Because of you, The Candy Man CAN

“Who can take a sunrise? Sprinkle it with dew; Cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two?”

The Candy Man can.

Down the candy aisle in a local Walmart, along with the shiny metallic foil wrappers and the faint smell of chocolate, you will find David. The Candy Man.

David starts his day by checking that everything is stocked and in order. You can hear the distinct sound the bags of candy make as he places them on the shelves.

He’s one of the more recent employees hired through the S. Wilson Pollock Center for Industrial Training (CIT) transitional employment program. This program gives trainees supervised work experiences on-site until they’re ready to find a competitive job in the community.

Because of your support, David, aka “the candy man,” can do the job he wants, and he couldn’t be happier. “David was really excited to use the ladders, which he couldn’t do at his last job. It’s all he wanted,” says Integrated Industry Manager Tawnia Jones.

But David isn’t alone at Walmart. He works alongside Jean in clothing, Dee in the bakery, and Jess in grocery returns. They all receive support from CIT’s transitional employment program and have worked at Walmart for a few years.

Your support helps them build careers and reach their professional goals. Through this program, David, Jean, Dee, and Jess don’t just learn skills specific to their departments—they also gain customer service and communication skills that boost their confidence and independence.

These skills make them valued members of the Walmart team. The tasks may seem small, but small jobs become big ones, and everyone depends on them. If they’re not there for some reason, they are truly missed by their colleagues at Wal-Mart.

In fact, David, Jean, Dee, and Jess are so important that they were named Employees of the Month in June! They were cheered on by their colleagues as they received medals and certificates for their hard work. David and Jess were so proud that they wore their medals all week!People with disabilities may face many challenges in the workplace such as, transportation, accessibility, and communicating with others. But thanks to YOU, David, Jean, Dee, and Jess have the resources and support they need to succeed. Your ongoing support ensures these guys, and others like them, have access to their hobbies, interests, and employment which are all critical parts of all of our everyday lives.