Smith Participates in the Arc of Greater Houston’s 2019 Positive Futures Conference

Arc’s fourth annual Positive Futures Conference brings community leaders together to advance inclusivity

This week, the Arc of Greater Houston will host its fourth annual Positive Futures Conference. Arc works to advance the rights of those with intellectual and developmental differences and supports their full immersion in their communities. Each year, the group organizes this conference, which gathers self-advocates, educators, families, and service providers from around the city to share and learn about the cause of advancing inclusivity.

This year, two Smith employees who are prominent in our CSR efforts will be keynote speakers and help kick off the event. Patti Everitt, Smith’s HR & Recruiting Manager, and Art Figueroa, our Vice President of Operations and Quality, NA & EU, will speak together about Smith’s experiences employing people with intellectual and developmental differences.

“We are excited for the opportunity to address an audience of some of Houston’s most dedicated supporters of the cause of inclusivity,” said Patti. “We will discuss the methods and philosophies that have helped Smith’s employment program succeed and also highlight the diverse employees who have helped enrich our team with their personalities and talents.”

Arc’s mission aligns with Smith’s commitment to aiding our local community and supporting full inclusivity through our CSR program. For more than three years since we established our corporate social responsibility initiative, we’ve been exploring opportunities and expanding our efforts in the communities around our sixteen global offices. And we have learned and evolved along the way – from our own experience and from others’ knowledge.

“We hope that the insights we’ve learned may help other organizations that are undertaking their own inclusivity initiatives,” said Art, “and we look forward to learning all we can from the organizers, attendees, and other speakers at this event.”

What: 4th Annual Positive Futures Conference: Best Practices in Transition, Employment and Adult Services

When: October 11 and 12, 2019

Where: United Way, 50 Waugh Dr, Houston, TX 77007

To learn more or to register to attend, please visit the event page.

Keep up with Smith’s CSR efforts at Smith Gives Back, or follow our Instagram (@smithweb) for a look at what we’re up to in our community.