ZABS Place

Our Mission:
The ZABS Place mission is to provide training and work opportunities to local young adults with special needs and help reveal their unique potential, talent and skills.

Our Vision:
We envision a community where young adults with special talents can transition from high school to the adult working world with dignity. We foresee the day when special young adults are able to capitalize on their strengths, acquire essential job skills, realize their potential, and gain confidence interacting with their typically developing peers.

Why ZABS Place?
The most pressing concern nation-wide of young adults with special needs is employment. According to the Mecklenburg Disability Collaborative, there are currently an estimated 66,000+ adults with disabilities in our County and 80% of them are unemployed. Those that are employed are often underemployed with their only options
being bagging groceries or janitorial services.


While this sector of the population increases, opportunities remained stagnant and uninspiring. A paradigm shift was vital. We are inspired by uniqueness and excited by potential so we set out to create a model that offered a new perspective and focused on the interests and talents of these young adults.

We created ZABS Place based on the Jewish philosophy that everything in this world was created with a unique G-d-given purpose, one that only they are equipped to fulfill.
Oftentimes, it is not immediately clear what that purpose is and what unique talents and abilities we possess. While first impressions are natural, they are seldom accurate. It is the second impression, and beyond, that gives insight into the true personality and
ability of a person. Unfortunately, most young adults with special needs never get a chance to make that second impression. We realized that our friends with special needs have so much to offer and epitomize some of the very lessons we need to apply to our lives and our community. Though they have different personalities, interests, and
talents, they share a keen sense of honesty and a non-judgmental nature.
These young adults are best equipped to educate our society to appreciate the significance of life and not judge others based on external factors. These lessons are not lost on our customers, who get to see our employees hone their skills, and often comment on the
competence, confidence, and friendliness of our special team.

So Why a Thrift Boutique?
Second impressions are not just for people! We chose a resale shop as our employment medium because it mirrors our goal of revealing hidden potential in everyone and everything. When our special employees, and our merchandise, are placed in the right setting and given the chance, both shine!