Community Integrated Services

10/21/2026

Give it up for Isabella, who found a fun and creative way to stay busy on a slow day at work!

Isabella works on the dining team at a local elementary school. The students were away for the day on a visit to the zoo, so Isabella got to work decorating pumpkins to surprise the students with on their return.

These fantastic creations of hers will live in the school’s cafeteria, and are such a fun way to ring in the Halloween season for the students arriving back to school today!

A big thank you to CIS’s own Amanda Manwiller for sharing this photo of Isabella, and we hope her Halloween creations can be an inspiration for your own!

For more on how CIS works for jobseekers with a disability, head to cisworks.org 👻

10/19/2026

One theme of (National Disability Employment Awareness Month!) is the magic that happens when an employee with a disability finds a job with an employer committed to their success, and that’s just what Randolph has found in his job at ACME Markets in Rehoboth Beach!

Randolph is someone who’s always looking for a challenge. He’s a full-time high school student, but sought a job outside of school to hone his work skills and gain the experience to set himself up for future opportunities. Randolph was hired as a Produce Clerk, and quickly impressed his coworkers and managers with the swiftness with which he learned his tasks.

While many would be satisfied with learning their job and doing it well, Randolph wanted to push himself. He set up a meeting with his managers, and expressed that while he loves his job, he’d like to learn even more. Impressed with his self advocacy, the managerial team at ACME worked with Randolph to create a schedule where he could continue to work in the Produce section for a portion of his shifts, and use the others to gain experience in difference facets of the store’s operations, from stocking and shelving to handling incoming deliveries.

We are so proud of Randolph for his self advocacy and for the great job he’s doing at work. We also want to give a big shout out to the amazing team members at ACME for their thoughtfulness and care in working with Randolph: their flexibile approach is empowering him to learn and grow at at work. Special thanks to CIS’s own Angel Smith for sharing this great story with us and for sending through the photo of Randolph!

For more on how CIS works for jobseekers with a disability, head to cisworks.org.

10/16/2026

Are you interested in employment but concerned that earned income might jeopardize your disability benefits? That’s where CIS’s Benefits Counseling team comes in.

CIS’s Certified Benefits Counselors work with jobseekers to review their current benefits, provide information on what can happen when they start earning income, and help them retain the benefits they rely on while earning income through employment.

Ashley (pictured right) is a great example of this work. She graduated from high school but was worried that getting a job might put the medical benefits she relies on at risk. The CIS Benefits Counseling team worked with Ashley to ensure that she could obtain full time employment while retaining her medical insurance and support waiver, and just last month Ashley celebrated her 10th year of full time employment with The School District of Philadelphia!

As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Ashley’s story is a testament to what people can achieve when they have the resources and supports they need. For more on CIS Benefits Counseling services, head to https://cisworks.org/benefits-counseling/.

10/15/2026

We had a blast at last week’s Disability Summit, and it was beautiful to see so many CIS staff come out for the event!

The summit—put on by EmpathyTech and Cities of Inclusion—brought together providers, advocates, and activists from the disability community for two days of workshops, panels, information sessions, and the chance to make connections with people leading the work in disability services throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.

Michael Anderson, an outstanding legislative advocate with The Arc of Pennsylvania (and a CIS participant!) offered a measured look at the state of access and inclusion and urged people to write their representatives (“If they aren’t aware of it, they won’t know to change it!”); Inglis President & CEO Dyann Roth led a panel with Representative Hohenstein, and spoke on housing and assistive technology alongside Inglis’s Olivia Benson, Amelia Herz, and Jeff Ruffing; and a special part of the day was the chance for so many CIS staff to get to meet and spend time with our new colleagues at Inglis. Amidst the bustle of the day (and the lovely architectural vastness of the PA Convention Center), we even managed to get everyone in one place for a group picture!

Thanks to EmpathyTech and Cities of Inclusion for putting on this important event that captures the work at the heart of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

For more on how CIS works for people with disabilities, head to cisworks.org.

10/13/2026

On Friday we spotlighted CIS’s array of school-to-work transition programs, and today we’re excited to forefront one in particular, our Project SEARCH program at Aramark!

These fantastic photos are from the recent PS Aramark Alumni gathering! Quickly becoming a fall tradition, it brings back program graduates to share advice and words of wisdom with the new batch of interns, who are just getting underway in a range of internship roles at Girard College and at Aramark headquarters.

“It was a great chance for all of our interns to come together, share their experiences, and create new connections,” said our own Rachel Gregory, a Project SEARCH Skills Trainer who helps direct and run the PS Aramark program.

CIS school-to-work transition programs like Project SEARCH help students with disabilities transition into employment, and the Aramark program is a testament to their efficacy: In the last two years, 12 graduates have been hired within the Aramark community in Philadelphia, including at the Philadelphia Zoo, Aramark headquarters, Girard College, and Temple University.

Two standouts from that group are Zaire and Amiracle. Zaire (glasses, image 7) was the first ever intern at the cafe at Aramark headquarters, and did such a great job that he was hired at the end of his internship.

