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Ask Melissa Wood what she likes about working at Schenectady ARC and she describes the satisfaction of having one of the people she works with, a consumer who may be autistic or suffering from dementia, taking her hand to show her something they have done. Those moments "warm my heart," she says.
Wood says she finds her work very rewarding and the staff at Schenectady ARC to be very supportive. "I find them very understanding of family concerns and personally concerned about me as an individual," Wood says of the people she works with.
The nonprofit organization is devoted to enhancing the quality of life for people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.
Wood came to Schenectady ARC in 1999 after working as a hair dresser.
"I fell in love with the place and the consumers," Wood says.
Jane Canale, director of human resources, says that Schenectady ARC employees find the work fulfilling.
"If you talk to some of our employees, you may find they are not getting rich in their careers of helping people with developmental disabilities enjoy...