By Angela Gartner • Photography by Kim Stahnke
Kaleb Lloyd, 30, of Solon, has been in the service industry for a long time, as his mom Beverly Lloyd says he’s a “people person.”
“It seems like a good fit for him because he likes people and he likes helping,” Beverly says, adding that she and Kaleb, who has Down syndrome, went over things for the job interview, but her son took the initiative by handling the interview alone. “We just practiced every day and when they called and said he got the job, I just had tears in my eyes.”
While Kaleb currently works at Harvard Chick-fil-A, he’s worked in various restaurants around the region.
Beverly added that the Jewish Family Service Association (JFSA) YouthAbility program helped her son develop a lot of skills that she believes helped him get a job.
“He does a lot of volunteering and life skills with them,” she says.
Beverly advises other parents to know their child’s strengths and passions when it comes to job opportunities.
She says that Kaleb, a graduate of Solon High School, has a passion for the drums and played in the high school band for four years. In addition to drumming, Kaleb likes to do a lot of different things such as hanging out with his friends.
When asked how Kaleb has grown over the years, Beverly says he takes a lot more initiative.
“I’m so proud of him for taking a lot of initiative when something has to be done,” she says, adding that parents don’t have to just let their kids do whatever they want to do, but can discipline them with love. “Your child can do a lot more than you think. You can push him or her, push your child to the limits. Always push them to be the best that they can be.”