It’s a similar story for Amiracle (center, image 6), who so impressed her managers during her internship at Girard College that they asked her to stay on as an official employee. Not only is Amiracle doing an awesome job at work, but she always takes the time to give a warm welcome to the new Project SEARCH interns working at the college and is a real-life example of what they can achieve through hard work.

We’re excited for our interns for the valuable work experience they’ll get in the year to come, and exceedingly grateful to our Project SEARCH staff, who are truly the life of these life-changing programs.

10/09/2026

Did you know that CIS helps students with disabilities successfully transition from school to employment?

Preparing to exit high school can feel like a scary and uncertain time, but CIS’s School-to-Work programs are there to help students across Pennsylvania and Delaware navigate the transition and find success in the workplace.

Through a mix of classroom instruction and paid, community-based work experiences, students get to explore different careers, develop skills that help them ace their job interviews and thrive in their the workplace, and connect to systems of services that aid them both at work and in their lives outside of it.

Learn more about these programs at cisworks.org/school-to-work-transition/, where you’ll find stories of people like Rymair (picture 1) whom CIS helped transition into a teaching assistant position at the same school district from which he graduated, and these incredible Delaware Pre-Employment Transition Students (picture 2), who learned the ins and outs of running a pizza parlor and ice cream shop during their recent summer internships.

It’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and every Friday in October we’ll be spotlighting some of the many programs at CIS that help jobseekers with a disability connect to meaningful employment. Stay tuned for more!

10/07/2026

What better way to get in the spirit of National Disability Employment Awareness Month ( ) than to hear from the organizations and individuals working day in and day out towards more inclusive cities, workplaces, and technologies!?

Get yourself to the Philadelphia Disability Summit, happening today and tomorrow (Oct. 7 & 8) at the Convention Center in Philadelphia!

Say hello to our colleagues at Inglis, a sponsor of the event whose staff and leadership will be participating in a number of panels across the two days, and put on your radar Thursday's panels on building a more inclusive Philadelphia, which will feature CIS participant and legislative advocate Michael Anderson!

More info here (https://citiesofinclusion.wordpress.com/2026-summit/), and hope to see you there!

Inglis is proud to sponsor Cities of Inclusion & Empathy Tech in Philadelphia this Wednesday and Thursday, bringing together innovators, advocates, and community leaders to explore how technology can help build a more accessible and inclusive future. You may also see a few familiar faces on stage 💙🧡

If you’re attending, be sure to stop by the Inglis table to say hello and learn more about the programs, services, and resources we offer to support people with disabilities in living independently and thriving in their communities.

We’re excited to connect, share, and be part of the conversation around creating a more inclusive Philadelphia!

10/05/2026

Hit that like button for David, who's hitting it out of the park in year 2 of his job at Sussex Montessori School in Seaford!

CIS's own Briana Lecates reached out to spotlight David and his coworkers at Sussex, who've been outstanding allies in helping him find success.

"David's manager Alan Carroll has been very helpful and supportive along the way," said Brianna. "He encourages David to improve every day."

A little over a month into his second year at the school and David is really finding his stride. He worked throughout the summer, learning a whole new facet of the school's back-end operations, and with school back in session he's returned to his usual routine, impressing his colleagues with his hard work and the surety he brings to all his tasks.

As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, David's success is a great example of the great things that can happen when a jobseeker with a disability is paired with an employer committed to their success.

For more on CIS services or to learn about our open positions, head to cisworks.org!

10/02/2026

To kick off National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we’re excited to share this story showing what a person can achieve in the workplace when paired with an employer committed to their success.

Meet Melissa, who recently celebrated her five year anniversary in her job at the Willow Grove YMCA

In her five years on the job, Melissa has gone from full coverage job coaching to just a single check-in per month, meaning she’s fully independent at work!

Melissa’s managers and coworkers at her job site have been nothing short of outstanding. Melissa cites Willow Grove Y’s caring management and family-like environment as vital to building her confidence. She shared with us that her managers are extremely supportive of job coaching and went above and beyond to ensure that Melissa grew comfortable and confident in her tasks early on, which has helped her to fade from on-site job support altogether.

“It’s just a great team environment,” said CIS’s Mia Decker. “Her coworkers treat her like family, and even the YMCA members have come to know Melissa well, always thanking her for her excellent work. Melissa gets a raise every year, and she has become a true pro: working throughout summer camps, gymnastics meets, renovations, staff changes — she can handle it all!”

Congratulations to Melissa for doing a great job at work, and a big shoutout to the Willow Grove YMCA for being a model of the kind of supportive work community that can help employees with a disability find so much success!

For more on how CIS works for jobseekers with a disability, head to cisworks.org!

10/01/2026

October! It’s crisp, it’s golden, and as some of you may know, it’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month 🤩

is a celebration of employees with disabilities and the tremendous contributions they make in the workplace. All month long we’ll be sharing some great stories about the people we support, spotlighting businesses who’ve championed inclusive hiring practices, and letting folks know about CIS's long-standing services and the expanded range of supports CIS participants have access to through our affiliation with Inglis.

We also want to give a particular nod to our incredible staff: expanding access and opportunity for people with disabilities begins with raising awareness of their abilities and equipping them with the tools they need to succeed, and every one of our employees plays an important role in that work.

Happy , everyone! Stay tuned to our page for more!