Alvaro “A ray of sunshine” at Chick-Fil-A

Alvaro came to Employment Horizons in 2019. He had been working late nights at a fast-food restaurant in high school, but he wanted to find a job where he could work during the day. When he heard about Chick-fil-A coming to Morris Plains, he thought, “It would be awesome to get a job there!”

That’s where Alvaro’s job coach from Employment Horizons came in, helping that dream come true by assisting Alvaro through the hiring process and providing support to Alvaro during onboarding and on-the-job training. “She’s the best,” Alvaro says of his job coach, Carli, who continues to visit Alvaro on the job to provide ongoing support. 

When Alvaro started at Chick-fil-A, cleaning the dining area was his main duty; as he celebrates his five-year anniversary, his responsibilities have grown to also include maintaining the condiments station and running food orders during the busy lunch rush. Alvaro delivers lunch orders with a big smile—it’s no surprise that he’s called “a ray of sunshine!”

According to Alvaro, one of the best parts of the job is getting to know customers and his coworkers. “I’ve made a lot of new friends here,” Alvaro says. “My coworkers and I talk about sports, go to the park together and we just won a kickball tournament!” 

Alvaro was honored at Employment Horizons’ 2024 Annual Recognition Dinner, where he received the the William Huber Achievement Award for exemplifying the EH mission through the care, kindness, and dedication he shows as a dining room attendant, creating meaningful connections with guests at Chick-fil-A through his enthusiasm and welcoming nature.