Bettaway Supply Chain Services is entering its third year partnering with local Pennington non-profit We Make - Autism at Work providing adults on the autism spectrum with meaningful jobs and career development opportunities.
“This program is proof positive that a focused program and dedicated support resources can create an environment where those adults with autism can not only succeed in the workplace but develop meaningful, sustainable careers,” said John Vaccaro, President of Bettaway. “We are excited to continue this collaboration with We Make and look to expand the program going forward over the next 12 months.”
“As a straightforward business operation, the program delivered on all counts,” Vaccaro noted, “Yet there was also something special happening, as we watched these individuals gain confidence in their abilities and skills, and frankly, joy in doing a job well and being recognized for that. There was a sense of accomplishment that you could see and feel.”
Vaccaro also pointed to the pride that Bettaway employees have shown in the program, and their role in nurturing its positive impact and results. “Success means more than dollars and giving back is a core fundamental value we can all embrace in some form,” he noted. “Big things start with small things and small things take an effort to start. Our numbers shown here are impressive, and it started with one.”
“The Bettaway team’s commitment to social equity, workforce development and vocational immersion for autistic adults has been a huge benefit to Middlesex County communities,” said Moe Siddiqu, We Make’s founding executive director. “They are an influencer of change, continuously amplifying efforts of industry inclusion for this deserving constituency and strengthening the fabric of their community one opportunity at a time.”
Since implementing the We Make model in 2023 the Bettaway program has grown to provide wider access to sustainable job opportunities for the autism and IDD communities. Siddiqu emphasized that the year 1 focus was concentrated on validating the model, demonstrating the business value and promoting the benefits to the wider business community. Year two continued that focus while also working to further “close the gap between need and opportunity for young adults on the spectrum entering the workforce,” he noted.
“Retaining 97% of program graduates as employees, the We Make - Bettaway Program shows proof of concept that there is a more innovative way to address the vast unemployment within the autism and IDD community,” Siddiqu explained. “The recipe is simply to commit to the effort, believe in their abilities, build their skills and offer an opportunity to apply themselves to let the individual control the reigns of their life's future. Together, We Make and Bettaway will continue to trailblaze a better tomorrow.”
Bettaway is a family-owned supply chain services company that provides freight trucking, warehousing, inventory management, product packing, order fulfillment and pallet supply, and logistics management services for beverage and consumer products companies through New Jersey and the northeast U.S.
Founded in 2017, We Make is a non-profit skills development and workforce management organization dedicated to supporting persons with autism, an autism spectrum disorder or IDD. We Make supports businesses with specialized training and support programs enabling meaningful workplace opportunities where autistic adults can succeed on their own in compatible work environments. As well, participating businesses gain dependable, skilled, high-performing employees at a cost typically less hiring from traditional temporary agencies.
The We Make program builds upon Bettaway’s experience providing career opportunities for autistic adults. The company previously worked with the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services, providing jobs during the pandemic for the program’s participants. “That experience gave us the incentive to do more, to more deeply engage in meaningful support for autistics adults, and also address hiring needs with quality workers,” noted Vaccaro, whose son, Frankie, is on the autism spectrum.
According to We Make, with about 1 in 68 children in the U.S. having been identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the lack of programs and sustainable work situations for adults with autism will only become more acute.
Vaccaro plans to grow Bettaway’s collaboration with We Make as the program enters its third year. The warehousing and fulfillment business “is an ideal work environment for autistics adults in which they can thrive,” he notes, adding that today’s graduates become mentors and positive role models for others on the spectrum who come behind them. “That’s where I really get inspired, seeing these individuals with so much potential earning their success and fulfilling a dream for themselves and their parents.”
