RICHMOND, Va. -- Sarah Lancaster serves residents in the dining room at Commonwealth Senior Living in Richmond.
She represents the 21 percent of adults with disabilities in America who are currently employed.
While the percentage is up from 19 percent in 2021, two Virginia nonprofit groups working to achieve equal opportunities for those with disabilities said it's not enough.
They’ve joined forces for a new campaign to show employers the benefits that come with hiring these individuals.
"[Sarah] does a great job," Commonwealth Senior Living resident David Kean said. "She's quick, efficient and nice."
"Yeah, that's my bud," Chevonda Thaniel, the manager who hired Sarah two years ago, said. "She came in for an interview, and she had her notepad and pen all ready to go, so I was like, oh wow, am I on the interview or is Sarah on the interview."
Lancaster was born with Down syndrome. Her bosses said that has not, in any way, impacted her ability to excel at her job.
Lancaster also gets that not everyone with Down syndrome has had the same opportunity.
It’s why she and her dad Bob Lancaster are using their voices to raise awareness about the benefits of hiring employees with disabilities.
CBS 6 caught up with the pair at the corner of Mall Drive and Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield, where a new billboard campaign hopes to catch the attention of drivers and employers, highlighting the importance of building a diverse workforce.
"It's not about hiring for charity," Lancaster explained. "They need to run their business. They need to fill positions with qualified people. We can find help find them qualified people.”
"Any opportunity that's available to people without disabilities, there are people with disabilities who can fulfill that role," Teri Morgan, executive director of the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, said.
The nonprofit partnered with Virginia Ability to launch 22 billboards across the state, showcasing the talents and skills people with disabilities can contribute to the workforce if given the chance.
"That's a myth that they're going to be taking a lot of time off work," said Morgan. "That's a myth that they're going to be difficult to work with and they're going to require a lot of supervision. Those are all myths about the employment of people with disabilities."
"That's not a fair way to go about it," noted Sarah.
She is proof that opening the door will pay off.
"Just having someone like Sarah, having our Sarah here, it just adds to the life of the residents, as well as our team members," Catherine Chappell, executive director of Commonwealth Senior Living, said.
Because Sarah just wants to work and inspire others.
"You'll find your own dream job," she said. "Your dream will come true.”
So give them a chance she says, and she promises, it will pay off.
Lancaster also notes state and federal laws only allow Sarah to work part-time or else she could lose her disability benefits. Those benefits, he said, are needed to help cover her care.
He’s hoping more can be done to allow those who are able to work full-time and want the ability to do so without necessary aid being taken away.
The billboards will be up through the end of the month, and since they launched a month ago, Virginia Ability said they’ve seen a 65 percent increase in their website traffic.
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