A new employment bureau focusing on employing adults with disabilities is opening this fall in Old Town.
The BEST (Building Employment Solutions Together) employment program is opening at 919 King Street, in the former home of metaphysical bookstore Sacred Circle, which closed in June.
The program is a collaboration between Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund and ServiceSource, and they launched their work in 2020. The following year, The BEST gift shop opened at 122 S. Patrick Street, selling jewelry and other items created by adults with disabilities. The memorial fund was created in 1998 by Alexandria parents Robert and Paola Pizzano after their six-year-old son Joey, a child with special needs, drowned.
An opening date for the business has not been set, but signs at the location say that it will open this fall.
Per the program, a minimum of four supervised staff members will be available for two-to-six hours of work between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The cost per employee, not including the supervisor, is $11.25 an hour.
The services include:
- Inventory and stocking of office and kitchen supplies
- Shredding
- Assembling
- Copying
- Light cleaning (vacuuming, sanitizing, dusting)
- Light garden work (watering plants)
- Mailing/Packets
- Customized tasks
- Sanitizing/Cleaning Gym Equipment
