August 15 • 2019 13
jn

jews d
in 
the

Training Workers

JVS Human Services has two new 
facilities to help individuals with dis-
abilities become fluent in skills need-
ed in a growing industry. 
A new simulated supermarket set-
ting in the organization’
s Southfield 
headquarters (29699 Southfield 
Road) is training potential employees 
to shop for online grocery pick-up. 
In the agency’
s Detroit location 
(4250 Woodward Ave.), a new simu-
lated warehouse, sorting and fulfill-
ment center is training individuals 
with disabilities to understand the 
requirements of such jobs and prac-
tice and improve their skills prior to 
job placement.
“Meaningful employment is a huge 
stepping-stone toward independence 
and self-worth for everyone, includ-
ing those with disabilities,” said James 
Willis, vice president, Workforce 
Development & Rehabilitation of JVS 
Human Services. 
Kroger, which has worked with 
JVS Human Services for many years 
placing employees with disabilities 
at their stores throughout Metro 
Detroit, has just employed a “gradu-
ate” of the simulated shopping train-
ing for its curbside grocery pick-up 
program, called Kroger Pickup.
At JVS’
 shopping market in 
Southfield, job seekers learn to 
retrieve and read a customer’
s shop-
ping list on their phone, to search 
“supermarket” aisles for items 
ordered, to weigh produce, to scan 
all the items and to bag them all up. 
Potential employees are also thrown 
curveballs, situations where items are 
not available, and they are taught to 
call a customer offering alternatives. 
At JVS’
s simulated warehouse in 
Detroit, individuals spend time put-
ting boxes on conveyor belts, pallets 
or other locations so that products 
can be shipped off to consumers. 
Opportunities are available to 
tryout “picking jobs,” which involve 
reading a computer screen for the 
location of products that need to be 
selected for shipping. Individuals are 
assessed for accuracy and speed and 
can be given adjustments to improve 
performances. So far, 21 workers 
have been placed in warehouse ful-
fillment jobs after completing this 
program.
For details, contact Lydia Gray at 
JVS Human Services, (248) 233-4480 
or lgray@jvshumanservices.org.

Meaning

Learning

Connection

Purpose

Next Stop: Jewish Inspiration and Learning

Fall for

(248) 205-2557jccdet.org/melton

Our Fall line-up of classes 
is bigger and better than 
ever before!

(248) 205-2557 jccdet.org/JLearn

Join us for a FREE Sample Class! 
Monday, August 19, 1 – 2 pm, Max M. Fisher Federation Building

FREE “SNEAK PEEK” OF CLASSES AND INSTRUCTORS! 
Monday August 19, Max M. Fisher Federation Building

