GOUVERNEUR -- Northland Veterinary Hospital in Gouverneur was one of five businesses statewide that have been honored by the state Office for People With Developmental Disabilities with a Work for Me award for their commitment to hiring the disabled.

"For three decades, Northland Veterinary Hospital has been providing quality veterinary medical and surgical care to the Gouverneur area under the direction of Dr. Tim Monroe," said the award's citation. "Northland has been involved with Supported Employment for 27 years and Wilma Carpenter has been employed there for 23 of those years, working to keep the hospital clean and caring for the animals."

Works for Me awards are given to businesses across the state that are committed to workforce diversity and to hiring individuals with developmental disabilities. These businesses recognize the significant contributions that individuals can make in the workplace and that hiring workers with disabilities makes good business sense.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order last year establishing the Employment First Commission, which was tasked with creating an Employment First policy for New York, and making competitive, integrated employment the first option when considering supports and services for people with disabilities, as opposed to the sheltered workshop programs which have been in place for decades. The new program will force sheltered workshop workers to leave those workplaces and compete for work elsewhere.