Welcome! ThinkWork Stories highlights the employment successes of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the innovative employment support practices that lead to successful, paid jobs. Employees with IDD earn money, form networks, and participate in our communities.
Explore our ThinkWork Stories to learn more about what works! Search stories by selecting a region on the colorful map on this page.
- Scroll down this page for current featured stories, or use the menu at left to browse all stories by category.
- Go to the blue box with links to other websites that showcase more success stories
- Watch videos of people working in their communities
ThinkWork
- Find a term you don’t know? Check out our glossary of common terms from the employment and disability fields.
- What is Intellectual Disability?
- What is Developmental Disability ?
- Learn more about promising practices from state agencies
- Learn more about promising practices from employment supports providers
- ThinkWork is seeking stories about Career Advancement. Learn more!
Tatiana is a transition-age youth in the Boston area who balances work, school, volunteering, and leadership roles while pursuing her goal of becoming a teacher. With high expectations and early support from her family, she found her first job at a local CVS, where targeted job coaching helped her build confidence, self-advocacy, and workplace skills. Over time, Tatiana has expanded her responsibilities, become a trusted support for customers and coworkers, and continues to grow toward her long-term career goals. 
Troy is a 31-year-old Missouri resident whose desire to work led him from a sheltered workshop to a paid position on a local school’s facilities team, with support from employment and residential staff. With the right supports, Troy has become a valued coworker, gained independence, and improved his physical and mental health while continuing to volunteer in his community. His job also opened the door to an unexpected opportunity aligned with his passion for basketball - serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the community’s Little League team. 
Joe turned his love of hands-on farm work into Poppin’ Joe’s Gourmet Kettle Korn, a business he has owned and operated since graduating high school. With strong family support and help from vocational and disability organizations, he built one of the first businesses fully owned by a person with IDD. Today, Joe continues to run the business successfully in Georgia, adapting to new opportunities and regulations. 
Abigail is a Wisconsin-based advocate and educator who turned her own experience learning public transit into Transit2GO, a business that teaches people how to ride the bus independently. Using self-directed services and vocational rehabilitation supports, she built a flexible career that includes running her business and working as a special education substitute teacher. Today, Abigail uses her skills, passion, and leadership to promote independence in her community.