October 2, 2015 -- Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino congratulated dozens of employees with disabilities who have excelled in their jobs as well as the businesses that hired them during the National Disability Employment Awareness Month Breakfast Friday at the Westchester Marriott.
Astorino used the occasion to pay tribute to Richard Manley, the longtime director of the county's Office for the Disabled, who passed away Sunday, Sept. 27, at the age of 65. Manley began working for the office in 1975, and led it until he retired in 2002. He is perhaps best celebrated for his role in developing the county's ParaTransit system, which today serves nearly 6,000 registered riders each year.
"Rich Manley was a lifelong, passionate advocate for the needs of the disabled community," Astorino said. "He worked to improve people's quality of life at every turn. He loved his job, he loved his community, and he loved his friends and family. To say he will be missed is an understatement, and my prayers go out to his family and all who mourn him."
Building on the 25th anniversary year of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Astorino made two announcements that are of special interest to people with disabilities.
The first announcement is that he is renaming the Office for the Disabled, which was named as such in 1978. The new name will be the Office for People with Disabilities.
"It may seem like a small change to some, but to the people our office serves every single day, it is an important change because it puts the emphasis on serving people, not their disabilities," Astorino said. "This change came as a grassroots request from the disabled community. I am happy to say we listened, and better yet, we responded."
Joe Bravo, executive director of Westchester Independent Living Center, said he was delighted by the news. "It comes down to empowerment," Bravo said. "Putting people first is so much more empowering. We may be disabled, but the disability is secondary. We are citizens contributing to society and it's always important to acknowledge that first and foremost. We just happen to also have a disability."
In addition, the County Executive announced that the ramp upgrades at the County Center in White Plains are complete and open to the public.
"This year we marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and as a county, we are keeping the vision of that landmark legislation in sight as we move forward in all we do – whether it be easing access to our county facilities, breaking down barriers to employment or expanding transportation options for people with disabilities," Astorino said.
Additional announcements will be made later this month, Astorino added.
The Disability Employment Awareness event recognized 49 employees and 48 employers.
The keynote speaker was David Perry, a special education teacher at Middle School 219, a new venture Community School in the Bronx. Perry suffered traumatic brain injury when he was 16 years old due to a car accident, graduated college with a master's degree in finance and management and worked for the New York Stock Exchange for seven years. He decided to go back to graduate school to obtain his master's degree in childhood education.
The event was co-sponsored by the Westchester County Office for the Disabled, ACCES-VR (Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services) and the Westchester Employment Network.
Each year the Westchester Employment Network, a group of vocational placement counselors and rehabilitation professionals, asks local employers for nominations of disabled workers who have performed exceptionally well. Every worker nominated is invited to the breakfast and presented with a Certificate of Achievement from the County Executive. Their employers also receive certificates to thank them for promoting diversity in the workplace.
"It is once again a pleasure to honor those businesses that have done so much to help disabled employees in Westchester," Astorino said. "It is also a tribute to those individuals who have overcome obstacles and succeeded at their jobs. Congratulation to all involved."