Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Success starts with a C


Best Buddies Jobs congratulates Colleen Moriarty for 15 years of employment at United Talent Agency


One person can make a difference. Just ask Best Buddies Jobs participant Colleen Moriarty.

Colleen has the distinction of being the first participant in the Best Buddies Jobs program in Los Angeles. Colleen was hired in 1997 by United Talent Agency (UTA) in Beverly Hills to work in their mailroom. In April 2012 Colleen celebrated her 15th anniversary at UTA. Colleen’s early success set a great example which helped the Best Buddies Jobs program secure additional employer partnerships, thereby enabling dozens of people with disabilities to work effectively in the community.

“It feels wonderful. It feels great,” Colleen explains. “It feels like I have somewhere to go when I get up in the morning. I love it!”

Colleen works full time in the mailroom at UTA, and has cultivated long lasting friendships with many co-workers and executives on staff.

“I want to thank Michael Conway for helping me to get this job, and for supporting me. He is a wonderful person inside and out, and whatever he does means a lot to us. I also want to thank my boss Carlos. You are such a great boss. You are one of a kind.”

Not only is she a hard worker, but Colleen has also become an incredible fundraiser for Best Buddies Jobs.

“When Colleen got started collecting donations for the 2012 Best Buddies California Friendship Walk, she would call me on my cell and say “Oh my gosh, Rachel, you won’t believe it. I’ve already filled one whole page!” Best Buddies Jobs Supervisor Rachel Spooner recalls. “I could tell that she wouldn’t stop there. She was determined to keep going. You have to respect someone with that kind of drive. ”

Team Colleen, supported by dozens of her co-workers, executives, and even the UTA Foundation, led the agency to win the Top Corporate Fundraiser Award with donations exceeding $5,000 dollars. Colleen accepted the award on behalf of UTA.


“I knew that they would be behind me. It makes me feel wonderful. It makes me feel like they really love me here.”

During her speech Colleen also thanked her sister, Frances Kirkland, for all of her help and support throughout the years. Frances has been an active Best Buddies California Board member, and credits UTA for embracing social inclusion 15 years ago when they hired her sister.

Colleen was used to going to work every day before moving to California.  Due to the death of our parents, her whole life changed.  She gave up her job at City Hall in Stamford, Connecticut (which she had for 9 years) and moved across the country.  So, getting the job grounded her in Los Angeles and gave her a purpose and a new focus, “ says Frances.  “UTA are the torch bearers of the Best Buddies Jobs Program in Los Angeles.  When Michael Conway said "Yes" to hiring Colleen, without knowing it, he and UTA set in motion the embrace of the program by the entertainment community.  And, for that, BBCA will always be forever grateful!”

Although April has been a huge month for Colleen, she is not done celebrating major milestones this year. In May Colleen will turn 50. She plans on having a birthday party with friends and family, and is happy with where she is in her life.

“I have great friends. A wonderful family. I have a great sister (Frances) who’s supported me and helped me. Thank you, Frances, for sticking by me. You’ve done everything that you can for me.”



Thursday, April 26, 2012

Leading the Way to Inclusion and Employment: Employer Partners and Jobs Participants Supporting Best Buddies CA Jobs

Best Buddies CA’s Employer partners and Jobs participants really shone at this year’s 2012 Friendship Walk, held on Saturday, April 21st in Long Beach.  All of our BBCA friends helped us raise over $50,000 (way past our goal), vital funds which will allow us to continue providing the important services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through our Friendship and Jobs programs.  A HUGE portion of those funds came from our Jobs participants and our Employer Partners who went all out to support the event, raising nearly $20,000 of the total.  

BP, Paradigm, and UTA came on as sponsors; seven walk teams were organized by our participants, supported by awareness and fundraising in their workplaces.  Their success was a testament to how much they’re valued by their employers and co-workers.   We are so proud and grateful to the companies who participated and supported their participants.  We thank each and every one of you for your generosity, enthusiasm, and commitment to your participant and to the Best Buddies CA Jobs program.



Special Thanks to our award winning Employer Partners and Jobs Participants:
BP – Presenting Sponsor 
Team Colleen and United Talent Agency (UTA) – Top Corporate Fundraising Team
Team Bradley and Paradigm – Corporate Team Sprit
Team Daniel – Top Community Fundraiser and Top Community Fundraising team

For a complete listing of Teams and fundraising totals, visit the Walk website.
Thanks to our Employer Partners and Jobs Participants:

                Access HollywoodJon F.                                   
City  of Long Beach David G.
·         David also volunteered on our Walk Committee
·         Long Beach Chief of Police Jim McDonnell was the Walk featured speaker


















GUESS? Inc  Kevin M.
JAKKS PacificJasmine B.
Manatt, Phelps & PhillipsMichael G.

Thanks to our Participants in Job Development:
                                           
Karen C. 
Kenneth F.


The Long Beach Friendship Walk was covered by the Long Beach Press-Telegram and by CBS2 in multiple broadcasts on Saturday evening.  Plus plenty of photos on the BBCA Facebook page of the Walk. 

Check out the logos on the backs of our 2012 Walk shirts, highlighting the commitment of our Sponsors BP, Paradigm, and UTA.  By sponsoring the Friendship Walk with a donation of $250 - $5,000, your logo could appear on the back of our shirts next year!

The next Friendship Walk will be held in Spring 2013 in Long Beach.  We hope to see even more Employer Partners and Jobs participants next year.  Please let BBCA Jobs know if you have any questions about how to get involved.  Thanks again for your support!