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A-Team Missouri Launches Meeting Series with Success
A-Team Missouri was off to a great start with the first in a series of monthly Zoom meetings on July 31.
Planned as an opportunity to collaborate, organize and help individual shop efforts, the meeting was led by Missouri A-Team Chair Heather Pugh. Representatives from shops around Missouri joined, with several bringing some employees with disabilities, staff members and other supporters.
Pugh cited upcoming issues like proposed legislation that could hurt or even close workshops, the need to expand A-Team into every workshop in the state and practical ideas for helping make that a reality.
“The idea behind the monthly meetings is to support and help the individual A-Teams,” she said. “We want to collaborate together and share the same message. But it’s especially important for each of you to look at ways for you to direct your shop’s group the way you want.”
A-Team Missouri was created several years ago to tell the real story of adults with disabilities who choose sheltered employment. A major focus is ensuring continuation of facilities like workshops that provide employment options for those who most need them and to help society better understand the needs of this community. “There is no one size fits all when it comes to employment options,” Pugh said.
Misconceptions and Opposition
Unfortunately, some have been arguing against employee choice, often saying community employment or day facilities are the only options. A-Team formed in part to counter these arguments – arguments that parents of those with disabilities know don’t work. Using firsthand experience, parents and guardians say community employment is great for many but can completely fail others, especially those with the most severe disabilities.
Pugh said Missouri A-Team will prioritize support for the state’s A-Team chapters. Monthly meetings and “how-to” information for talking points, meeting ideas and more will be shared.
“We want to make sure we’re giving you tools to be successful with your chapter…and we are mobilizing a plan of attack,” she said. “We want to grow every month so we’re asking you to bring parents, bring guardians, drivers, case managers – everyone involved who cares about our employees.”
A Louder Voice
One hurdle involves better communication with state and especially federal leaders. “We show up in Jeff City in our green T-shirts, we write letters, but when we’re asking people to write letters we’re not seeing the outcry we need,” Pugh explained. “We’ll have maybe 300 people write letters, and we need 10 times that.”
Several upcoming issues make timing important. The federal departments of justice and labor are both engaged in work that could threaten 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, a critical issue for workshops. Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is also engaged in a revision of several regulations that play a critical role in workshop operations. These and several other developments can be impacted by people voicing their opinions.
“Your testimony moves the world,” Pugh said. “Whether you’re a staff member or a parent, your personal testimony is what makes the difference.”
Good News, Too
Several positive steps are occurring. Pugh praised MASWM’s Legislative Committee Chair Kit Brewer, whose state and federal efforts are extremely effective. During the meeting, an employee from Lake Area Industries also noted her YouTube programming that advocates for workshops.
A-Team chapters participating in this meeting included Ideal Industries, Richmond; Vocational Services, Inc., Liberty; Lake Area Industries, Camdenton; Southeast Enterprises, Kansas City; Giving Gardens, Columbia; Lafayette County Enterprises, Higginsville; Heartland Industries, St. Louis; Project CU, St. Louis; CASCO, Harrisonville; SWI, Springfield; Pulaski County, Richland; Valley Industries, Hazelwood; Empac Group, Sullivan; and MCII, Farmington.
The next A-Team meeting will be Aug. 28. Later dates include Sept. 25, Oct. 30 and Nov. 27. For more information, contact Heather Pugh at heatherpugh@idealindustriesincorporated.com or (816) 470-7137.