Jared Pinegar is well-known across Beacon Group. Not only has he worked a wide variety of jobs in Tucson and Phoenix since he arrived at Beacon 20 years ago, but he also recently won an Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2022 Beacon Group Holiday Festivity. His progress is admirable and his dedication to work is honorable.

Prior to Beacon Group, Jared had his first taste of employment when he attended Howenstine Magnet High School in Tucson. Jared participated in an on-the-job training program where he explored job opportunities through working in the school kitchen, picking up trash, and sorting seeds.

Jared arrived at Beacon Group in June 2003 as a referral from the Division of Development Disabilities. He was young but very interested in working.

As Jared puts it, “I was still learning the jobs, growing up and stuff in my 20s but as I got older, I got more mature, and got like a lot more work ethic.”

Growth and experience have been vital to the success of Jared’s employment journey. While working in Tucson he became skilled at several different jobs and filled in wherever he was needed. From custodial at the Evo A Deconcini U.S. Courthouse to production work at the Steve and Kathy King Center to car washing at Jim Click dealerships.

“I got into Beacon and I just started learning to work, I mean it took me a few years to get used to being a good worker,” says Jared. “But Beacon’s helped me a lot, my family along the line, like my dad, really helped me too and taught me work skills, so I got it made!”

In 2020, Jared petitioned the courts to become his own legal guardian. His petition was granted and after 17 years in Tucson, Jared was ready for a change. Knowing that he could continue working for Beacon Group, he decided to move to Phoenix to gain some independence and be closer to his dad. The two of them now live together and have a great relationship while supporting each other in many ways. Jared helps his dad around the house and his dad gives him advice about work and life. Best of all, Jared appreciates that his dad empowers him and doesn’t treat him like he is limited due to his disability.

Jared has had the chance to try several different work sites in Phoenix. He worked on the burial crew at Mesa Cemetery, custodial, landscaping and production jobs at AmerisourceBergen and Bonded Logic. These opportunities provided him with a strong foundation of employment experience, culminating in the achievement of a significant job offer from Beacon Group.

Jared says with pride, “I applied as a staff person [at Beacon] in August 2022 and I got the position right away.”

He was hired to perform landscaping  and custodial duties on Beacon’s AbilityOne contract at the Sandra Day O’Connor U.S. Courthouse.

“I do lots of stuff like empty trash receptacles, weed the gravel areas and tree beds, I do lawn mowing, and I clean windows with the hydro window brush,” says Jared.

Due to his maturity, growth and employment skill set, Jared has excelled in his new position. He has done so well that he was invited to Beacon Group in Tucson to train others one how to use the hydro window brush—a window washing brush attached to a power washer that extends 40 feet.

“Jared has made huge strides in his employment with Beacon Group,” says his supervisor, Greg Teske. “He does great work and gets along well with all of the staff—they’ve really accepted him.”

Beacon Group is tremendously proud of Jared’s accomplishments and work ethic. He is a testament to the Beacon Mission, and we’re honored to have him working here.

A little advice from Jared “There is no excuse not to work. I mean, everybody could do something, nobody could do everything. So no matter who it is, anybody can do some kind of work.”

Jared ‘has got it made’ and so does Beacon Group.

For more information about the AbilityOne program, click here.