Todd Beck once thought he would spend his entire career sorting through metal garbage at a warehouse-like center in northern Minnesota where he was paid based on how quickly he emptied barrels of discarded tin.
But his life took a dramatic turn a few years ago when staff at the Lake County Developmental Achievement Center for adults with disabilities asked about his dreams for the future. Beck, who has an intellectual disability, opened up about his desire for more rewarding work in the community, something that better fits his social personality.
Now, with help from employment specialists, Beck has become something of a celebrity in his hometown of Two Harbors. He earns more than $12 an hour stocking the shelves and the cooler at the local Holiday gas station, where residents know him by his first name and regularly invite him to dinner. "Before, I didn't know what was out there," said Beck, who is 49. "I love everything about my work now."
