INDIANAPOLIS — Individuals with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed as individuals without disabilities, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana is helping folks like Peter Salathe make a living and provide for himself and family.
The seven-year Goodwill employee specializes in the book department and can accomplish tasks in rapid speed.
As a matter of fact, out of the 70+ locations in Indiana, Salathe holds the record for most books scanned in a day — 5,000.
“People look at Peter, they look at him and how hard he works. Or look at some of the things he’s overcome," Goodwill of Central & Southern Indian President and CEO, Kent Kramer said.
Salathe also has a disability.
As a toddler, he suffered a severe stroke that left him partially paralyzed and with a series of learning disabilities.
“I have trouble connecting with people. I have trouble getting overwhelmed. I have trouble deciding what thing is most important to do sometimes when it gets very hectic," Salathe said.
He started working part time at the northwest side store in 2017.
But when his father passed away in 2022, he found himself responsible for the mortgage on the family home and having to care for his mother.
He says it was a time for him to step up to the plate.
So he doubled his hours from 20 to 40 a week and earned his driver’s license.
“Because I could. They were gradually increasing my hours, my tolerance for things, what I could do. I saw I could do it so I went for it," Salathe said.
Goodwill is actually one of the largest employers of folks with disabilities in the state.
One-third of its 5,000 employees have a disability.
Something Salathe finds encouraging.
“It’s gonna give people structure, some type of direction if they don’t have direction," he said.
