Bringing Much-Needed Skills to Work: Joan’s Story

At a Natural Grocers in Colorado, someone with the right qualities is needed to help the store thrive. The store needs someone helpful to assist with special projects. It needs someone hardworking to help customers carry groceries to their car. And it needs someone who speaks multiple languages so customers do not face communication barriers. 

Long-time employee Joan Jurann is the perfect fit. 

Each workday starts the same for Joan – she arrives, puts her purse away, puts on her apron, and checks in. But after that, each day can look a little bit different, with Joan ready to help with a variety of tasks.

“One thing I help with is projects. I do cash register. I can help (customers) bring the groceries to the car,” said Joan, an active self-advocate in The Arc-JCC&GC’s community who has a disability and is hard of hearing. “Sometimes, (to assist) people who are deaf, they ask me to come to the cash register, and I interpret.” Joan can communicate in three languages – English, American Sign Language, and Spanish – uniquely equipping her to help customers have an accessible experience. 

Joan has worked at Natural Grocers for 20 years. She’s always on time. She’s never out sick. She loves her job.

The value that Joan brings to the team hasn’t gone unnoticed. Managers, she recalled, have told her, “‘I’m glad you’re working at Natural Grocers. You’re doing hard work. Keep it up.’” 

This National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which occurs every October, Joan has joined countless others in raising awareness of the many ways that workers with disabilities contribute to their workplaces.  

“I'm always letting people at work know about it,” Joan said, adding that one message she has shared this NDEAM is the importance of hiring people with disabilities. “Employers can learn from the people with disabilities. My managers, they can learn from me about disabilities.” 

Additionally, NDEAM is a time for self-advocates to support each other in their employment journeys – and after 20 years of experience, Joan has some helpful advice for others.

“Keep your job, not lose it,” she said. “Be on time. Never talk back to a manager. Show customers respect, also. Stay on task.” 

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