Give2Empower 2026

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[Lively music playing]

Jordan >>>> Testing, testing. Is everything good here?

Angie >>>> Oh, Jordan is awesome. He’s very fun to work with. He’s very intellectual and he’s a quick learner. He’s a very quick learner and he caught on to everything fast. And when he first used the pallet jack, he’s he seemed like he was a little seasoned.

Jeff >>>> Jordan’s just one of the most naturally positive people I’ve ever met. uh you know if on day two when he’s already throwing out fist bumps to everybody, you you know that it it’s it’s a great fit. We were comfortable with him. He was comfortable with us and then really the the work that he did just spoke for itself. Uh you know that he he earned this spot with us.

Christine >>>> And HD Supply was just on board from the very beginning to the very end. They were at the graduation, they were, you know, even when it was time to hire Jordan, making sure that he got a fair wage and so that but also that he could keep his benefits. Like they were just so in the process. And I think sometimes that’s the part that scares employers because they just don’t know how. And the beauty is you don’t have to know how as an employer. We are here to learn. We’re here to teach you.

Jeff >>>> I love the way that Bobby Dodd Institute is fully integrated within the the business community and especially just from what I’m seeing here, the community of Atlanta in general. I thought the level of communication and the level of training that the interns had was really fantastic and would be happy to work with them again.

Angie >>>> Really dedicated, you know, you ought to see how he go to that time clock. He be right on time. Right on time. Lunch breaks and everything. He doesn’t miss a beat. And I love that. I love the consistency in it. He’s very He’s very adamant about staying consistent. And that’s a A1 on any job.

Christine >>>> What makes Elevate Academy special and different is that we give our participants different opportunities to learn and grow. So they get to work in logistics. They get to work in a clerical environment. And then the third internship is really based on their skill set and their interests. Our program is very person- centered. So we hear uh the interns what they say in the beginning, some want to work in a hospital. So we we do our best to find opportunities that can complement what they want to do in the in the moment and also in the future.

Jordan >>>> Even though I don’t know exactly where I’ll be physically, but I do know that I’ll be in a stable spot and sustainable too. And I’m for and I’m seeing to it that I’m going to forge that path along with learning and seeing what I can do. It’s going to be at times long at times, but but it’ll build up your perseverance and endurance. You’ll also be able to learn some stuff. Stuff that will be very very important in life.

Christine >>>> I think other employers can learn from companies like HD Supply by being open to looking for new talent from different avenues. Uh understanding that everyone has their own zone of genius.

Jeff >>>> I would really encourage other business leaders who may be apprehensive about taking on people with disabilities to really use it as an opportunity to embrace folks who may learn differently or who may have skills that they haven’t necessarily been able to apply but are dedicated to doing a great job that have can find value and meaning within the work that they do and really make positive contributions to a team.