Meet David

Determined to find his place in the community after finishing school, David teamed up with Aspire to find his new place in the community through employment.

His involvement in the community over the years has shaped David’s strong work ethic and helped him pursue opportunities that increase his sense of independence. After finishing school, his next goal was to find a job in the community, and that’s when our worlds collided.

Mike DellaMaria, Director of Community Employment at Aspire has known David for years through sports and other community programs. The pair recently teamed up again, but this time to accomplish David’s goal of finding meaningful employment. Thanks to their teamwork, David landed his first job at Portillo’s where he shows up with a positive attitude every day.

“I’m proud of David and the young man that he’s become,” said DellaMaria. “I’ve seen him grow through the years you know, and now he’s at Portillo’s working independently. To see him grow like that has been just awesome.”  

Daivd’s story was recently featured at Aspire’s gala, Big City Night 2022: Aim For The Stars to applaud his achievements and to show the importance of community.  

The Portillo’s team welcomed David with open arms and embraced the opportunity to build a more inclusive workplace. We’re thankful for amazing employment partners like Portillo’s who promote inclusion and help create opportunities for people of all abilities. To learn more about how you can partner with Aspire and build a more inclusive work environment, visit https://aspirechicago.com/careers/.