In California, a staggering 85% to 92% of adults with autism and intellectual disabilities of working age are unemployed. This chronic unemployment has a significant effect on the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities, their families, and our society as a whole. Without jobs, these individuals live in crushing poverty, their families struggle to help with financial resources, and our society falls short when it comes to providing employment opportunities for this population.
Funded by the Thomas J. Long Foundation, HireAble was formed to demonstrate how to move employment forward and break the cycle of poverty and unemployment for people with intellectual disabilities. HireAble is a collaboration between three non-profit human service agencies, Contra Costa ARC, Futures Explored and East Bay Innovations.