Meet Shaneka Wade-Lee, Chicago Lighthouse Industries’ 2025 Employee of the Year
Before joining Chicago Lighthouse Industries as an assembly packaging operator, Shaneka Wade-Lee worked with a different community that was a little smaller in stature and perhaps a little more rambunctious. For 20 years, she taught two-year-olds at a daycare center.
“I used to love my babies,” Shaneka says.
Sadly, Shaneka’s time as a daycare teacher came to an end after brain surgery caused her to lose most of her vision. At the encouragement of her mother, Shaneka reached out to The Chicago Lighthouse for support and guidance. Through our Employment Services Program, Shaneka found her position within Lighthouse Industries, where she is part of the team assembling clocks for the government, commercial and consumer markets. With 80% of her colleagues also having visual impairments, Shaneka has once again found a workplace full of community.
“It’s definitely different from working with children, but it’s calming and it’s something that I can do,” Shaneka says. “Here, I’m able to be myself. If I can’t see something, I can ask one of my co-workers or my boss and they’ll assist. We’re like one family and we help each other so much during the day.”
In addition to her colleagues, Shaneka says she also enjoys accessing The Lighthouse’s wraparound services like the Low Vision Clinic and Tools for Living store that are just downstairs.
“There are so many resources here at The Lighthouse, and most of the things we need are right here in the building,” she says. “Like for canes, we can go downstairs to the on-site Tools for Living Store, and everything we need is right here.”
Most importantly, Shaneka says she sees The Lighthouse as a place for her to grow. Though happy in her position in Industries, Shaneka says she could see herself one day taking a position within one of the Social Business Enterprise contact centers or getting training to assist with computer services.
“One thing I like about The Lighthouse is that it’s a company you can grow in,” Shaneka says.
Click here to make a gift to The Chicago Lighthouse today to support Employment Services that help people like Shaneka find employment, community, and family.
