It takes Matt six minutes to prep the mobile cart with a power strip, a cord rail holder and labels. Then he sends it along to the next person for finishing the assembly.

Total assembly time: 30 minutes.

“I like my work and the people I work with,” Matt says.

Matt’s an important part of Newcastle Systems, a manufacturer of powered and mobile workstations for business. He gets the production going on the company’s lines of unique products, mobilized power carts.

“You benefit by using a mobile unit inside a warehouse, for example, to have the accessibility and convenience of equipment at your fingertips – a power source, a printer, a monitor, a filing cabinet – and reducing your footsteps during the day,” says Mike Olson, operations manager at Newcastle Systems for five years. “It’s easy to underestimate how much time is spent walking back and forth to fixed printers, computers, scales and other equipment. It can cost thousands of dollars over the course of a year.”

Newcastle Systems’ custom-designed workstations serve education, retail, manufacturing and warehouse applications.

“Each system is configured specifically for your use, and it starts with Matt,” says Olson, Matt’s supervisor.

Matt preps every system with wiring, cabling and detailing and passes it along the production line.

“He’s a real good worker,” Olson says. “I tell him once and he picks it up quickly. He’s helped us tremendously. We’re glad to have him as part of our lean manufacturing team.”

Matt works five and a half hours a day, twice a week, and helps the company build their 45 systems a day. He’s motivated and hasn’t missed a day in the year he’s worked there.

“I want to work with my hands and I have a good boss,” he says.
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And he’s particularly proud of his paycheck.

When Jeff came to CLASS in 2013, he knew he wanted to find a place for himself in his community, both socially and with a job. So he worked hard.

Through on-the-job vocational training he learned retail skills as a volunteer, sorting donated clothing at Ruth’s Place, talking to customers and working with a supervisor and other volunteers. He set an example of success and independence for his peers to follow.

Jeff’s accomplishments and great resume quickly led to a part-time job at Sodexo on the campus of Merrimack College, working in the dining commons.

“I’m a hard worker,” Jeff said. “I cleaned tables and worked behind the counter at the sandwich shop. I worked with my supervisor and did what I was told to do. I was proud of my job.”

Then everything changed.

Jeff, then 26, left CLASS in June 2016 to live with his family in Connecticut immediately following the death of his mom from cancer. He took it very hard — many sudden changes made it hard.

“His whole life was disrupted,” said Carol Martin, his case coordinator at CLASS. “Jeff moved the day after the funeral. Everything was done so quickly.”

One of the first things Jeff and his family did was contact the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services for support, but they were unsuccessful. Disappointed in having no services, they felt their options were shrinking.

“It was an unsettling time for Jeff,” said Carol Martin, his case coordinator. “He was with people who care about him very much, but he missed what his life had been – the social life, work and the paycheck. He called me at least once to three times a week just to talk. He was adjusting, doing OK, but he said he missed people here.

“He told me he wanted to move back to Massachusetts and back to CLASS,” Carol said. “Life was full here – that’s what Jeff wanted for himself again.”

So the young man began advocating for himself in earnest, telling his family first that he wanted to move back, how he missed the area and what his life had been.

“I want to work and I want to be busy,” Jeff said.

Jeff was a fast worker. Within six months, in December 2016 he called Carol to announce he was moving to Lowell to live with family. Carol helped them get his MassHealth coverage reinstated, then contacted his DDS service coordinator to let her know Jeff would be arriving soon.

“We got him back,” Carol said. “Now he needs to rebuild his social life, since he's settled here and comfortable.
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“And he’s out interviewing for a job, the next step in his career,” she said with a contented smile.

​Susan smiles a greeting at guests entering the Porthole Restaurant in Lynn, a family-owned business proud of its award-winning clam chowder. She counts her guests, picks up the right number of menus and seats them as close to the windows as she can, so they can enjoy the view of the Boston skyline across the sound.

Susan loves working here and she beams as she says, “I love to be doing something important. I love people and I love to seat people.”

“Susan’s success demonstrates the value and purpose of our employment program at CLASS,” says Peter Wiese, Employment Services supervisor. “Our placement, coaching and ongoing support ensure long-term success and independence for every person we match to a job.”

