The Fern Cafe Celebrates Success with Local Supported Employment Program

By Laura Swanson
The kitchen of a restaurant is busy, fast-paced and one of the most important positions, oftentimes the most difficult to fill, is the dishwasher. For the past year at The Fern Cafe in Tillamook, Luke has been keeping the dishes clean and amazing his employers with his work ethic, efficiency and speed. “He’s the best dishwasher we’ve ever had,” said restaurant manager Hannah Stinnett. She continued, “He takes a lot of pride in his job and is very clean (important for a dishwasher) and is always cleaning, always busy and he’s fast!”
The Fern had posted the dishwasher position through the Employment Office, and Luke applied with the support of a “job coach” from Marie Mills – Client Employment Services Coordinator Zac Dennis. Individuals that experience developmental disabilities can have the support of job coach or personal support worker (see below for more information about Marie Mills employment program and Tillamook Family Counseling’s Developmental Disability program.) When Luke first started, The Fern trained both Zac and Luke, so Zac could help Luke learn his job duties. Luke “graduated” from the program during the summer and now works five days a week on his own. “We still check on him periodically,” said Zac. “We really appreciate employers that work with us to find a fit for our people. We have folks that are willing to work, we just need more employers that can see the positive potential,” he continued.

“It’s a win-win situation,” said The Fern owner Mira Bowers. “We’ve gained a great employee that’s really good at a job that’s so vital to our business. We can see every day how much he wants to be here, how much he cares about the people and the place.”
“I’ve had other jobs,” commented Luke. “I like this job better. Coming to work is the best part of my day. I like my job a lot and my co-workers.”
“I’d encourage any business owner to look into the program and consider employing those that experience disabilities,” said Hannah. “It’s been life-changing for all of us working with Luke.”

And it’s been life-changing for him, too, with a recent highlight of participating in The Fern’s “secret Santa” holiday gift exchange. As we finished the interview, Luke was eager to get back to work (it was during his shift, and there were dishes to wash!) When we took a few photos of Luke in action, I got a glimpse of his job efficiency as he was a constant blur of motion, making sure clean dishes were ready for the delicious meals coming from The Fern’s kitchen.

Next time you’re in Tillamook, stop into The Fern Café  (1000 N. Main St., Tillamook) enjoy breakfast, lunch or a great pizza, and thank them for their support. Then be sure to leave a tip for the dishwasher, after all, he’s the one that makes sure you’ve got a plate to eat on!

The Developmental Disabilities program currently serves about 200 individuals in the county (all ages) and provides lifespan case management for everyone enrolled, which can include employment support and job coaching. Key elements in expanding job opportunities for these individuals include employers willing to take a close look at employing people with disabilities. There can be short term financial incentives for businesses, the ability to fill entry level positions that may see high turnover, employees who are eager to learn and excited to work, contribute to the community, and earn a pay check. There can be help with funding accommodations in the workplace, the support of job coaches to take the pressure off employers to train the person thoroughly, provide shift oversight, completion of tasks, and support filling out employment necessary paperwork, assistance with addressing questions or concerns, and ongoing skills training for appropriate workplace dress, interactions, etc.
To find out more about the Tillamook County Community Developmental Disabilities Program, go to https://tfcc.org/developmental-disabilities-2/ or call 503-842-8201.