Michaela’s Path to Employment

This Disability Pride Month, we take pride in showcasing individuals of our programs who are making big achievements and enjoying their opportunities to the fullest.

Meet Michaela, a participant in Humanim’s Developmental Disabilities program. Michaela has a vivid imagination and a big desire to work.

Despite experiencing setbacks due to the Covid pandemic, Michaela’s eagerness to secure employment never waned. Guided by the dedicated Humanim team, she honed her interview skills, polished her attire, and rehearsed responses to potential questions. “Mr. Jeff helped me with job interview skills, how to dress appropriately for an interview, and practicing with interview questions,” Michaela fondly recalls.

When a job opportunity arose at Oasis, a local company specializing in crafting dehumidifiers for guitars, the Humanim team immediately saw a perfect fit for Michaela. “The job was a perfect match for what Michaela was looking for,” says Maureen Howley, Manager of Humanim’s Developmental Disabilities Employment Services.

Michaela started early this year and loves the work—and the paycheck. “I love the job, because I get to sit down and make these tubes that go into guitar dehumidifiers. Everything about it makes me happy,” Michael says. “My patience paid off.”

She’s working two days a week and would like to increase her workload. “Her boss told us that she is doing an ‘amazing job!’ and has already learned new tasks!” Maureen says. “I couldn’t be happier for her. She is so happy and proud to be working again.”

Michaela was born in Germany and lived there until age 6, when her family moved to the U.S. Now 39, she lives in a group home in Columbia. She began participating in Humanim services when she was in her mid-20s.

Maureen worked with her then, providing Michaela with personal support three evenings a week, and they set goals about things to work on. The support included therapeutic horseback riding, which allowed Michaela to build skills and confidence – and win gold medals for her performance in competitions. They also visited the Y and spent time browsing books at a local bookstore.

Outside of work, Michaela enjoys spending time with her twin sister and making occasional trips back to Germany. Her favorite pastimes are reading and writing, and she writes imaginative stories that stretch out for hundreds of pages. She taps into her interest in things related to ancient Egypt and her love of games and TV shows, using characters, for example, from the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game.

As she talks about her writing projects, she smiles broadly. “I love writing these stories.”