Mail Clerk at Global Communities with Disability is Valued Employee

Amanda Sperber, a mail clerk at Global Communities Partners for Good in Silver Spring, “makes sure she gets here on time and gets her work done on time,” says Jim McGirr, an administration manager.

Mail Clerk at Global Communities with Developmental Disability is Valued Employee

Employee for seven years has strong work ethic

by Marlena Chertock, Staff Writer, The Gazette
This article originally appeared in The Gazette
She’s been sorting mail at Global Communities Partners for Good since 2006 and is one of the Silver Spring nonprofit’s most valued employees.
Amanda Sperber, who has a developmental disability, works as a mail clerk four days a week, scanning documents, stocking kitchen supplies and filing.
Sperber, 28, has a strong work ethic, her supervisor said.
“She’ll let us know weeks in advance if she’s going on vacation because she wants to make sure that her job is covered,” said Jim McGirr, an administration manager. “She makes sure she gets here on time and gets her work done on time.”
Sperber, of Germantown, rarely takes sick leave and if she has to, she is very apologetic, McGirr said.
Sperber was placed at Global Communities through The Arc Montgomery County, a nonprofit that provides educational and job training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each year the organization helps to find employment for young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are entering the workforce.
When Sperber first started working, The Arc Montgomery County offered her on-the-job coaching and training.
“I don’t really use it that much,” Sperber said. “But if I needed help on a project, I would ask someone at The Arc to help me. But most of the time I do it on my own.”
The Arc Montgomery County also helped Sperber develop natural support systems at her job, such as whom to go to for help.
“Due to Amanda’s outgoing nature, she certainly didn’t need a lot of coaching in that area,” said Daria Cervantes, the director of vocational and day services at The Arc Montgomery County.
“The Arc is fantastic because they’re always there by phone,” McGirr said. “They’re always supportive of Amanda.”
Cervantes said Sperber always shows interest in expanding her work opportunities and taking on additional responsibilities.
Sperber has been taking on more with a business card project. She is compiling information from more than 300 business cards of international nonprofits into a spreadsheet.
“She’s really an asset to them,” Cervantes said.
Sperber also organizes social events every other month for staff, such as meeting at Starbucks or going out for frozen yogurt. She picks a day and time and asks staff if it works for their schedules.
“Frozen yogurt is my favorite social event,” she said. “Because I only work part-time so I don’t get to meet a lot of people. So I like talking to people and having fun.”
Sperber’s conscientious nature has shown fellow employees that people with disabilities can contribute much to a work environment, according to McGirr.
She is happy, positive and always finds the good in a situation, he said.
“Her memory, work production and attitude are all phenomenal,” McGirr said. “And I think it’s telling that she is so efficient. Even though she could meet with her job coach as often as once a week, she meets with her a few times a year. She’s a pretty amazing lady.”