Photo by Jamie Plain
Jeff Rhinerson, a local celebrity who runs the popular Facebook Live show “Live With Jeffrey Rhinerson,” recently made history by becoming the first man with Down syndrome to be sworn in as a deputy and assistant court security officer in Kentucky. His appointment to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office is a significant step towards creating more employment opportunities for people with Down syndrome in the state and beyond.
Jeff’s love for people and community involvement has always been his driving force, which led him to interview Daviess County Sheriff Brad Youngman during one of his Facebook Live shows. The two formed a connection, and when Kitty Jones, who handles Employment Opportunities for Owensboro nonprofit Puzzle Pieces, reached out to the Sheriff about an opportunity for Jeff, it was an easy decision for him to create an assistant court security officer position for him.
As an assistant court security officer, Jeff’s duties include working with a team to offer customer service to people who enter the courthouse, introducing the judge in the courtroom, and telling the court, “All rise.” Jeff is thrilled to work with a team of people and interact with the public regularly, showcasing his leadership skills and proving that people with Down syndrome deserve equal and competitive employment.
Jeff is excited about this opportunity and hopes it will open doors for others with Down syndrome. “Give them a chance,” he said, “We’re all unique, and we all have different abilities.”
Jeff’s appointment is a significant milestone for Owensboro nonprofit Puzzle Pieces, which has been instrumental in helping people with disabilities since 2012. Jeff has been coming to the center since 2017, and they’ve worked with him in various ways, including helping him learn to be independent enough to live alone.
“He wants to have his voice heard. He has a lot of goals and dreams, and we try to balance them to help create opportunities. We’re not just providing him with skill sets, but just trying to make his dreams come true by opening doors and navigating what that looks like,” Puzzle Pieces Executive Director Amanda Owen said. “Jeff is that perfect story. I like to think that we’re like a buffet of services, and what Puzzle Pieces looks like for one doesn’t look like what it is for others. He gets what he needs, and he can flourish within that.”
Owen is hopeful about the progress his new position could bring to the community she serves, as Jeff’s story has been shared nationally through ABC News and will soon be featured by Southern Living. “It opens the doors for us to dream a little bit bigger,” she said. “I think families may have limited hope because they don’t get to see the opportunities every day. For this to be showcased and for his story to get millions of views, it’s providing hope for our families that it is possible. There are community members out there who are opening the doors and saying ‘yes.’ Let’s not focus on what doors are being shut or what is not happening and instead focus on the positive.”
To learn more about Puzzle Pieces and their important work, visit puzzle-pieces.org. OL
