PRESS RELEASE —
(RIDGEFIELD, CONNECTICUT) Like thousands of other theaters across the globe, the Prospector Theater had to temporarily close its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the Theater is closed for business, its important mission of employing adults with disabilities sparkles on, as their 130 employees stay on the payroll while working from home.
The Prospector Theater is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing meaningful employment to adults with disabilities through the operation of a premium, first-run movie theater in Ridgefield, CT. Employees, known as Prospects, are encouraged to sparkle, shine, and transform passions into professions. The Theater currently employs 130 Prospects, with 75% self-identifying with a disability.
Their unique model of social enterprise relies on the operation of the first-run movie theater. Prospects dazzle moviegoers with their sparkle, or talents and professions, while working at their jobs. Prospects are involved at all levels of the organization – from box office to the board of directors, concessions to clean team, production to projection, and so much more! Guests are able to enjoy first-run content while Prospects work hard to educate, entertain, and engage with moviegoers of all ages. Through these meaningful interactions, Prospects are able to deconstruct outdated stereotypes and stigmas, showing the world how talented, capable, and employable they are.
The Prospector Theater is a shining beacon of hope for millions of Americans living with disabilities. In the United States 75% of the 61,000,000 Americans with disabilities do not have meaningful employment. The Prospector Theater is a response to this unemployment epidemic, championing the abilities of their Prospects in a competitive and integrative employment model. Over 250 Prospects have worked and succeeded at the Prospector since opening in November of 2014, logging over 600,000 hours of meaningful employment in their ever-growing range of jobs. That is some serious sparkle power!
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a hard toll on movie theaters across the globe. Dozens of major megaplexes have furloughed employees during these uncertain times, but the Prospector continues to pay its 130 Prospects, who are now working from home.
“We need meaningful employment,” says Valerie Jensen, the Prospector’s Founder, Visionary, & Executive Director. “Having a job is so important for your mental, physical, emotional, and financial health. Prospects have achieved a higher quality of life through working at the Theater, and we believe that continuing to pay Prospects will allow them to sustain the meaningful lives they have discovered. This is our mission; this is why we do what we do.”
Working from home has not changed their goals or mission. Prospects have adapted teaching and training opportunities to the digital world, collaborating on platforms like Facebook and Google. Adjusting to virtual collaboration has offered even more ways to connect and create content for the mission of meaningful employment. The Prospect-run Production team is creating marketing materials and video productions for social media campaigns. Prospects live-stream content on the Theater’s Facebook page. Other Prospects have taken this time to edit standard operating procedures, write grants, host Facebook fundraisers, create flip-book animations, and update employment plans on their assessment portal – a proprietary software made entirely by Prospects. In addition to this work activities, every Prospect participates in daily “Flash Challenges” curated by the Development team to stay connected and creative!
The Prospector Theater has hosted 620,000+ moviegoers who have witnessed the power of meaningful employment first-hand. The Prospector’s romantic tradition of moviegoing, featuring pink-glove service and a heartfelt human touch, has brought people back to the movies despite at-home streaming competition.
Can’t wait to see us in action? Check out our website here: https://ift.tt/1FqmkHN or visit our Facebook page to stay up-to-date with us here: https://ift.tt/2RkHvYy.
The post Movie Theater Employing Adults with Disabilities Continues Mission and Payroll During COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on Boxoffice.
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