Former Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ford Health System
Disability Inclusion at Walgreens
In this video series, we highlight the achievements and experiences of Walgreens team members in the disability community.
Walgreens celebrates people of all abilities.
The company works with community organizations and vocational, state and local agencies to support two programs that increase career opportunities for people with disabilities: Retail Employees with Disabilities Initiative and Transitional Work Group. After on-the-job training and completion of the programs, some participants are eligible to become team members at Walgreens stores and distribution centers.
Additionally, Walgreens has partnerships with the Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, which aims to educate people with autism in the life skills necessary to live and work independently, and Neurodiversity in the Workplace, which designs plans and programs for companies to recruit, attract, hire and retain neurodiverse talent.
Angela Mackey is on a mission to tear down the barriers for people with disabilities and celebrate their role in the workplace. Heading up the human relations department at the Walgreens distribution center in Pendergrass, Georgia, Angela has hired and trained many team members with disabilities. Born with cerebral palsy, Angela knows firsthand the way people with disabilities can be judged and have doors closed on them.
Everyone who works at the Walgreens distribution center in Pendergrass, Georgia, knows one thing: Their birthday will never be forgotten. That’s because Johnathan Cooper, who has worked there for 14 years, has everyone’s birthday memorized. But that’s not the only way he looks out for his teammates. Johnathan is the warehouse’s safety ambassador, and making sure that he and his coworkers are safe is his top priority. Johnathan has autism, which he says can sometimes make communication a challenge, but it’s clear he has deep connections with his team members.
When Sarah Freedman suffered her first migraine in college, she thought it was just a headache. But as they became more frequent, she realized she had something very different, and very misunderstood: chronic migraine. Because many people don’t realize that chronic migraine is a qualified disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with migraine often don’t ask for help. But Sarah, a Walgreens pharmacist for 25 years, is on a mission to help them understand their condition and get the help they need.
When Sara Gold found out her renal disease meant she would need to go on dialysis, she was petrified. She didn’t need to start it right away, but starting it too late could cause problems down the road. But as a Walgreens pharmacy technician, a chance conversation with a customer helped her feel at ease and move forward. Sara’s connection with the patients who call in is no surprise, given the empathy and connection she has with her family.
