One common human need is the desire to feel valued—to know that we have a purpose and belong to a community. However, the obstacles faced by people with disabilities can sometimes make it difficult to find and maintain those meaningful connections.
Emory Valley Center is a leader in enhancing the lives of children, adults, and families by providing an environment that promotes independence, dignity, and respect. Through its programs and services, the organization helps people with disabilities become more fully integrated into their communities. Its services include behavioral health support, community-supported living, personal assistance, and employment services.
One of these programs is Workforce Development, which helps individuals make informed decisions about entering the workforce. Staff members provide career exploration activities, arrange four to five business tours, practice informational interviews, facilitate job-shadowing opportunities, and offer education about work incentives. They also reinforce that the decision to pursue employment belongs to the individual while helping the person and their family address concerns, hesitations, or questions.
United Way supports Emory Valley Center’s Workforce Development program through self-sufficiency grants and by employing one of their participants. Travis, an EVC participant, is employed by United Way of Anderson County, where he provides janitorial services.
Participants in the Workforce Development program also have a “fading plan” designed to gradually increase their independence. As they become more confident and experienced in their roles, the amount of guidance provided by support staff is reduced. This allows them to take greater ownership of their work and continue progressing on their employment journeys.
More About Emory Valley Center
Emory Valley Center’s story began in 1955, when a group of concerned parents from Oak Ridge and Clinton came together to create a better future for their children with disabilities.
The parents chartered the Oak Ridge Council for Retarded Children, or ORCRC, and opened a school for children with intellectual disabilities in a metal barracks building donated by the Atomic Energy Commission. Their work did not stop there. ORCRC raised money for a new building, and in 1958, the Atomic Energy Commission donated three acres of land. The new school was completed in 1959.
A little more than a decade later, Emory Valley Center began providing residential services, including family-model services, semi-independent living, and personal assistance. In 2019, the organization expanded its early intervention services through a partnership with TRAID to help identify children under three years old who may have autism.
The Little Learning Lab and Applied Behavior Analysis services were added in 2024. Today, Emory Valley Center continues to build on the determination of its founders by helping children, adults, and families experience greater independence, dignity, and connection to their communities.
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