People often come into Game on State and ask WHY we opened an arcade and candy store in Media. While a family-oriented business was certainly needed in our community, it was our personal journey as parents of a child who was struggling to find his footing in life that guided us.
"Throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping that something will stick" was a term we heard from one of multiple therapists. It turned out to be the perfect analogy for our family. While we wished that a straighter, easier path would be forged for our child, we soon discovered that we were not alone in our parenting struggles.
Finding suitable employment for a person with disabilities is not easy. It is an often overlooked gap in society. We eventually learned that customized and supported employment could be utilized to help our own child to simultaneously achieve both success and independence.
Soon after Game On State opened in October 2021 we learned that we were not alone. While we deliberately hired people with disabilities and created an integrated employment model, it quickly became apparent that the number of people with disabilities in need of employment was far greater than we ever anticipated. The number of families that have reached out to us has made it apparent that more jobs are needed.
We, therefore, have made it our mission to create integrated employment and social programming for people with disabilities in small business environments. The creation of ANEWAY is the next step as we seek to initiate change in a new way. It may have started with our family but the future can be so much more. We need your assistance in expanding our program so that we may provide more opportunities. Your contribution, no matter its size, will assist us in reaching our goal.