Meet Jeffery
Jeffery is a valued employee at the Riverview Plaza Hotel, where his reliability and strong work ethic help keep operations running smoothly each day. Like many individuals with disabilities, finding the right fit in the workplace wasn’t always easy. Jeffery is on the autism spectrum, and the challenges of navigating the job search once made steady employment feel out of reach.
Through VOA Southeast’s Supported Employment program, individuals receive personalized assessments, job coaching, and connections to employers who recognize their strengths. Jeffery’s experience reflects how the right support—paired with perseverance—can lead to meaningful work, stability, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Jeffery holds a certificate from Review Plaza Hotel recognizing 5 years of service. Next year will be 10 years since he joined the company
Jeffery’s Success with VOA Southeast’s Supported Employment
When we first sat down with Jeffery, you could feel the relief in his voice as he talked about work. For years, looking for a steady job felt like an impossible puzzle. Jeffery is on the Autism spectrum, and the everyday social demands, pacing, and unknowns of job hunting overwhelmed him. College and life after school brought highs and crushing lows — including a period of deep depression that kept him home and wondering what he could do next.
Then he met people who wouldn’t give up on him.
“It changed my life. I found something that was a good fit for me…something I could learn how to do and be good at, and stick with it.”
— Jeffery (client)
Getting Connected
A turning point came in 2017, when Jeffery connected with staff from VOA Southeast through vocational rehabilitation. Our Director of Supported Employment Anthony Lewis walked the path with him: making introductions, arranging assessments, testing what job tasks fit his strengths, and helping him navigate temp placements that could lead to long-term work. “Anthony really came to my side,” Jeffery told us. “He tried to find a stable job…something that catered more to my strengths.”
That patience and hands-on support mattered. After a few months working through a temp agency, Jeffery began at the Review Plaza Hotel, part of PCH Hotels & Resorts. He started under contract in March 2017 and — after completing the assessment and continuing to show up and learn — was hired on September 20, 2017. His role: stocking linens and towels so housekeepers could replenish rooms each morning. It’s solid, physical work, and it fits him.
“It changed my life,” Jeffery said. “I found something that was a good fit for me…something I could learn how to do and be good at, and stick with it.” Instead of sitting at home trapped by depression, he had a routine, a purpose, and a place where his reliability mattered. On the busiest weeks — even when he worked seven days straight — Jeffery was the person the hotel depended on. Management relied on him to train new hires, and he took pride in doing the job well.
Jeffery is grateful for the flexibility his supervisors provide when deliveries are delayed or linens run short; sometimes he must stay late to finish a shift, and managers work with him when that happens. He’s seen people try the job and decide it’s not for them — but he stayed, and that perseverance has meant stability for him and the hotel.
About VOA Southeast’s Supported Employment Program
At VOA Southeast, this is the kind of outcome our job coaching and placement teams work for every day. Our Supported Employment program serves close to 200 individuals each year. On average, we are able to move 2/3 of those we serve into meaningful jobs with an average of 25 hours per week. Our approach prioritizes:
- individualized assessment to match tasks with strengths;
- coordinated supports — from vocational rehab referrals to on-site assessments and job coaching;
- employer partnerships that create real opportunities and allow for reasonable accommodations; and
- long-term follow-up so people like Jeffery can keep succeeding even when schedules, staffing, or supplies change.
Employment is more than just income — it’s dignity, routine, and mental health. When an individual’s talents are recognized and matched with the right supports, the results can be transformative. “It keeps me busy,” Jeffery said. “It’s good, physical work. I appreciate Anthony for helping me out as much as he has these past nine years.”
If Jeffery’s journey moves you, know that it’s one of many. VOA Southeast helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities find meaningful employment. That commitment to people and walking alongside them is the journey—and we are here for every step.