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In January 2015, more than half a year before turning 30, I started my part-time job as a production assistant at a place that I wished existed back in my childhood to provide me with the kind of help I needed… as an individual on the Spectrum. At the time, Centering on Children (aka ShoeboxTasks®) was a pretty humble operation started by Ron and Linda Larsen. It was through a member of the local Aspies group and friend of Ron’s, Julia Bramsen, that I was recommended for the job late in 2014 before I started in January the following year. Once I had done the orientation with my job coach’s assistance, I was able to perform the assigned business tasks with a high degree of autonomy. In the past nine years that I have worked at Centering on Children, the business has gone through quite a number of changes, namely in expansion, growing numbers of orders from both national and global clients, certain task kits being assembled, and several people who have worked here. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the atmosphere. For the most part, the crew running this ship is very friendly, most especially founders Ron and Linda, their sons Nick and Adam, and our long-time Accounts Manager, Sarah. They have been very supportive of me, and I have even used some of my skills as a photographer to contribute to their online media. Several local artists I even know have at least once done some part-time work here.
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