Ari Shiner, one of Eden’s original participants, made national history as the first autistic person to work in the retail sector
Ari Shiner made history when he became the first individual with autism to be hired by Wawa in 1981. Now, he’s making history again as he celebrates 45 years with the company.
Wawa celebrated the 45th anniversary of its ground-breaking initiative by recognizing Ari, the company’s first supported employment associate, on April 23 at the Princeton University Wawa, where the Wawa-Eden partnership began.
In 1981, the manager of the Princeton University Wawa approached Eden about creating a pilot program for what would become a hallmark of the company’s inclusive hiring program, which currently employs over 500 associates throughout its 1,260 stores and has touched the lives of thousands of people with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities since its creation.
While many of the men and women Eden supports are competitively employed at businesses across New Jersey today, forty years ago, most employers would not hire individuals with autism. When Ari graduated from the Eden School, his parents wondered what his future had in store. He was always good at following instructions, but stigmas and other barriers prevented individuals with autism from even being considered for employment at the time.
“For 45 years, Wawa has been a champion of inclusion in the workplace,” said Eden Autism President & CEO Michael Decker. “Wawa’s foresight to create competitive employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities has empowered thousands, including those beyond Eden, to lead fulfilling lives and become active members of their communities.”
Wawa Area Manager, Tim O’Connor, said of Ari, “Ari has made Wawa a better place for our associates and our customers. His first responsibilities at the store included stocking shelves, preparing coffee, and pricing candy. His fellow associates have always considered him a strong part of the team, citing his attention to detail and dedication to excellence in everything he does, and he has always had the admiration and respect of his team members and the entire Wawa family.”
The celebration included presenting Ari with a service award milestone pin and the Wawa Foundation’s presentation of a $4,500 grant to support Eden’s services to the autism community in honor of Ari.