Bettaway Supply Chain Services has completed the first year of a program with local Pennington, New Jersey, non-profit We Make - Autism at Work to hire, training, and develop skills for adults on the autism spectrum. 

The program has provided more than 7,000 hours of “vocational immersion” training and work experience at Bettaway facilities, engaging 68 individuals diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD). 

John Vaccaro, president of Bettaway says the program has been so successful, the company intends to expand it, adding more participants over the next 12 months.

Bettaway is a family-owned supply chain services company that provides freight trucking, warehousing, inventory management, product packing, order fulfillment and pallet supply, and logistics management services for beverage and consumer products companies through New Jersey and the northeast U.S.  

Founded in 2017, We Make is a non-profit skills development and workforce management organization dedicated to supporting persons with autism, an autism spectrum disorder or IDD. With the creation of its model program, We Make supports companies in establishing and sustaining meaningful workplace opportunities for autistic.

We Make says it has coined the term “Industry Inclusion,” and is a leader and consultant to companies wanting to diversify their work force. At the same time, the program provides participating businesses with reliable, skilled, high-performing employees at a cost typically less than that for workers hired from traditional temporary agencies.

“This has been a major success for We Make and Bettaway, proving that with the right training and support, we can create pathways to meaningful, successful employment, skills development and inclusion for individuals with IDD, delivering real results in real industries,” said Moe Siddiqu, We Make’s founding executive director. “For these individuals, a job is so much more than a job,” he said.  

“Being a recognized, respected, and contributing member of a workplace fosters confidence, builds self-worth, and brings joy and a feeling of pride at being an accepted part of the community delivering something of value to the business and its customers,” said Siddiqu. “This is a huge win for the IDD community and serves as a template for other businesses to participate as well.”