2018 Community Employee of the Year: Adina Simon

After five years at a job she enjoyed, Adina Simon was laid off due to downsizing. The loss of her job left her feeling devastated and hopeless. She felt her drive start to slip and let self-doubt creep in.

To keep her skills sharp and boost her self-esteem, Adina enrolled in Goodwill’s Skills Development Adult Day Program, where people with disabilities develop job skills with the help of trained staff. She worked with a Goodwill Employment Training Specialist (ETS) and soon landed a job at Parsnipity Café and LumpiaPalooza food truck, based in the heart of Wichita.

Adina stuffs and rolls lumpia, a Filipino egg roll that has become a fan favorite in Wichita. Customers wait in long lines at both the café and food truck to sample all the specialty varieties of these little delights.

Although Adina’s job requires a lot of repetition, she plays a vital role in putting out a consistent product to the masses. Dubbed the “Specialty Lumpia Queen,” Adina rolls about 500 lumpia each week to help supply the food truck, café and catering. She takes pride in her work, and it shows.

Her speed and consistency, combined with a positive attitude and good work ethic, have made Adina a welcome addition to the team.

“Adina isn’t doing odd jobs here. She’s doing work that is vital to the operation of our business,” Cynthia Wilson, owner of Parsnipity Café, said. “So many people are not willing to do such a tedious job, but she does it, and she enjoys it.” As she continues to improve her social skills, Adina hopes to increase her work hours and one day work on the LumpiaPalooza food truck.