Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | July 28, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 11 work, and we have folks that really excel and prefer that kind of work," he said. "ese are very valuable members of the team. ey're pro- viding a valuable service, and they're doing it correctly, and they're doing it well." Real-life impacts Billy Smith and Marc Cardoza came to work at Riverdale Mills in August 2023 through a program similar to ASPiRE!, provided by the Worcester nonprofit Open Sky Community Services. ey interviewed for their roles like any other employee, and once hired, worked along- side an Open Sky employee for several months before transitioning to working directly under a Riverdale Mills manager. Smith and Cardoza were first hired to sort hog rings used in lobster traps into exactly five-pound buckets. Riverdale Mills produces the wire mesh used in 60% of the lobster traps in North America. Smith and Cardoza demonstrated High unemployment among the disabled Individuals with cognitive disabilities face disproportionately high unemployment rates compared to their non-disabled peers. Worcester County Massachusetts People with cognitive disabilities in the workforce (employed and unemployed) 14,938 115,863 People without cognitive disabilities in the workforce (employed and unemployed) 398,379 3,319,767 Cognitive disability unemployment rate 13.7% 9.6% Non-disabled unemployment rate 3.3% 3.6% Source: WBJ calculations using 2023 data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau AIS CEO Nick Haritos PHOTO | COURTESY OF ASPIRE! since its inception. In 2022, the program had between eight and 20 Radiance team members each week. at figure had grown to between 40 and 50 by 2023, and today sits between 140 and 160. Participants average a total of 170 weekly work shis throughout an aver- age of approximately 500 hours worked. "When you go out to the factory and you watch these folks doing some of their jobs, the focus is off the chart," said AIS CEO Nick Haritos. "ey take such pride in what they do." e amount of productivity ranges between Radiance Program participants depending on their abilities. Some workers' capabilities mean they take on more basic, light tasks, said Haritos. At the same time, their presence and work is not a distraction or deterrent. On the other hand, there are Radiance Program workers whose work greatly adds to AIS' production. In fact, 25% of the drawers in AIS furniture have been put together by employees through the ASPiRE! program, with a 0% rejection rate, said Johnson. "ere's the need for a high attention to detail. It's very focused. It's repetitive their capabilities and have since taken on more responsibilities. Today, they work with powder coating, keep first-aid kits stocked, and pick up scrap metal, among other roles, said Cardoza. e process in which Riverdale has gone about training Smith and Cardoza has made all the difference for Smith. "If we did it wrong, they'll say, 'It's okay, it's okay. Everybody makes mis- takes. You're human.' at's what made us excited to do it. ey didn't look at us like we're special needs. ey looked at us like a human being," he said. Cardoza said Riverdale Mills under- stands he works well with straightfor- ward instructions instead of being given three or four directions at a time. "is is way different. I mean, I love it. Like I said, I love people who help me," said Cardoza. Sometimes work can get overwhelm- ing. When it does, Cardoza said he takes a minute to step outside, take a breather, and then returns to work. At the end of the day, Cardoza goes home feeling good knowing he's done excellent work. "I feel relieved because I have this job," he said. "Now I feel like I'm part of society. Because I pay taxes, I pay bills, it feels nice," said Smith. Johnson works with families who have resigned themselves to the fact that their loved ones will never have a job in the community, and programs like Open Sky's and Seven Hills' give individuals the opportunity for meaningful work. "It can be life changing for a lot of people," said Johnson. Part of what makes Billy Smith's and Marc Cardoza's experience working at Riverdale Mills so meaningful is their relationship with each other. "It's like he's my older brother," said Smith. "Billy's there for me, and I'm there for him," said Cardoza. W PHOTO | COURTESY OF RIVERDALE MILLS

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