New 2022 MEAF Grant
Scaling Up: Increasing Career Employment for Those with Autism
The Uniquely Abled Project (UAP) empowers youth with autism to lead productive lives through inclusive career employment. The UAP’s primary program is the Uniquely Abled Academy (UAA), that prepares individuals with level 1 autism for a well-paid career as CNC machine operators in just one semester. Over 100 individuals have graduated from the UAAs, with job placement at nearly 100%. Because of the excellent program design, at least 15 communities want to replicate the UAA model.
This level of demand is simply too much for a small, all-volunteer organization to handle. We are delighted to announce that the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation has awarded a $200,000 two-year grant to help The UAP expand its organizational capacity. The funding will enable The UAP to pay dedicated personnel to carry out the many duties involved in the expansion effort. In addition, the funding will be used to publicize the program and create specialized resources to help communities start their own UAAs.
This is a tremendous opportunity to grow the Uniquely Abled Academy model, helping hundreds of young people launch exciting new careers, earn a good living, and realize their potential.
MEAF is a non-profit foundation jointly funded by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation of Japan and its US affiliates, working to make changes for the better by empowering youth with disabilities to lead productive lives.
See our website UniquelyAbledProject.org if you’d like to learn more or get involved.