When Darick Wallin started working at a Las Vegas-area Subway sandwich shop a couple of years ago, he spent most of his initial days on cleaning duty. And he did so with enthusiasm, happy to have employment.
It wasn’t long, though, until Wallin, a 23-year-old with autism, was contributing in other ways. “When the manager asked me to come up and do sandwiches, I was like ‘Uh, OK,’” Wallin said. “I wasn’t comfortable with it at first, but over time I got used to it. Same with working the register.”
Wallin is one of a dozen Las Vegas employees with autism working at one of Donna Curry’s 60-plus local Subway locations.
Originally from Ohio, Curry and her now ex-husband moved to Las Vegas—a city they both loved to visit—about 40 years ago. Curry found work as a photographer at the old Riviera. Soon after, she decided to get in early on a franchise opportunity with Subway, which had fewer than 300 locations in the United States at the time.
A few years ago, Curry was approached about getting involved with the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation, which was founded in the Valley in 2009. Working to broaden the foundation’s reach quickly became one of her passions.
“Kids with autism can have a hard time with social skills and looking people in the eye,” Curry said. “For those that we hire, this is their first job. We’re giving them a sense of belonging in the community and a sense of self-confidence.”
Through the foundation’s Teenworks employment readiness program, Curry has placed nearly 30 young adults with autism into Subway jobs or internships.
Recently, one of Curry’s autistic employees left for a higher-paying position at McDonald’s. He had been working for Curry for about two years, but had what he thought might be some bad news for her.
“He said ‘Donna, I found something that paid more per hour, so I had to go,’” Curry said. “I told him I was happy for him and chuckled to myself, because that’s what my dream is. He came to me and we knew he was autistic, but when he went to find this new job, he didn’t have to tell them he was autistic. He now has the self-confidence that he needed.”
Autism affects about one out of every 59 children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though possible conditions associated with the disorder range widely, people with autism generally have difficulty communicating, according to information from Autism Speaks, a nonprofit group that advocates for the autistic. Some with the disorder need significant support in their daily lives, while others can live an entirely independent existence.
Luke Kecman, who has worked at the Subway on West Charleston Boulevard near Red Rock Resort for three years, is known for going above and beyond to put a smile on customers’ faces. “It’s wonderful working here,” Kecman said. “I come in, clock in and just try to bring a pocketful of sunshine to everybody.”
As Kecman speaks, he moves quickly from one topic to the next, sometimes without smooth. But while the manner in which he speaks might stick out, it’s also apparent that his mind is always working and computing.
He quickly recites the exact date he started at Subway—August 15, 2016—and is well-schooled on what’s happening in pop culture, especially new movies. A gamer, he said he’s also looking forward to attending the Lvl Up Expo in Las Vegas in February as he waited for his mother to pick him up. Soon he hopes to get his own apartment.
“I’m pretty high-functioning, so people don’t judge me a lot,” Kecman said. “People just need to stop being haters in general, especially on social media. It’s just not cool. If people do that, I just ignore it.”
As the three-year-old Teenworks program has grown, Curry has launched an effort to get Subway’s corporate office and other franchisees involved. She also thinks there’s room for more Las Vegas-area businesses to take advantage of the program, especially in a tight labor market.
“This is about helping one person at a time, because we all can make a difference in someone’s life,” Curry said. “These are good kids who are very regimented and task-oriented. They just need somebody to give them a chance, because they can do the work.”
With about 4,000 people on the wait list for the Teenworks program, Curry said more needs to be done to help individuals and families affected by autism.
While Curry’s time as chairwoman of Grant a Gift’s board is nearing an end (she was supposed to serve for two years, but she will wind up serving three), her efforts to raise awareness for autism won’t soon be forgotten, according to Give a Gift president and CEO Terri Janison.
“Donna has worked tirelessly and has such a strong commitment to helping young people with autism,” Janison said. “A lot of people out there just don’t understand what it’s like to live with autism and the struggles people can have with fitting in. Donna has been a great leader and advocate for us.”