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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE




September 27, 2023





Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch wraps up statewide tour of Indiana businesses that employ Hoosiers with disabilities
SMC

Lt. Gov. Crouch with an employee of SMC Corporation of America.

*STATEHOUSE (Sept. 27, 2023) ?* Throughout September, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch [ [link removed] ]?traveled across the state of Indiana to meet with five businesses that employ Hoosiers with disabilities. With an employment rate of only 23 percent, there are almost 160,000 Hoosiers with disabilities who are unemployed.?

The lieutenant governor set out on this tour to learn about the successes and challenges within the workforce for people with disabilities, and how the State of Indiana can partner with businesses to provide better opportunities for them.?

"Hoosiers with disabilities deserve the same opportunities as anyone else across Indiana, including the opportunity for meaningful employment," said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "I am impressed by the commitment these five companies have made to having more accessible workplaces. I hope businesses across Indiana can follow suit and look for ways to employ individuals with disabilities."?

Lt. Gov. Crouch participated in this tour in partnership with The Arc of Indiana [ [link removed] ], a state branch of the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.?

"We appreciate the Lieutenant Governor traveling around our great state this past month to see first hand some of the important work Hoosiers with disabilities are doing," said Kim Dodson, CEO of the Arc of Indiana. "Our local chapters are partnering with local employers to find people jobs that they enjoy and are good. We are loving proving to employers that hiring people with disabilities is good business ? not just good charity."

"The Lt. Governor has created some wonderful conversations over this past month, and we hope they get shared far and wide to help us chip away at the nearly 80% unemployment rate for people with disabilities and allow us to become part of the workforce solution around our state."?

The tour included stops at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana [ [link removed] ] (Princeton), Cook Medical [ [link removed] ] (Bloomington), Derby Industries [ [link removed] ] (South Bend), SMC Corporation of America [ [link removed] ] (Noblesville) and Cummins [ [link removed] ](Columbus).?

Images for each visit can be found here [ [link removed] ].

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"The Lieutenant Governor serves as President of the Indiana Senate, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, chairs the Indiana Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Task Force & Indiana Roundtable on Mental Health, and oversees four state agencies. "

"Click here [ [link removed] ] for a high resolution photo of Lt. Gov. Crouch. For email
"""updates from her office and these agencies, click here [ [link removed] ].""



Indiana State Department of Agriculture [ [link removed] ]Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority [ [link removed] ]Office of Community and Rural Affairs [ [link removed] ]
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*Media Contact:*

**Ron Green
[email protected]
**317.502.5337
*
**Katherine Richardson
[email protected]
*317.605.0827

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