MABEL K EDMONDS EXCELLENCE IN EQUITY AWARD

Clark State College, OH
Fresh Abilities

Fresh Abilities is a collaboration between Clark State College and The Abilities Connection (TAC), a nonprofit organization that serves people with disabilities and offers safe, inclusive workplaces to thrive. TAC provides several different types of vocational training programs to people with disabilities. One of these programs is Fresh Abilities, a food service training program that empowers individuals with disabilities by providing transferable skills and experience, leading to a pathway for future employment in the food service industry and beyond. As part of its hands-on training, Fresh Abilities operated a restaurant in a downtown co-op. However, there were no spaces for the classroom components of the training at this location, requiring participants to travel between two locations for training, a major barrier to the program.

Meanwhile, Clark State College had been in the process of finding a new food service provider when the Covid-19 pandemic closed campus. When the College returned to in-person education, it was left without a food service provider. Crystal Jones, Vice President for Marketing, Diversity and Community Impact at Clark State and a board member for TAC realized that a partnership could solve both issues: Fresh Abilities could fill the role of food service provider at Clark State, which would provide them with a working restaurant and classrooms in one location.

This collaboration has had positive outcomes for both organizations. For Clark State, working with a nonprofit organization has reduced the institution’s subsidy for a food service provider. Students, faculty, and staff have access to healthy food options that are also cost effective. Fresh Abilities is still open to the public, bringing community members to campus. For TAC and Fresh Abilities trainees, the classrooms and restaurant are located at the same site, reducing the transportation barrier that previously existed. Trainees with disabilities or other barriers have the opportunity to become more familiar with a college campus, which can increase comfort for those who may wish to further their education in the future. TAC has opportunities to connect with other organizations that partner with and visit Clark State, and vice versa. TAC and Clark State are also more easily able to collaborate to identify funding opportunities to support training.

The program demonstrates the importance of encouraging community service among the College’s employees. This partnership is a result of having a Clark State employee serving on the board of directors for TAC. The strongest collaborative workforce programs will come from the deep understanding of community needs that can only be developed by active engagement with community organizations.

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