STEP Thrift Store and Donation Centers Implements CentralReach’s avail® Software Organization-Wide to Hire, Train, and Retain Neurodiverse Employees

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - CentralReach, the leading provider of autism and IDD care software, today announced that Services To Enhance Potential (STEP) Thrift Store and Donation Centers, a Michigan non-profit organization that provides support and services to persons with disabilities and other mental health needs, will be using CentralReach’s avail® software to provide employment support to neurodiverse staff. The assistive technology by CentralReach will be used to onboard, train, and retain interns and employees both with and without autism and IDDs, setting them up for long-term success in the workplace.

“Before using CentralReach’s software, we struggled to prepare employees for what day-to-day tasks would look like, often leading to high turnover rates,” said Leah Cooley, Regional Retail Sales Manager at STEP Thrift Store and Donation Centers. “CentralReach’s avail has allowed us to more efficiently and effectively onboard staff, creating accurate expectations for job candidates that help build confidence while saving our current staff time in the onboarding and training processes.”

CentralReach’s avail software, which is part of the company’s Autism and IDD Care Platform for pre-employment, uses step-by-step visual prompts to help those with autism and IDD complete daily work-related tasks. avail saves time on training and allows for independence by eliminating the need for continuous, hands-on support from counselors or job coaches while on the job. STEP Thrift Store and Donation Centers are implementing avail across three Michigan locations: Southgate, Dearborn Heights, and in the city of Wayne. 

“We are excited to welcome STEP Thrift Store and Donation Centers to the CentralReach family. The responsibility of preparing individuals with autism and IDD for employment should not fall entirely on schools and pre-employment agencies,” said Chris Sullens, CEO of CentralReach. “If more organizations around the world were doing what STEP is doing to hire neurodiverse talent on their teams, we would truly make substantial progress on lowering the neurodiverse unemployment rate. STEP is setting the standard for what modern employment initiatives could and should look like, and we are honored to be their technology partner of choice to support and scale neurodiverse hiring across their locations.”