People with Disabilities Provide Mission-Essential Services During COVID-19
Hampton, VA, April 1, 2020 – People with disabilities are providing vital services to support the nation during the COVID-19 crisis. The military and first responders are depending on them. Thanks to VersAbiltiy Resources, people with disabilities are providing mission-essential services in response to the unprecedented demand for human and material resources. VersAbility is the nationwide contractor responsible for loading food on ships for the U.S. Navy, and their team provides other critical services for the military as our nation responds to the pandemic.
The VersAbility team played a vital role in quickly provisioning both Navy hospital ships to support the nation’s overwhelmed healthcare system due to COVID-19. The U.S. Naval Ship Comfort, recently left Norfolk, Virginia to provide much-needed relief to New York City and the USNS Mercy, is starting to serve patients in Los Angeles, California.
Thirty VersAbility employees with disabilities loaded the USNS Comfort with food for a thousand-plus crew members for three weeks of service in New York. VersAbility’s nationwide contract to provision Navy ships encompasses the five major ports on the east and west coasts, plus Hawaii and Guam. They subcontract some sites to other disability-serving organizations, including Pride Industries who loaded food on the USNS Mercy for its vital relief mission in California.
“Our employees with disabilities are mission-essential and a critical part of the national response to the COVID-19 crisis. Their work to load the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort shows that people with disabilities are on the frontline of this effort. The military depends on people with disabilities to support our response to this pandemic,” states Kasia Grzelkowski, CEO of VersAbility Resources.
VersAbility employees with disabilities operate around-the-clock every day of the year to handle all global phone calls for Air Combat Command, including heightened volume due to the current crisis. They also play a crucial role in manufacturing eyeglasses, delivering mail across the country, providing custodial services, and serving meals to essential employees at several bases.
“Our employees and those of our sister-agencies are extremely proud to serve our military through this important work,” explains David Neary, Director of Government Contracts at VersAbility Resources. “It is an impactful way for them to serve their country.”
For more information about VersAbility Resource’s government contracts program, visit www.versability.org /employment-programs/government-contracts/.
About VersAbility Resources
VersAbility Resources has supported people with disabilities since 1953. As a nonprofit, VersAbility serves over 1,700 people with disabilities of all ages in Early Childhood, Residential, Day Support, and four diverse Employment programs. Services range from coordinating developmental therapies for children to building successful business partnerships that provide staffing solutions for employers and provide jobs in Hampton Roads and beyond for people with disabilities. Adults with disabilities participating in VersAbility employment programs earn millions in wages and benefits annually. Through their government contracts people with disabilities work alongside enlisted and civilian personnel at military bases as far away as Hawaii and Guam.
VersAbility Resources is a 501c3, tax-exempt organization. Your donations help people with disabilities live, work and thrive in our communities. VersAbility is a vital service provider as well as a major employer in the community, serving people with disabilities throughout southeastern Virginia and beyond
Media contact:
Keltie Klijanowicz
Marketing Manager, VersAbility Resources
757-896-6473
versability.org
Photo Caption
A) Employees from VersAbility – (left to right): Ronald Jones, Robert Sanchez, Tevin Taylor load the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort
