Local businesses were celebrated for their work in employing individuals with developmental disabilities.
The ICE (Inclusive Community Employment) Awards are sponsored by REALM in Cranbrook and Louise Walters said the awards go to businesses that truly care about making employment more inclusive.
“The ICE awards are a celebration of the employers that have inclusive employment so individuals with developmental disabilities that are a paid employee for them,” said Walters.
“They do it as an actual job, they’re not there for a pat on the head getting the kudos for taking in these individuals, these individuals earned their way in. ”
This was the third year of the awards and the second in-person ceremony after last year’s awards took place online because of the pandemic. Around 30 individuals attended.
Walters said REALM struggled with how to properly recognize the businesses without just rewarding them for doing the right thing.
“We worked hard on this internally as we struggled with the idea of awarding people for doing the real and right thing,’ added Walters.
“Believing that employment was a right, we discussed how to put this together in a way that provides recognition as well as education.”
Below are the businesses that won awards and the award sponsors.