All Are Welcome at Bookstore Employing Individuals with Autism

Photo taken from [words] website.

After a career as a lawyer and working in the non-profit sector, Jonah Zimiles became a stay-at-home father after his son was diagnosed with autism.  He eventually went back to school to study business, and knew he wanted to use what he learned to help the autism community in some way.  When his wife saw a small bookstore closing, everything clicked, and they ended up renting a larger space in the middle of town, which became [words] bookstore.  The name is a play on words, according to Zimiles, referring both to the actual words in the books, and to the communication challenges that individuals with autism often face.

Photo of Jonah Zimiles taken from howardblas.com

[words] has grown into an inclusive community spot where all are welcome.  They host authors often, and have Sunday events geared towards children with autism who want to try activities such as art, singing and dancing.  “We are constantly looking for ways to expand our autism programming”, said Zimiles.  

The bookstore offers a vocational training program for individuals with autism which has trained over 100 people to date.  The program focuses on evaluating individuals and giving a job appropriate for their skillset.  “As we get to know the young people who come in, we find work assignments that match them” says Zimiles.  Jobs can vary from placing stickers on bags, doing inventory, and helping customers select books. 

Zimiles has found his employees to be “reliable, loyal and dedicated” and finds that “it can really boost morale for everybody in the store when they feel like they’re all working together towards a positive cause.”   

You can visit [words] in person at their Maplewood, New Jersey store, or support them from anywhere in the country by getting their books delivered to you through their online store.