inthrop recently received a Statewide Award from the New York State Department of Education, recognizing the Hospital's outstanding commitment to providing employment opportunities to persons with disabilities. The award was presented at the 17th Annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebration on Friday, October 11th.

Robin Salsberg (right, holding award) with Lawrence Edwards, Environmental Services Aide at Winthrop (left) and one of the Hospital's "Most Valuable Players" in 2001. He is just one of the many success stories of Winthrop's job readiness program.

Winthrop was nominated and won the prestigious honor for the second time in seven years for its novel program, which is coordinated through the Hospital's Human Resources Department and The Rehabilitation Institute (TRI), an organization that helps integrate people with disabilities into the employment community. Winthrop, which instituted its community outreach program in 1989, has worked closely with TRI by providing employment opportunities, internships, and mentoring programs to its participants.

"Many of the trainees have subsequently been hired at Winthrop as they develop skills to return to work or enter the workforce for the first time," explained George Rainer, Vice President of Human Resources at Winthrop. "The program provides people with the human compassion they need to take the next step in their lives."

"Through our collaboration with a number of New York Metropolitan area agencies, including TRI, Winthrop provides interns with real world experience as they develop and sharpen their occupational skills," stated Robin Salsberg, Human Resources Director-Training and Organizational Development at Winthrop. "Seeing people gain confidence and watching them grow within the workplace is one of the most rewarding aspects of this vital job readiness program."