Washington Vocational Services (WVS) recently named Skagit Regional Health (SRH) Food Services as their 2024 Employer of the Year. SRH Food Services was selected to receive the award after being nominated by a Washington Vocational Services employee.

WVS is a non-profit organization that assists persons with disabilities in succeeding in the workplace by matching the unique talents of each individual with the specific needs of an employer. With six office locations in Seattle, Everett, Oak Harbor, Mount Vernon, Burlington and Bellingham, they service communities in the Puget Sound region from Vancouver to the Canadian border.

SRH’s Food Services department partnered with WVS to become a Community-Based Learning Experience (CBLE) worksite to provide meaningful work experience for their clients. This partnership was first established at Cascade Valley Hospital Cafe over ten years ago, then was established at the Skagit Valley Hospital Bistro in 2023.

The Skagit Valley Hospital Bistro partners specifically with WVS’s Adult Transition to Independence Center (ATTIC), a vocational training program in Skagit Valley designed to empower young adults ages 18-21 with disabilities, as they prepare for employment and independent living.

In 2024, six ATTIC students volunteered to serve as bistro/kitchen assistants at the Skagit Valley Hospital Bistro. Their main tasks included light food preparation, restocking bistro grab-n-go items and condiments, wrapping cookies, filling gift bags for visitors and staff, operating commercial dishwashing equipment and cleaning seating areas. Each student job-shadowed a staff member for one and a half hours, one day a week, during six-week rotations held three times a year. This allowed each student to gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment where tasks were tailored to meet each individual’s interests and skill levels.

After the volunteer rotations, the students are then offered the opportunity for employment through Chinook Employment Services, a job coaching programing. Three Chinook Employment Services individuals are currently employed at the Skagit Regional Health Bistro, with a fourth individual currently working towards employment. The fourth individual is one of the ATTIC students that started as a volunteer

ATTIC’s Business Development Coordinator, Sarah Pelle, nominated SRH Food Services for WVS Employer of the Year award because of the individualized approach their team brought to student assignments.

“They thoughtfully consider each student’s abilities and interests, matching them with tasks that provide both challenge and engagement,” Pelle states in her nomination story. “This kind of thoughtful, personalized task assignment goes beyond what is typically expected of employers and illustrates their genuine investment in helping each student find purpose and pride in their work.”

Karla Dills, Regional Director of SRH Food Services feels immense pride over this partnership and the support her department receives that makes it possible.

“I am so proud to work for an organization that supported Food Services in finding solutions that work for these amazing students. It takes people from various departments across our system to make it happen,” Dills said. “It also takes a lot of time and effort, but most importantly, acceptance to get them implemented.”

Congratulations to the Food Services team for this great recognition! 

Photo captions:
Top: (Left to right) Karla Dills, Sarah Pelle and Michelle O'Bryant pose with the WVS 2024 Employer of the Year plaque. 
Middle: Tiffany Lechowicz, ATTIC student, restocks bistro grab-n-go items.
Bottom: Rowan Hiller, ATTIC student, prepares a tray of bacon.