10/29/2025
Building Pathways, Changing Lives: How Collaboration Expands AbilityOne® Opportunities
Work is more than a job at LifeROOTS; it's a turning point. It's confidence. It's connection. And it's possible because of collaboration.
Every success story we share begins with collaboration among LifeROOTS, New Mexico's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, other state agencies, and a growing network of inclusive employers that understand the power of ability. We're helping each other grow AbilityOne® job pathways that open up opportunities for people with disabilities to build skills, create income, and thrive in their communities.
It starts with preparation.
DVR and their state partners provide individualized vocational assessments, along with skill training and workplace readiness coaching. These agencies help identify each person's strengths and career goals so that, in case an opportunity does come along, the candidate will be prepared to succeed.
Then, collaboration turns preparation into opportunity.
At LifeROOTS, we work directly with employers throughout Albuquerque and beyond—from federal and municipal agencies to private businesses—to identify roles that best match those strengths. Whether maintaining city facilities, providing custodial services through our janitorial contracts, or supporting office operations, each position is specifically designed to offer real-world experience, advancement opportunities, and a supportive team environment.
Support extends well past day one.
Once placed, LifeROOTS job coaches and supervisors remain active in the process. We make sure employees have what they need to be successful and partner with employers on reasonable accommodations, adjust training as appropriate, and celebrate successes along the way. Such an ongoing partnership means people don't just find jobs, they build sustainable careers.
Amplifying Impact Through AbilityOne® and SourceAmerica®
At LifeROOTS, an AbilityOne® producing nonprofit, we are building jobs that connect purpose with possibility. Guided and supported by SourceAmerica, through the Marketing and Social Media Support Grant, we are sharing the stories that show what's possible when nonprofits, state systems, and employers work as one.
These collaborations have generated sustainable results that are quantifiable in terms of increased job placements, better retention rates, and numerous stories about residents who have grown in confidence and independence. When agencies, businesses, and nonprofits come together, we do more than create jobs. We create pathways to a life with purpose, pride, and possibility.