In addition to her hostess work, Susan helps the waitstaff with setting tables when things get busy.

"I've been working here for six years and I notice a difference in our guests when Susan is working, seating them for lunch," said Rob Langford, her manager. "They're glad to see her. She greets them with a smile and takes care of them. We're happy she's an employee here and she's done a great job for two years."

“It’s a joy to work with Susan,” echoes Career Specialist Keone Coleman, her job coach at CLASS. “She tends to be a fast learner and is such a happy-go-lucky individual, always full of life. She really loves her job at the Porthole and the people here really enjoy her energy.”

“Susan currently works two jobs and does good work at both,” Keone adds. “She is so independent she makes my job easy.

“Susan really exemplifies what it means to be a good employee.”

“I’m the hostess with the mostest,” she says, smiling.

As a writer, John Miller describes what he knows. In Adventures in Handom, his first book, he describes and illustrates what has been in his head since he was a preschooler. Kindness is his message; coming together as a community, his theme.

Big topics for a teenager. But three book signings and sales of nearly 350 books later, his message is reaching its audience.

Handom is a colony on a planet far, far away, “peopled” with inhabitants who thrive on “Goodness Juice.” John, himself, is described by his mom, Lauren, as having a “kind heart, good soul,” so it comes as no surprise that his books are imbued with good intention.

​“Adventures in Handom is not about autism, but gives a peek inside the world of autism through the eyes of a child on the autism spectrum,” Lauren says.

What makes this young man’s accomplishment even more remarkable is his diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder at age 5. While John has struggled with his learning style and social challenges that accompany autism, one thing has remained true and steady: his imagination.

The tall young man waits patiently in the lobby for his ride to work, dressed in the Walmart uniform of a fluorescent orange vest, Walmart billed cap and khakis. A Patriots jersey peeks through his V-neck vest and he quickly tells us he’s also a Bruins fan.

Jason Stevens, 35, has worked at Walmart for 16 years and he’s very proud to tell you about it.

“I like the people and the customers,” he says.

Three days a week, three to four hours a day, Jason clears the Walmart parking lot, taking care of cart retrieval and picking up the grounds.

“It’s hard,” he says. “I try to do it all but I have some help.”

On wet days his motorcycle rain suit doubles as protection while he’s working the lot — weekends he wears it on rides with his dad.

​He knows absolutely everybody at Walmart, says Emily Horn, his CLASS case coordinator. He doesn’t have a job coach, which every other individual matched to employment by CLASS has, so Emily only steps in when needed, such as when Walmart has a change in management — to train the new staff, not Jason.

“He’s had a job at Walmart since 2000 and he’s always been on the job alone, no job coaching required,” she says. “He’ll always need help with certain things like working independently in a responsible manner, expressing and asserting himself. He’s a little shy sometimes, especially with strangers.”

CLASS career specialists match individuals to productive jobs in the community – jobs that interest and challenge individuals and with employers who value their contribution and strong work ethic.

Jason’s learning disorder and ADHD diagnosis does not stand in the way of his work — as his results show during Walmart’s annual safety and customer service training.

“Jason has done very well, earning a raise every year he’s worked at Walmart,” Emily says. “He’s a hard worker, thanks to his mom’s influence, and he loves earning his own paycheck.”

​​“He used to see me and take off in the other direction,” says his case manager, Lesley Laureano, smiling. “He’s really smart and has good communication skills.”

“When David started with CLASS he was a very withdrawn young man who didn’t say more than 10 words in a day,” Mary says. “He’s gone from being curled up in a chair to being one of the first on the vans, ready to go.
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“I’d say David has come a very long way.”

Two CLASS individuals, Glory and Andrew, have been matched to jobs at Muffin Town – part-time jobs that make them both very proud.

“Glory is very proficient and lets me know, ‘It’s my time to clean,’” Muffin Town Sanitation Manager David Martin says. “She gave a good set of guidelines to Andrew, whom she trained for the job.

“And Andrew always asks to help out and how he can improve – ‘Check my job,’ he says. They both have fit right in.”

