Watching Jared Caruso assemble surgical tools for a doctor at Georgia Skin and Cancer Treatment Center, you would never know he has disabilities.
"He's very personable, very responsible, and very funny but very capable. We're looking forward to a few more Jareds," Dr. Sidney Smith said.
Dr. Sidney Smith is a believer in having a diverse staff that includes people with disabilities thanks to one lady who has been a forerunner in linking area businesses with disable adults, like Jared.
"A lot time businesses aren't able to get certain jobs done and so I go in and I meet with businesses, I tour the facility and I match that up with an individual who's looking for work. I have individuals that I'm working with that have great skilled, but people don't realize it because they've be stigmatized their whole lives by having a disability," Cindy Burns said.
At Coastal Center for Developmental Services Burns gives disabled people a voice and more importantly hope for a better future. On Friday at Savannah Technical College, she was recognized and received a STARs award for that voice.
"Cindy has the most enthusiasm in the business community. I think anyone you talk to would say that about Cindy," Laura Lee Bocabe said, one of Burns' clients.
For Burns, her service just comes naturally to her.
"It's just every day to me. I'm just so shocked that I was viewed as that," Burns said.
