Through Project SEARCH, workplace support and work incentives benefits counseling, Edward Torres found meaningful employment and social connection at Bally’s Twin River, helping build confidence and community while maintaining his benefits.
By Kristen Cyr
As a barback at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort, Edward Torres plays a key role in keeping the bars running efficiently, ensuring bartenders don’t run out of supplies they need to serve customers.
“I fill up the ice at each bar, restock the alcohol and beer. I go to the storage room and find the alcohol they need,” he said. “I look and see what kinds of alcohol they’re missing, send it to the manager and they order it.”
Torres works 18 hours each week at Bally’s, a job he has had for nearly two years through his participation in Project SEARCH, a program that prepares individuals with disabilities for successful integrated employment.
Torres, a graduate of Hope High School in Providence who self-directs his support services, was referred to the program when he connected with the Department of Human Services’ Office of Rehabilitative Services for employment services.
Project SEARCH Instructor Transition Coordinator/Specialist Tammy Fonseca of Access Point said those in the program try three areas. Torres tried housekeeping, then the hotel front desk and then barback.
“Barback is what I want to be,” Torres said, though he still covers the hotel front desk when other employees take vacation.
Fonseca said Torres doesn’t work with a job coach, but she checks in on him and with his managers. If he needs help doing task, a co-worker is always willing to assist.
“It’s a fun place to work,” he said. “I made a lot of friends.”
“He loves it,” Fonseca said. “He’s happy-go-lucky.”
Fonseca said Torres knows the customers and all of the employees. “I think the social connections at work definitely help him,” she said. “He’s like the mayor of Bally’s.”
Torres uses the RIde Paratransit Program and schedules his travel back and forth to work through its app. Fonseca said travel training is part of the Project SEARCH program.
His job includes holiday pay and paid time off. He said he’s saving up his vacation time to take a trip. “Maybe Orlando,” he said. “I've never been to Disney.”
Torres received work incentives benefits counseling through the Sherlock Center. This individualized one-on-one counseling helps people with disabilities who are interested in employment understand how working might affect their Social Security benefits. Torres reports his income to the Social Security Administration monthly, and he has kept his benefits while working.
Fonseca said Torres worked extra hours to train new employees when there was a management change at the hotel. “It was at a much higher rate of pay, but through it all, even with the extra money he made, he didn’t lose his benefits.”
When he’s not working, he enjoys going to his day program, visiting the Providence Place Mall, going to WaterFire, seeing movies and concerts, watching WWE wrestling and playing basketball.
Torres said he wasn’t nervous about employment and that Project SEARCH prepared him so he knew what to expect. “I was excited,” he said. But to those who might be nervous about working, he advises: “Just believe in yourself and do it.”
About
Edward Torres
Edward Torres works as a barback at Bally’s Corp. in Lincoln, an opportunity he gained through the Project SEARCH program. A graduate of Hope High School in Providence, Torres self-directs his support services and uses the RIde Paratransit Program to travel to and from work. Outside of work, he enjoys concerts, movies, basketball, WWE wrestling, WaterFire and spending time in the community.