Online grocer celebrating 10 years employing staff with developmental disabilities

Of the 52 staff members at Spud's northeast distribution centre, 11 have developmental disabilities.

Ian Walsh, site leader, helps every staff member excel at their job.

"Attention to detail is very important," Walsh said.

"But the biggest thing here is each person supports the next, so if somebody is struggling or finding barriers, there's always going to be someone on either side of them that can build them up, move them along, encourage them and if it just isn't working, we find somewhere else and we try it again."

Walsh is in his fourth year at Spud (https://www.spud.ca/) and is impressed at how everyone works together to meet their deadlines.

"We all work in unison for the ultimate goal of getting the groceries to the customer," he said.

"It is a combination of finding someone that fits in the right spot, but in a job that's suitable for them as well."

Macarena Ruidiaz is 34 years old and has many responsibilities at the facility including building cardboard boxes and washing the reusable Rubbermaid totes used in deliveries.

Ruidiaz has a learning disability and her first language is Spanish.

Walsh works alongside her often and the two have learned how to communicate.

"She's fluent in Spanish. That's her native tongue," Walsh said.

"I come from Newfoundland. I don't know Spanish. She forces me to learn Spanish. In turn, we do English and we do some handwriting."

Claudia Benavente and Eduardo Ruidiaz, Macarena's parents, say her biggest challenge is communicating in English.

But they're proud of their daughter and her work ethic at Spud.

"She got an award for the employee of the month," Benavente said.

"She was so proud about that and she's learned a lot. She feels comfortable and confident."

Now, Macarena is earning her own money and one day may move out of her parents' home.

"With her salary, she's able to be independent and that is a really good thing for her, for us as a family," Benavente said.

"She's so happy every single day she comes to work."

Some of the staff are hired through Columbia College's community support services department.

Michael Campbell, its co-ordinator, says the program currently has 102 students enrolled.

"Our particular service is a competitive employment service," he said.

"We provide services to individuals that are wanting competitive employment, which means that they can, once trained to be able to do the job on their own and so the goal really is to have their file closed, call me up one day and say, 'Hey Mike, you're fired. I don't need you anymore. I can do this thing on my own.'"

The program has run for 36 years and graduated more than 700 students to companies all over Calgary, students living with a myriad of challenges.

"We have individuals that may have autism, some individuals that have Down syndrome, some just developmental delays," Campbell said.

"So it's the whole spectrum of challenges that our individuals have, so we have to deal with each one of them uniquely."

Campbell says the benefits to their students are life-changing.

"Self-esteem, independence, we've had individuals that come in, that are so shy, they can't even speak their name," he said.

"They've come into their own through maturity and through success and are well-independent community members. It's fantastic. It's such a joy to see those successes."

You can learn more about the community support services department at https://columbia.ca/programs-courses/services-for-persons-with-developmental-disabilities/community-support-services-department-2/.