Mingus Job Accelerator
A job acceleration program that provides on-the-job training for adults with intellectual disabilities is seeking assistance in completing construction on its operational hub where they offer training in 30 different job skills—from restaurants to animal care and help patrons find meaningful employment.
Why It Matters
The Mingus Job Accelerator (MJA) is a vocational on-the-job training setting for adults with intellectual disabilities. In the state of Texas, adults with intellectual disabilities sit home or do minimal volunteer work because oftentimes, employers have difficulty training those with challenges. To support families, businesses and animal rescue/care, MJA provides training for 30 different jobs on the two-acre setting, allowing those with varied needs to meet their job goals.
The goal is to observe the participant in a real business, and focus is their abilities, not disability. Once they identify their passion and a job they would enjoy, the non-profit goes into their neighborhood to find a job match. Final construction on the property is needed to complete the program.
The Impact
“My great grandparents and grandparents immigrated from Italy in 1906 and purchased the old grocery store we have renovated to use as the cornerstone of our project, The Mingus Job Accelerator. We want people to have meaningful employment. As a former business owner and the parent of a son with Down Syndrome, I have been on both sides of the coin,” said project nominator Jan Underwood. “In 2015, I sold my business and retired, only to have my dearest friend die from brain cancer. She had no other family and left her estate to me. I put the money in a trust and have used it to fund this project. The community area, which encompasses three small towns, is beyond thrilled to see life and business back in Mingus, Texas."
As with most, COVID has caused us to exhaust a year’s worth of operating capital. We are so close to completion, just need a little help to get completely up and running.
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