Sarah Kramer Dunkley

In her nomination, Sarah Kramer Dunkley, of Lifeworks, wrote, "In a short time, Tim's vision and energy has benefited more than 20 people directly, and countless others indirectly as he continues to advocate and educate."

"The only alternative for their children [at that time] was to commit them to a state hospital," said Sarah Kramer Dunkley, new business manager for Lifeworks.

"That was not an option they wanted to pursue, so they started a private nonprofit and we've grown leaps and bounds since then."

What started out as a day training center for adolescents has turned into a multi-faceted organization.

Services now include helping families hire their own staff, offering life enrichment activities to individuals unable to work, community employment initiatives, transition services for students and consulting services for businesses that want to employ individuals with disabilities.

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"We try to look at the skill sets that people do have rather then focus on what they can't do," said Dunkley.

Matching skill sets to available work is the key for Lifeworks and the businesses they connect with.

Another important step is communicating to potential employers that hiring Lifeworks doesn't place an additional burden on them.One solution for employers is to hire a team of five or more Lifeworks individuals.

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Since then, at least three Home Depot stores have added Lifeworks employees, said Dunkley.

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"We really wanted to take the time to thank the outstanding employers that support us," said Dunkley.

She calls employers like Thompson, Rice and the others "our evangelists."

For more information on Lifeworks, visit their website at www.lifeworks.org.