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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and this year’s theme is “Celebrating Value and Talent.” Throughout the month, our Community Voices series in the Monday Memo will highlight employment success stories that show the skills, contributions and accomplishments of people with disabilities. We’re kicking off the series with 321 Pop, a microbusiness where three friends with Down syndrome are building work experience, earning income and connecting with their community.
321 Pop was born from a need.
As their children approached adulthood, moms Jennifer Varanini and Marwa Al-Naggar began thinking about what meaningful employment could look like for young people with Down syndrome — not simply having a job but having purposeful work that put their strengths to use, connected them with their community and gave others the opportunity to see what they are capable of.
That idea became 321 Pop, a mobile frozen-treat business centered around friends Sofia Sanchez, Joaquín Sanchez and Hamza Ghazy.
For each of them, employment has meaning in a different way. Sofia loves meeting new people, serving popsicles and making customers smile. “I love working at 321 Pop because I get to meet new people and make people happy,” she says.
For Joaquín, work is a tremendous source of pride. He proudly tells people that he works and has his own business. Having a job gives him a sense of purpose, belonging and something that is truly his.
For Hamza, work is about accomplishment. He’s learning that showing up, doing the work and giving his best leads somewhere. Earning his own money makes that effort tangible and gives him something he can point to with pride and say, “I did that.”
And the community is responding. 321 Pop is booking regularly for everything from family celebrations and disability-community fundraisers to events with state legislators and organizations including GiGi’s Playhouse, the California Dental Association and Down Syndrome Information Alliance. Every event provides meaningful work experience while giving the community a chance to experience inclusive employment firsthand.
The vision is now bigger than one cart. 321 Pop is exploring how its model might eventually be replicated or franchised, giving other young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families an opportunity to create meaningful employment in their own communities.
The mission is right there in the name: Three friends, two wheels, one sweet mission. To learn more or book the popsicle truck at your event, visit 321-pop.com
Share your employment success story
Do you have an employment success story to share? Whether it’s a new job, a career milestone or a business you’ve started, we’d like to hear from you. Email info@thearcca.org for consideration in our Community Voices employment series.