Roderick Batson founded two groups to assist people with disabilities in the Houston area in finding work and overcoming the stigma that they face.
Batson told AfroTech, “It’s inspiring to see a population of people who are labeled with a disability that actually have so many abilities. Once we focus on the abilities and not the disability, we see what they are actually capable of.”
Batson and his crew are attempting to clarify misunderstandings about individuals with disabilities as franchisees of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream and Essential Speech and ABA Therapy Clinic.
“A big misconception is that because they have a disability, they aren’t able, and Howdy Homemade Ice Cream has allowed them to not only be employable but to be some of the best employees you’ll ever have,” he remarked.
“One thing we’ve done at Howdy is make all of the prices on the cash register even numbers so they don’t have to count change. This has made it simple for them to succeed and fulfill a job that is rewarding and makes them feel a part of society and the workplace,” he added.
He opened the Essential Speech and ABA Therapy center in his birthplace of Texas in September. The clinic offers a variety of services such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, and behavioral therapy.
According to Batson, one of their goals is to enroll children in these programs before they start school; consequently, children from 18 months to 6 years are welcome.
He told Click2Houston, “Hearing from those parents and hearing that so many individuals with autism are on a waiting list. Then, it takes them so long to get in and get services. It really kind of inspired me to want to jump in.”
Batson stated that he finds joy in seeing how his firm helps others and provides opportunities for people who have never worked before. He intends to expand the number of franchises in order to reach and assist more individuals.
“Howdy’s Homemade and Essential Speech and ABA are geared towards improving the abilities of the special needs community,” he expressed. “To put individuals in a position to win instead of using their disability as a crutch that keeps the stigma surrounding the special needs community.”
He continued: “I think by working with large corporations to hire individuals with special needs, I can really help this overlooked population by showing everyone that they are able.”