Meet Andy, Emma and Joey from SNACK* working in John Jay Dining Hall
Columbia Dining and Columbia Community Service grant recipient SNACK* continued partnership spanning over 7 years
Once a week, the tables in John Jay dining hall get a little extra cleaning TLC thanks to partnership between Columbia Dining and SNACK*.
SNACK* (Special Needs Activity Center for Kids and Adults) is a not-for-profit organization designed to enrich the lives of children, teens, and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other similar disabilities. SNACK* provides after-school and weekend recreational programs facilitated to address their needs. A Columbia Community Service grant recipient, SNACK* and Columbia Dining began working together in 2018.
Each week, the SNACK* crew arrives at John Jay Dining Hall and makes the rounds to see what help is needed. They wipe down tables or help stock paper products. Through the support of their 1:1 SNACK* coaches, they focus on short tasks that create small wins.
Joey has been working with Columbia Dining since the beginning of the partnership. The visits to John Jay Dining Hall have helped him become more comfortable among larger groups of people. This in turn prepares him for other daily experiences – recently he made a trip to see the Mets play!
Emma has been coming to campus for a year and now looks forward to her time in Dining. It's an opportunity for her to socialize and look for new things to learn or ways to help.
Andy is the newest member of the team. He’s learning different skills and how to adjust to new settings. He asks every week if it’s time to visit Columbia.
Charles Robinson, Assistant General Manager in John Jay Dining Hall checks in with the team each week. To start, the SNACK* coaches work on getting the staffers comfortable in the environment and working on their skills. They get training on their tasks, a work schedule, clock in, grab their supplies and jump in.
“It’s meaningful to see how our operation can provide individuals with the chance to work and give them a sense of pride in accomplishing these helpful tasks.”
The Columbia Dining team is grateful for the collaboration and the opportunity to partner with Joey, Emma, Andy and the SNACK* team.
Learn more about CCS and how to support the critical efforts of this campaign. Read more about SNACK and their work with individuals of all abilities.