Muffin Town, a division of J.S.B. Industries headquartered in Chelsea, Mass., operates food production with clean-room precision. Lawrence is a new location for J.S.B. Industries, led by Scott Anderson, V.P. of Operations and co-owner, one that increases the company’s capacity and efficiency in a totally modern, state-of-the-art facility that produces 8,000 to 10,000 cases of baked goods per day under the Muffin Town banner.

​“We at Muffin Town are proud of our diverse workforce and believe everyone has an equal part in the job to be done,” says Plant Manager Rafael de la Cruz. “The benefit for Andrew and Glory as Muffin Town employees is they thrive in their jobs, keep moving forward.”

CLASS Career Specialist Ken Masson worked with Glory and Andrew to match them to their jobs and coached them to independence.

“Our partnership with Muffin Town has been so successful we’re in discussions to hire two more people for their cleaning staff,” he says.

CLASS has placed individuals in mail rooms, cleaning departments, health spa laundry rooms, and grocery stores. Support the community who has made your business successful by hiring a CLASS worker.
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Call Charlie Powderly, 978-975-8587, ext. 1339, to set up an interview.

Rosie is sitting at the dining room table. She smiles and raises a hand in greeting. Dumpling, her black Chihuahua rescue dog, jumps around, welcoming the new visitors.

Except Rosie’s chair is a wheelchair, not a dining room chair. And today she’s finding it hard to keep her head up.

Doctors told John and Rosemarie Ingeme their daughter would never see and would never walk.

But, Rosie, 40, is thriving.

“I was told she would have the intellect of a 5-year-old,” her mom says. “They gave me no hope.”

Rosie had heart failure when just 3 years old, the result of a heart defect. Surgery corrected a faulty valve, but her parents say the late diagnosis and treatment caused pulmonary stenosis, brain damage and cerebral palsy.

“It affected her whole right side and she’s legally blind,” her mom says.

Her parents have been a team in relentless search for services for their daughter.

“We’re fierce advocates; it never stops,” John says.

In 2012 the Ingemes turned to the CLASS Adult Family Care program for help. AFC provides multiple supports funded by MassHealth, including clinical and financial assistance to qualified caregivers. The financial assistance helped with Rosie’s assistive technology that helps her through her day.

“She had a stroke in 2005 and gained weight from the meds they put her on, and that makes it hard for her to get around,” John says. “So we bought a mobile shower chair, a new wheelchair and a new transport chair for her.”

The AFC flex spending made it possible to buy Rosie a computer with a touch screen for communications.

“The Adult Family Care program has been very good for us,” says Rosemarie, 71, who retired after 25 years of service from Lahey Clinic in 2009. “We also hired a home health attendant, so we can ease off the more physical part of Rosie’s care.”
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“We’re later in life, retired on a fixed income, so we need that,” says John, 74, who worked two to three jobs when all four of his kids were living at home. “It helps us pick up the slack and get a necessary break.”
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And Adult Family Care is working for them.

Facing an emptying nest, professional caregiver Priscilla Roberts had been looking around for a new job when it occurred to her to provide a home to someone who needed one.

Her home.

“I decided to become a caregiver in my family setting,” she says. “I’ve seen a lot of people who need a family. My goal is to make a person feel like part of a family.”

After she applied to CLASS Adult Family Care and was approved, she spoke with Registered Nurse Migdalia Bachman and AFC Care Manager Kemelin Domenech, who was later promoted to Day Hab manager. They arranged to meet Thomas, then 24 and living on the South Shore.

This is the first non-biological match for the CLASS program, which provides clinical and financial assistance for qualified caregivers to care for individuals with developmental disabilities at home. Once caregivers are approved, CLASS staff teaches them how to manage everyday challenges, such as personal care, meals and supervision. Monthly in-home visits and 24-hour emergency care consultation assures their success.

​“When I met Thomas, he was quiet, but we spent an hour talking,” Priscilla says. “We decided we wanted to move ahead and we wanted to move quickly.”

​Thomas, who also attends the CLASS Day Hab program now, moved into Priscilla’s home at the end of February 2015.

“He came the day we were celebrating my birthday, which is Valentine’s Day,” Priscilla says. “So Thomas was part of our family reunion.

“This is not work; it’s not a job,” she adds. “I introduce Thomas as part of my family.”

And Priscilla and Thomas are part of the CLASS family.