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Home Depot greeter teaches on-the-job gratitude

Posted at 9:00 PM, Aug 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-10 22:00:48-04

23-year-old King Hall loves his job. His bosses say his sparkling spirit is contagious. 

"How are you doing today?" said Hall as he greeted a customer.  

King has cerebral palsy. He's a greeter at Home Depot in Milwaukee. Hall is popular with customers and staff.  Krista Kostera is King's boss.

"He comes in an has a very positive vibe about him. When King's here you know he's here," said Kostera.

"My Choice Family Care" helped him get this job.

Betsy Van Heesch is the COO. The Medicaid agency supports older adults and adults with disabilities.

"Our mission is really about inspiring people to experience true independence. That means different things for different people. We help people with personal care, transportation, ..anything that gets in the way of them meeting their goal."

King's goal is to be a chef. He's a culinary arts student at MATC.

"I want to open up a restaurant one day," King said. "I just like to be happy. I want to carry a smile somewhere in the community to make people happy!"

Research has shown those with disabilities are often more conscientious, reliable and loyal to their employers

"Just because they have a disability doesn't mean they don't have a skill. They have tremendous skills that they can utilize within the store," said Kostera.

King is a reminder that people with disabilities are not defined by their limitations as long as they have a chance and a place to prove it. 

"One of the best parts of my job is getting to know people like King," said Van Heesch.