Aspiro is temporarily operating out of the former Tank Elementary School in Green Bay, July 7, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A decades-old program helping adults with disabilities enter the workforce is back up and running.
Aspiro, the organization that runs the program, says $7 million in funding was finally approved, allowing the program to continue.
On any given day, at least 200 individuals living with disabilities are utilizing services at Aspiro. The organization, in the middle of a major expansion project, is temporarily using the former Tank Elementary School in Green Bay as its home base.
And while its day services and other programs have continued to run during this transition, a lack of funding at the state level halted a workforce development program that helps adults with job placement through individualized career services.
“Last year the funding wasn’t, didn’t get put through in this year’s budget. And so the waitlist just started, which meant that services were essentially put on hold. There was over 7,000 individuals that got to be on the waitlist and no one was coming off until recently when they just approved the $7 million,” said vice president of services Katie Dable.
Since its inception in the 1980s, the career services program has helped thousands of people—like Jenni Landowski—find employment
“I am disabled and I had been out of the workforce for about five years. I was in a car accident and it resulted in like some leg issues and a mild stroke,” she said. “So I didn’t even know like what I was capable of doing and I needed some help figuring that out.”
Working with an Aspiro career coach, Landowski was able to secure her first part-time job, about a year and half ago, working in a retail store.
“I learned what I was able to do. And kind of figured out and got stronger with help from my job coach,” she said.
Landowski then applied, interviewed and started working an office job with Pearson Vue in April.
“Things move so fast that it’s different than it was five years ago to apply for a job. And Aspiro helped me get that experience for myself while supporting me throughout the whole thing. And that’s how I got my next job,” she added.
Without the help from Aspiro, Landowski says she’d be floundering, believing the career services program is about more than just getting a job.
“I didn’t have Aspiro, if I weren’t working, I would be not, I wouldn’t be improving any part of my life. And you know, I am on disability I don’t want to be on disability forever and the only way to get to that point is to keep improving and growing,” she said, adding, “I would not have the opportunity without work without Aspiro.”
The program not only a benefit to the employee, but Aspiro said employers count on their clients too.
“They’re reliable, they’re happy to be there, they want to work, and so, yeah, employers rely on that, so when we can’t be, you know, placing individuals with them, that trickles down to their businesses,” Dable said.
Aspiro officials believe it will take about a year to clear the waitlist, now that funding has been restored.
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