SEASON'S GREETINGS

At Sertoma, we respectfully serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities year-round and are honored to better the lives of others. This year has been full of successes! One example of success is the amazing milestones our supportive employment interns and staff have accomplished. These successful internships that result in job placement are a prime example of our mission in action! 

In July, at the annual Project SEARCH conference, Sertoma’s employment team at Children’s Hospital received tremendous recognition as being one of only seventy programs out of 755 sites worldwide to achieve a 100% job placement award for our 2022 interns. Currently, our three Project SEARCH intern programs have successfully graduated twenty applicants, achieving an impressive, nearly 100%, employment rate prior to graduation in 2023.

This steadfast partnership with our three supportive employment collaborators– Parkwest, Fort Sanders and East TN Children's Hospital– has resulted in 18 new interns. The current interns are making remarkable progress and poised to graduate, potentially securing employment by May 2024. Notably, we have facilitated employment for new vocational rehabilitation referrals, and individuals within our residential program are now benefiting from our comprehensive employment services.

Among the inspiring success stories this year, one name shines brightly – Miracle! She is a distinguished graduate of our Fort Sanders 2022-2023 class and was awarded mentorship by KAEC (Knoxville Area Employment Consortium). Her longstanding dream of securing a job at Fort Sanders has finally materialized, marking a truly remarkable achievement. When she and her manager were asked about their experience, they said...

“It's great, I like meeting new people and the teamwork” — Miracle

“ Miracle was a ray of sunshine and a blessing to our team. She loved sterile processing and sterile processing loved her”— Judy Hyder, interim manager

Our mission and the people we support mean the world to us, and our goal is to see them live a fulfilled life.

Please help Sertoma continue to provide quality programs and services by donating.

Perhaps you could help create another miracle!