Partnership works out for hospital, disabled individuals

It’s the proverbial match made in heaven for Northwest Community Hospital, northwest of Chicago in Arlington Heights, Ill., and Little City Foundation in nearby Palatine. For the past 20 years, the hospital has hired residents with disabilities from Little City to fill jobs in environmental services, laundry and other departments at the hospital.

Little City’s charitable mission is to ensure that intellectually and developmentally challenged adults are given the best opportunities for safe, productive lives, including regular full-time jobs with pay and all of the intangible benefits that come with employment.

The hospital benefits by hiring dedicated, hardworking employees who show up every day with big smiles on their faces, says David Flatt, the hospital’s director of environmental services and housekeeping.

Seven Little City residents are working in environmental services’ waste recycling program, and one is in the laundry department helping with linen distribution to inpatient units. They range in age from 22 to their early 60s.

“They are an important part of our fabric,” says Al Jensen, Northwest Community Hospital executive director of facilities. “They are part of our community; they are part of our family. They’re all committed to providing excellent work.”

Flatt says the Little City workers have been invaluable to the hospital’s efforts to ramp up its recycling program for comingled waste. “They treat each day like it’s their first day on the job,” he says. “They are a very happy, outgoing bunch.”

Gloria Washington, a job coach at Little City, helps make sure everyone stays on task. “I’ve never worked with a group of people that is so excited to go to work,” she says. “They believe in doing their jobs. They work very hard and are good at teamwork.”

Jensen says Northwest Community plans to continue its partnership with Little City indefinitely because the residents it hires are an important asset to the hospital.

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Adults with disabilities perform recycling work at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill. 

Photo courtesy of Northwest Community Hospital