Project Spark North Carolina

The Project Spark program helps people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) in North Carolina find jobs in the community and provides support to help them succeed. Project Spark helps people with I/DD who are currently earning less than minimum wage or considering subminimum wage employment move to competitive integrated employment (CIE) in a job that lets them earn the same as the rest of their peers and matches their interests and skills.

Spark connects employers to talented candidates with disabilities and provides support after they are hired to make sure the job remains a good fit for them and the employer. Project Spark has three sites located at Chatham Trades in Siler City, Wake Enterprises in Raleigh, and Tri-County Industries in Rocky Mount.

Spark began in 2022 and is federally funded through a disability innovation grant from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Project Spark is a program within the NC Department of Health and Human Services and is facilitated under the Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD).

Spark's program director, Shayne Roos, and the team are dedicated to building a community where everyone can shine. Together, we can create a world where all individuals, including those with I/DDs, have the opportunity to succeed in their careers and daily lives.