Northeast Grocery Offers Administrative Jobs for People With Disabilities
Northeast Grocery Inc. (NGI), the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets LLC, and New York State Industries for the Disabled Inc. (NYSID) have revealed a first-of-its-kind partnership that will expand corporate administrative employment opportunities for those with disabilities at competitive wages.
NYSID’s member agencies offer support services to individuals with disabilities, including meaningful employment. Under the new agreement, NYSID member agencies will staff for janitorial and mail fulfilment services for NGI’s respective Schenectady and Buffalo, N.Y., headquarters. Janitorial services will be carried out on-site, while mail fulfillment services will occur at the Center for Disability Services mail fulfillment integrated business in Albany, N.Y. The janitorial and mail fulfillment contracts will create about 20 jobs at the start, and employees with disabilities will work in integrated settings and earn competitive wages.
“Our companies have a long-standing commitment to the sustenance of the communities we call home, both literally and figuratively,” said Mike Miller, EVP and chief administrative officer for Northeast Shared Services (NSS), NGI’s shared services group. “Central to that is opening doors for everyone to have access to career pathways that increase their independence and foster personal and professional growth. We couldn’t be prouder to partner with NYSID and take even bolder action to help those who bring such unique and diverse skillsets and perspectives.”
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Both Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops have been working to improve job and training opportunities for those with disabilities for decades. Price Chopper/Market 32’s Hiring Advantage Program provides on-site hands-on exposure to a variety of jobs so that individuals, including those with disabilities, can determine which occupation best suits their career goals for placement with the company. Tops, meanwhile, has formed several strategic partnerships with local schools and support providers to develop employment pipelines for those with disabilities.
Both companies also closely collaborate with state agencies and community-based organizations that prioritize employment opportunities for the disabled. NGI’s agreement with NYSID now elevates these innovative strategies to corporate administrative operations.
“We strive to be a model for good corporate citizenship, not just in the retail grocery industry, but beyond,” added Miller. “Over the years, we have witnessed the incredible impact our career development programs have made in the lives of those with disabilities and, in turn, the countless ways their talent and dedication have positively altered the trajectory of our companies. We couldn’t think of a better way to pay their contributions forward than by working alongside NYSID to create even more opportunities for growth and advancement.”
NGI and NYSID are already pursuing an expansion of this partnership, under which a NYSID member agency operating a custom apparel business would become the exclusive provider of an employee-facing e-commerce storefront for all NGI-, Price Chopper/Market 32- and Tops-branded apparel. Individuals on the autism spectrum would create branded merchandise and fulfill orders in an integrated work setting at competitive wages.
"We are thrilled to partner with an organization that prioritizes employing individuals with disabilities. While the effort is 'socially good,' it also helps to significantly boost our economy by offering competitive wages and meaningful work. The unemployment rate for those with disabilities is 67%, but NYSID and NGI are working hard to improve that number to create strong New York state communities,” noted Maureen O’Brien, president and CEO of NYSID.
"Creating opportunities for people with disabilities is important for a fair and inclusive society," added New York State 111th District Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara. “As the father of a son with autism, this goal is very personal to me. Studies show that having a job helps people with disabilities become more independent. The partnership between NGI and NYSID is a great example of how we can make the workforce more inclusive, and I am committed to expanding these opportunities to make a difference."
Based in Schenectady, N.Y., Northeast Grocery Inc. (NGI) is the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops banners, which collectively operate nearly 300 supermarkets across New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire and employ more than 30,000 associates/teammates. The company is No. 49 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. NGI was also named among PG’s 2024 Top Regional Grocers.
