple with the demands of daily life. For that reason, they will receive assistance, or will be prioritized on the waiting list.

The same is true for those who have physical disabilities or brain injuries. Funding for physical disabilities is based on functional loss of limbs, and if the loss is for a continuous period. For brain injuries, the severity of the physical trauma or non-traumatic injury is used to justify the individual’s need to receive services. Preferences are not given to any disability, but priorities are given to applicants who have the most needs.

People who receive financial support are more often long-term recipients. Applicants on the waiting list can only receive financial assistance when there is an increased amount of legislative allotment, or if a recipient dies or moves out of the state.

Eliza Detherage gathers information concerning people with disabilities and TURN.

Eliza Detherage gathers information concerning people with disabilities and TURN.

Eliza Detherage, director of operations for TURN Community Services, said too many people are being turned away from receiving funding due to a lack of revenue.  

“Around 3 percent of the population have a disability in the United States,” Detherage said. “If the population of Utah is around 2 million, then 60,000 people have a disability in Utah, but only a few meet the requirements.”

TURN Community Services employs more than 475 full- and part-time workers, and provides supervised living and 24-hour group homes for people with disabilities. According to TURN’s website, the nonprofit provides summer camps for kids and helps people with disabilities find job opportunities from a variety of employers. A contract with DSPD largely funds TURN Community Services, and for 2013, its budget is more than $14 million. The budget provides financing for supported employment, day programs, respite care, host homes and other services.

According to a document posted on TURN’s website about the contractual agreement with DSPD, it must be an approved Medicaid provider to allow DSPD to bill Medicaid for TURN’s services. Detherage said Medicaid is an essential service for people with disabilities and for TURN. Included with Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income and Social Security disability programs also help fund the costs of TURN’s programs. Detherage said less than 1 percent of TURN’s clients are on SSI or the disability programs. That means few receive additional funding.

“On a broad scale, when you look at people with disabilities, everything we receive is essential. Should there be more? Absolutely,” Detherage said. “I get about 10 calls a week from people that are absolutely desperate, but I know those people are not going to be eligible for services, and if they were eligible, they would just be sitting on the waiting list.”

Areas where TURN helps Utahns with disabilities.

Areas where TURN helps Utahns with disabilities.

Individuals on SSI receive $710 a month, an amount set by Utah law. Detherage said this is the only amount that many people with disabilities have. Therefore, because many people with disabilities cannot work, she said she believes the state legislature must appropriate more funding in order to shrink DSPD’s waiting list and allocate more to SSI beneficiaries.

Mike Bullson is a lawyer at Utah Legal Services. “The monthly benefit is limited, but the only way to receive greater amounts of funding is to allocate more money before being unable to work,” Bullson said in a phone interview. “This would help bring a lot of people out of poverty, but [it] is hard for disabled individuals to do.”

The source at DSPD said the amount of tax revenue the state receives does not allow the state legislature to allocate greater amounts of funding to Utahns with disabilities. Until legislators approve additional funding, organizations like DSPD and TURN Community Services must continue to work with their current funding. And that means many on DSPD’s waiting list will continue to remain there.

Filed under: Law and Justice, Nonprofits, Organizations, People with Disabilities, Utah's Economy | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

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