Baltimore, Maryland, April 3, 2024 — At kubik, Elaina is making things happen.

Elaina had long been searching for meaningful and inclusive employment in a role that would allow her to use her friendly personality and organizational skills. Thanks to the Best Buddies Jobs Program, which helps place individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in integrated and competitive employment, she landed an interview with kubik, an event management agency.

Upon entering the interview, it became immediately apparent that this would be an excellent place for her to work: kubik was passionate about Best Buddies’ mission and was excited to hire inclusively.

Elaina aced the interview and was hired as a receptionist in May 2022. She began working part-time and instantly identified her first goal: full-time employment.

Within a month, Elaina achieved that goal.

Elaina’s new full-time salary is over $66,000 annually and she also earns vacation and retirement benefits.

Elaina’s colleagues find her to be a true source of inspiration, as she consistently embodies a strong work ethic and seamlessly integrates into the company’s culture. Elaina welcomes all team members into the office, offers assistance with administrative tasks for multiple staff members, manages office supply orders, oversees shipping logistics, and creates and files documents.

Elaina now has a new goal: to transform this opportunity from a job into a career.

“The office is a very comfortable environment,” Elaina said, “Plus, it is dog-friendly, and I love dogs.”

Elaina continually seeks to improve her skills, a goal that kubik is helping her achieve by slowly expanding her responsibilities.

The transformative shift in the company’s workplace culture, driven by Elaina’s employment closely aligns with the very ethos that the Best Buddies Jobs Program aims to cultivate and has ignited kubik’s commitment to actively seek opportunities to employ more individuals with IDD.

About Best Buddies
Best Buddies^® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has grown from one original chapter to nearly 3,000 middle school, high school, and college chapters worldwide. Today, Best Buddies’ 12 formal programs — Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies®, Jobs, Ambassadors, Promoters, Transitions, Inclusive Living and Eunie’s Buddies— engage participants in each of the 50 states and in 45 countries, positively impacting the lives of nearly one million people with and without disabilities around the world. In many cases, as a result of their involvement with Best Buddies, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, become inspirational leaders, and make lifelong friendships. For more information, please visit bestbuddies.org or connect with us via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Media Inquiries
Best Buddies International
Nicole Maddox
Vice President, Communications
NicoleMaddox@Bestbuddies.org