James Sweet, McDonald’s employee, cleans a beverage fountain. (Photos by Amanda McFarland)

WARSAW — A typical work day for James Sweet, Warsaw, might consist of making tea, cleaning the beverage fountain or taking out the garbage. This may sound like a typical McDonald’s work day, but for Sweet, it is a dream come true.

Sweet is employed through Career Links, an employment program of Cardinal Services, Warsaw, that places individuals with disabilities in jobs suited to their skills and abilities. Career Links partners with several employers in the Warsaw, including the McDonald’s at Detroit Street and Fort Wayne Street, where Sweet has worked for the past six months.

“James does an excellent job,” manager Steven Gift said. “You can say, ‘this is what I need to get done,’ and he gets it done. Everything I’ve ever asked him to do, it’s like, ‘no problem.'”

James Sweet grins as he reassembles the beverage machine he has just cleaned.

After losing his first job, Sweet did not want to be unemployed, so he approached Career Links about finding a new workplace. Career Links representatives, in turn, approached Gift, who agreed. Sweet worked an eight-hour introductory shift and the job turned out to be a perfect fit.

“He did just fine,” DeWald said proudly. “He was moving around this place, cleaning up, doing just fine.”

Employment Specialist LaTisha DeWald serves as Sweet’s job coach and has enjoyed watching him grow as an employee despite other people’s uncertainties.

“The thing I get joy out of is, the doubts there were, he completely exceeded those expectations,” DeWald said.

Sweet has become a favorite among many customers, who often take the time to stop and talk with him. Some even make it a point to eat at that particular restaurant just to say “hi” to Sweet.

“That’s one of the great things about having a community job,” Cardinal Services Community Relations Manager Michelle Boxell said. “People are making relationships.”

Sweet noted he always wants to work. One day, when his ride was broken down, he even walked in, determined not to miss a day. He proudly added that he works five days a week, roughly 30 hours. He also gets along well with his co-workers.

“Every time I come in here, the entire staff, they say, ‘James is doing fine,'” DeWald said.

In some instances, other employers in the community have observed Cardinal clients, including Sweet, successfully working their jobs and have contacted Career Links wanting to know how to implement a program of their own.

“I think a lot of reasons people with disabilities make good employees is that they’ve been told ‘no’ a lot,” Boxell said. “The employment rate for people with disabilities is only 34 percent. They know how hard it is to get jobs.”

Career Links does not simply place an employee and then move on. Employment specialists like DeWald work with the employees and, if necessary, help with re-training so the employer does not have to take that time out of his or her schedule. She added, however, that Sweet has never needed retraining, but picks up on tasks quickly.

Boxell and DeWald believe programs like Career Links fill two kinds of needs in one — the need on the part of the employee for a job and the need on the part of the employer for workers.

“Almost anywhere you work, there’s a staffing issue,” DeWald said.

More information about Career Links is available here.