As people pour into Princeton University’s stadium to watch the Tigers take on their rivals, they might not be aware of the people behind the scenes – the workers who got the stadium ready, prepared the food, and ensured everything was ready for game day. Eden Autism is proud to have participants be part of the crew that makes sporting events a seamless experience for the Princeton community.
For several years, Eden’s participants have worked at the Jadwin gym. They make and bag popcorn for campus events, as well as clean the stadiums before games.
“Making popcorn is easy; the hardest part is bagging the popcorn,” said Steve Flanagan, Retail Operations Manager, First Campus Dining. “It’s time-consuming and labor-intensive. With the Eden group, they just go to town, and it works great.”
The partnership benefits both Eden and the University. The men and women in Eden’s Adult Day Services Program gain valuable employment experience, while the First Campus Dining employees are free to focus on other tasks before the big games. “Everyone from Eden knows what to do. I don’t have to supervise them,” said Steve.
Kelvin prepares the kernels and uses the machine to make the popcorn. Then, Patrick scoops the popcorn into a big container. Once the container is filled, the rest of the Eden Autism crew prepares the individual bags that people buy during games and other University events.
Eden’s participants work alongside other employees, who prepare sushi for the University. “They feel like they are part of a team,” said Brooks Sanders, Eden’s Manager of Employment Services. “They are working with other people. They have a boss, but the oversight is at a minimum, so their independence is great. The potential for them to grow their confidence and self-worth is great because they are given the chance to go in and complete the work with colleagues and a boss who have full faith that they can do it.”