John Marker  
Mon Yough Community Services, Inc.

John was born on September 3, 1966, he was disabled at birth. John grew up in McKeesport, PA. He attended McKeesport Area School District’s Special Education Program. While at school teachers helped John with his speech due to significant speech characteristics. He verbalizes in a quick, repetitive manner with many words not being clearly pronounced. This required asking him to repeat himself on many occasions. Even when doing so, it was not always easy to understand what he was trying to say. In spite of this, he would not become angry or frustrated. At age 19, John lost his father to cancer.

While living at home with his mother, John began working with Goodwill from August 1988 to November 1988. John was working towards a goal of competitive employment when he was terminated due to funding. John quickly forged ahead, putting Goodwill in the past. He was hired at the McKeesport Borough Maintenance Department. In September 1995, John once again lost a person very close to him, his mother. She passed away due to complications of her heart. In 1996, John moved into a Mon Yough community Services, Inc.’s CLA apartment, where he currently resides. John remained working at McKeesport’s City Hall Building until 2003. During this time he performed janitorial work (i.e.) mopping, dusting and taking out the trash.

In June 2002, John joined Mon Yough community Services, Inc.’s Clean Sweep Program. He has worked here ever since, with only few missed days. John works 4 days a week. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday, John works at the 171st Refueling Wing located near the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport. Sometimes, he even works when others call off. He is a true team player and an asset to Clean Sweep. John has come extremely far since his arrival at the Clean Sweep Program. He has worked extremely hard to overcome his lack of impulse controls. For example, John tends to get very anxious when he is told what to do by anyone other than a Crew Leader or supervisory staff. By talking with Crew Leaders, John has successfully found other avenues to deal with his frustration other that lashing out. John struggles with delusion of the paranoid type, which at times can be difficult to help him differentiate what is reality and what is not. For example, the 171st Refueling Wing is closing down their cafeteria and bringing in a new contract. John believed that he would lose his job due to the base closing. After counseling, John understood that the base was not closing and that he would not be losing his job. It is my opinion as Supervisor of Clean Sweep, that he is the most honest, hardworking, dedicated crew member that we have on the Clean Sweep team to date.

In conclusion, John has worked hard all of his life to overcome many hardships and has taken a active role as a leader and model employee with Mon Yough Community Services, Inc. John is recognized as a down to earth type of person willing to help his fellow man. He has been a staple to Mon Yough Community Services, Inc. and also his local Parish where he has become a reader. John’s peers in Clean Sweep and also in the community understand him and acknowledge what he has accomplished, and they genuinely respect and embrace his view and beliefs. John’s personality and beliefs represent everything in a person that Mon Yough Community Services, Inc. is looking for in an employee. He has never given up; he has always looked ahead towards the future and what would lie in store.