According to the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, there are an estimated 650,000 people with disabilities in Georgia. These include both physical and developmental disabilities. The organization partners with numerous organizations to provide meaningful employment.

According to Chief Business Development Officer Robert Nibbs, "We believe everyone can work. Our partners work with us to provide career affecting jobs, not just menial employment."

Among the GVRA's most outstanding partnerships, these two stand out for their ongoing commitment to hiring individuals with disabilities in the Atlanta area:

Kroger

Not just jobs bagging groceries, Kroger offers a variety of job openings from management opportunities to manufacturing, logistics and technology positions.

Publix

With more than 180 stores, numerous warehouses and distribution centers in Georgia, Publix offers a wide-range of career opportunities. Jobs range from stores and pharmacy to management, information technology, manufacturing, industrial maintenance and distribution.

The following companies have relatively new relationships with the GVRA. These companies team up with the agency to conduct hiring blitzes:

Sodexo 

This company offers a diverse workforce providing what they call "Quality of Life Solutions" across numerous industries. This includes careers in food service, healthcare, energy management, government, education and retail for major hospitals, among many others. In Atlanta, GVRA has helped Sodexo hire employees to provide services for companies like the Atlanta Hawks, Delta Airlines, and State Farm Insurance. The company is known for its commitment to its Diversity and Inclusion program.

Lowe's

The home improvement retailer has joined forces with GVRA in recent months to place individuals with physical and developmental disabilities in numerous jobs statewide both at the retail level and in warehouse, logistics and distribution careers.

Gwinnett Medical Center 

With over 6,000 employees, Gwinnett Medical is working with GVRA to place individuals with disabilities in jobs ranging from nursing, labs and pharmacy to rehabilitation services and non-clinical positions.

Federal Aviation Administration

The FAA is hiring and also working with GVRA to place those with disabilities in career building positions. Career opportunities include air traffic control specialists, technical operations specialists, aviation safety inspectors, engineers and more.

The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, under the leadership of Executive Director Gregg Schmieg, has set a goal to serve 100,000 clients annually over the next few years and put 50,000 individuals with disabilities to work each year.

The GVRA is not alone in their efforts to assist the disabled. Additional assistance is available from the Georgia Department of Labor and the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities to name just two.