3.16.17 – Press Release

Bridgewell Honors Gordon College’s Tyler Blake with Champion Award

Award recognizes outstanding partners who help individuals with disabilities feel valued and appreciated as members of the workforce

Wenham, Mass. – March 16, 2017 – Bridgewell, a Lynnfield based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and helping individuals with intellectual, developmental and psychiatric disabilities and other life challenges, has awarded Tyler Blake of Gordon College the third annual Champion Award.

The award recognizes outstanding business partners of Bridgewell who help individuals with disabilities feel valued and appreciated as members of the workforce. The Gordon College partnership hosts up to five Bridgewell people with disabilities at a time. They work at the college book store each week, assisting with cleaning and maintenance of the store and adjoining cafeteria. 

“Tyler has been an incredible partner for the past 10 years and has helped so many individuals with disabilities maintain jobs in the local community,” said Ashley Smallwood, Bridgewell Career Specialist. “His support has inspired our workers to reach their full potential by providing important contributions to the book store and helping them feel valued and respected.”

To recognize and applaud the outstanding Community Business Partners that make the Employment Supports Program possible, Bridgewell created the Champion Award. This award is presented annually to one community business partner to recognize their contribution to helping individuals with disabilities be valued and appreciated members of the workforce. Honorees are selected based on the following criteria:

• Community Business Partner – Nominee must be an employee of a contracted Community Business Partner or an employee of a company where an individual from the Employment Program is placed in an individual job placement. Bridgewell employees are not eligible.
• Goes Above and Beyond – Nominee displays the desire to do more then what is generally required in a role and makes a very visible difference in the life of a person or our services.
• Creates an Inclusive Environment – Nominee understands the importance of involving an individual served in the workplace culture and other social aspects of the workplace.

If you are interested in becoming a Community Business Partner, or to learn more about Bridgewell’s Employment Supports program, please contact Ashley Smallwood at 339-883-1757 or asmallwood@bridgewell.org.

For more information, visit http://bridgewell.org.  

ABOUT BRIDGEWELL:

Bridgewell is a Lynnfield based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and helping individuals with intellectual, developmental and psychiatric disabilities and other life challenges to direct their own lives, achieve personal and professional success, and remain active participants in society. Bridgewell services more than 6,250 individuals and their families in Massachusetts, providing residential and day services, affordable housing and homeless services, clinical services, substance use disorder treatment, recreational services, as well as employment training and educational services. For more information visit bridgewell.org.

Media Contact:

Paige Allen
Greenough, on behalf of Bridgewell
(774)-701-3593
pallen@greenough.biz