JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A local nonprofit is shining a light on a workforce gap that affects millions of Americans — and one Jacksonville woman is helping close it, one load of laundry at a time.
The Arc Jacksonville is among the organizations leading the charge in creating employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, commonly known as IDDs. One of its businesses, Laundry Caddie, is a pickup-and-delivery laundry service that puts that mission into practice every day.
Heather Martin is one of the people making it happen, and Laundry Caddie’s first hired employee.
Martin, who has autism, works alongside her colleagues to make sure every customer’s laundry is handled with care — checking pockets, sorting garments and tracking each order using unique customer logos.
“Sometimes I write notes for the other Laundry Caddie customers,” she said.
For Martin, the work carries real meaning beyond the daily routine.
“You get a job and you can support yourself and make sure you got enough stuff to sustain yourself,” she said.
Sarah Troup, director of workforce innovation at The Arc Jacksonville, says Martin brings an energy to the workplace that is hard to miss.
“She is the first person who greets me when I come in every morning with the laundry,” Troup said.
Martin’s story reflects a much larger challenge playing out across the country.
According to 2024 data from National Core Indicators, only 17% of people with IDDs receiving state-funded services held paid jobs in the community.
In Florida, the employment rate for working-age residents with IDDs stands at 44.5%, ranking the state 40th in the nation.
Troup acknowledges the stigma that can surround hiring people with IDDs, but says research tells a different story. Multiple studies have shown that businesses that hire people with IDDs report higher employee retention and workplace satisfaction rates.
Troup hopes more business owners will take notice.
“Individuals with IDD have so much to offer our community in the workplace, in friendships, in every aspect of life,” she said. “(They) are some of the most authentic people that I have ever met and our world needs more of that.”
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