Image courtesy of The B.E.S.T. Gift Shop
If you have driven by 122 S. Patrick St. recently, you may have noticed a new store whose black signage with white and red lettering boldly states itself as The B.E.S.T Gift Shop. Once you find out the amazing story behind it, you’ll realize the claim isn’t’ so bold after all.
B.E.S.T stands for “Building Employment Solutions Together” and is a collaboration between the Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund (JPMF) and ServiceSource to provide meaningful employment for people with disabilities.
“This is a project that has been in the works since pre-pandemic, late 2019. The Pizzano family and JPMF, they came to us with this idea for a program for adults with disabilities to go each day, learn work skills, engage in meaningful activities which is very aligned with a lot of the programs we run now,” explained Theresa Piccolo, a Division Manager of Long Term and Community Integration Services for ServiceSource. Unfortunately, the pandemic forced the program to go on pause until this July.
The B.E.S.T program describes itself as a mobile work crew of four participants and one staff member that is eager to partner with businesses to solve their daily service needs. Possible services include inventory and stocking of supplies, shredding, assembling, copying, light cleaning (vacuuming, sanitizing, dusting), light garden work (watering plants), mailing/packets, customized tasks and sanitizing/cleaning gym equipment.
“Right now what we are doing is training them (program participants) on various tasks, sweeping, gardening, we are getting them prepared to work in the store so greeting, stocking over there, stocking in the program location, those are a few of the things that we are starting to build their skills up with so that post-COVID we’ll be able to market them better,” said Monita Garrett who is Program Manager for The B.E.S.T program.
In September, The B.E.S.T. gift shop opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony planned for the end of October. Larrisha Leach is the Sales & Marketing Specialist for the store and explained that the purpose of the gift shop is “to show the community what people with disabilities can do and on the other side to support our people with disabilities, small businesses, big businesses, promoting them and getting them more spotlight.”
The shop inventory comes from individuals and artisans with disabilities from around the country including a few local ones like Bloom artisans based in Oakton and Arlington Weaves, Etc. Visitors to the store can find scarves, jewelry, soaps, candles, cards, tote bags, prints, paintings and other beautiful and unique items for sale.
Even without a lot of publicity, members of the community have noticed the new shop. “Our glass display and The B.E.S.T. gift shop has been eye-catching to folks and they have been coming by and they’re like ‘I want to know what’s so best about The B.E.S.T. Gift Shop?’ Leach described. Once they find out that the beautiful items are created by people with disabilities, they are incredibly supportive.
“I think it kind of brings it home too when they realize that there’s a day support attached to the store so that they’re able to see individuals with disabilities and what they’re actually doing…not only are we selling their products but we’re actually advocating for them to make more products,” Garrett added.
The B.E.S.T Gift Shop is located at 122 S. Patrick St. and is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Image courtesy of The B.E.S.T. Gift Shop
A selection of items for sale in the shop.
