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eVero, a platform which facilitates care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), isn’t just a streamlining service. In October of 2000, two brothers co-founded an organization that is transforming how services are delivered to people belonging to the I/DD community. With its growing AI-powered platform and a culture rooted in Orthodox Christian values, eVero’s team lifts up members of the I/DD community and their caregivers, as well as eVero’s team of employees.
Founded by Christos and Constantine “Costa” Morris, eVero started as an IT services firm in the 1990s. Over time, it evolved to meet the needs of the I/DD community by building software tools for care coordination, budgeting, and health records.
“We brought technology into the I/DD space about 22 years ago. The platform evolved through a number of years to where it is today where we have mobile apps for Android and iOS,” said Christos Morris. Today, eVero’s app “Empower” has made self-directed care possible for nearly 35,000 individuals in New York.
While many have legitimate concerns around the ethical implications of AI, eVero’s use of AI provides an example of the ways in which healthcare applications of AI may allow caregivers to better honor the humanity of their clients.
“AI is helping to streamline caregiver reporting,” Christos explains. “Instead of writing summaries for 30 people, the system now does much of that heavy lifting.”
eVero users can take pictures of receipts, which the app then links to vendors, in turn allowing for timely reimbursements and greater I/DD community integration.
As I spoke with members of the team, it quickly became apparent that their care for the I/DD community springs from a workplace environment in which the unique gifts of each individual are uplifted and valued. eVero practices inclusive hiring: Joe Malebranche, who has worked at eVero for the last 13 years, has taken advantage of the self-directed services platform himself.
“I answer phones, help plan events, and work … on outreach,” says Joe. “I just moved into a one-bedroom apartment. I’m highly independent.”
Joe co-teaches classes for job readiness and computer literacy, a program developed with guidance from Christos and Jeannine Azan, who has been eVero’s business manager for 18 years.
Orthodox praxis, which recognizes the divine image in each person, can also be observed in eVero’s other outreach, which supports job seekers with I/DD and educates eVero’s own team.
“That’s where the intersection of our Orthodox faith and our business really comes together,” Christos says. “Helping people get jobs or hiring them here at eVero—it uplifts everyone.”
Programming ranges from resume workshops and mock interviews to inspirational speakers—like Joe’s mother, a former VP at FedEx.
“We talk about everything from picking out the right suit and learning about body language to what kind of questions that you can get that might be challenging,” says Jeannine.
Talking with Christos, Costa, Jeannine, and Joe, it was clear that the team intentionally cultivates an entrepreneurial workplace culture. “We don’t manage time here,” says Christos. “We’re about the job and getting it done. People feel empowered when they’re trusted.” Jeannine adds: “Voices are heard. Joe came to us with a marketing idea just today. Everyone brings something unique.”
“We didn’t fully understand that Orthodox ethos when we started,” Costa shares. “But now we can reflect back—and it’s rewarding to see the impact we’ve made.”
Christos and Costa’s reflection on the evolution of eVero and their growth into a more conscious embodiment of Orthodoxy, along with Jeannine and Joe’s experience as team members, underscores the importance of intentional companies for the I/DD community, their caregivers, and society at large. When people are valued not for the product that they can produce and the profit that employers can extract from them but rather for the unique persons that they are and their God-given talents, Christ is truly in our midst.
This interview was conducted as a collaboration with the Center for Family Care during National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Find more information and resources here.
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