Gonzalo “Gonzo” Lopez is a Ticketholder in the Ticket to Work (TTW) program and a double amputee below the knee. He lost both legs 15 years ago due to diabetes. Immediately following the amputation, he was in a wheelchair for 7 months and then began using prosthetics. He came to Beacon Group two and a half years ago as an on-call worker in Beacon Group’s production facility and joined the Ticket to Work program because he wanted a steady full-time job that made him more money and offered more independence.

Beacon Group Employment Specialists helped Gonzo find a job with JP Industries (JPI), a janitorial organization that has a contract on the largest military base in Arizona. He applied for the job, went in for the interview, and was offered a job on-the-spot. He started out as a janitor, cleaning the largest gym on the base. He found comfort in the work, enjoying the satisfaction and responsibility of cleaning such an expansive and important space on the military base.

Recently, Gonzo’s supervisor retired, and he was promoted to a lead position. Not only does he still complete his day-to-day janitorial tasks but now he has the responsibility of training others and checking their work. He enjoys training new employees and has a great appreciation for his team. “The team I have now is awesome,” says Gonzo. “They know what to do and we get everything done, no problem.” For a man who has faced his fair share of challenges and setbacks, these new responsibilities as a lead are no problem.

One of the employees that Gonzo supervises is Vincent Powell. Vincent is also a Ticketholder in the Ticket to Work program and followed a similar path to Gonzo—working at Beacon Group prior to getting hired by JPI.

“Gonzo called me and asked if I was interested in working at JPI and he explained to me roughly what I would be doing,” says Vincent. “He recommended me to the hiring manager, and I was all in.”

Vincent has Multiple Sclerosis and uses a wheelchair. While training Vincent in his first couple months on the job, Gonzo was able to share his past personal experience in a wheelchair and gave supported him in tasks like mopping the floor from a wheelchair.

“Based on my experience [in a wheelchair] I kind of know what he can and can’t do,” says Gonzo. “If he needs help, I help him and explain things to him but usually he’s pretty much on top of it.”

Both Gonzo and Vincent admit that it took them some time to understand the Ticket to Work program and had multiple conversations about benefits with Beacon Employment Specialists. Ultimately, they realized how helpful the program could be for gaining and obtaining work while achieving a path to long-term independence.

The TTW program made a huge difference in Gonzo and Vincent’s life along with the 300+ Ticketholders that receive services each year from Beacon Group in 2021. As Beacon steadily grows this number year over year, the organization continues to look for ways to expand the mission and serve more Ticketholders like Gonzo and Vincent.

Click here for more information about the Ticket to Work Program.