A Message from the President & CEO
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Special points of interest in 2006:
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"What do you do?” is often the first question you are asked when meeting someone new. But what if you had no answer?
Through its programs, the Abilities Center strives to help people answer that question with pride, confidence and marketable skills. Providing employment services for people with disabilities and other disadvantages is our mission and we carry that out with comprehensive programs that consider the individual’s role in making choices about his or her career.
The power of choice has been paramount in our programs since the Center’s inception over 40 years ago.
Highlights of our accomplishments for 2006 can be found throughout this document. With nearly 800 people participating in our programs, our impact on the local economy is exemplary—the hundreds of people receiving services from the Abilities Center are becoming productive citizens in the communities where they reside. We now serve people from Gloucester, Burlington, Camden, Salem, Cumberland, Cape May and Atlantic Counties.
We continue to see direct benefit of the Center’s services on the faces of people whose lives are transformed as they answer the question “What do you do?”.
Programs and Services
Abilities Center continues to offer a full menu of services for people with disabilities of any type to assist in meeting their employment needs. For those in need of intensive support / assistance, whether for a temporary or long term time frame, the Center provides extended employment. Waiting lists continued to exist during this reporting period for this type of program, evidence of the continuing need in the South Jersey area for this supportive, transitional type of service.
Community Employment Services continues to provide job placement, intensive coaching, and long term follow along for those individuals seeking employment in other businesses in their own communities. This service continued its growth into the entire South Jersey region, with consistent positive feedback and gratitude expressed by those served.
School to Career tracks continued to thrive. 100% of graduates were either employed or successfully linked to adult services. Schools continue to present as needing the distinctly unique service offered by this program.
A Glimpse at Performance Outcomes
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722 people served in all programs |
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355 referrals received for all programs |
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29% of persons served in 2006 had diagnosis of mental illness |
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8% of all served presented with criminal history |
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181 new competitive job placements were made |
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78% of individuals working competitively for more than 1 year were promoted or received a raise |
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61% of those placed remained successfully employed at the 90 day mark |
Full outcomes report is also available at our web site, www.abilities4work.com.
Facilities
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Full Accessibility Study was completed. |
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Newly renovated and fully accessible kitchen and dining hall hosted outside groups for business meetings |
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Expansion Project was launched with contracts for engineering and design/build awarded. Plans call for an addition of approximately 20,000 square feet of new space and reconfiguration of existing space in order to maximize safety, security, storage, and service delivery. Circulation of people and product is of paramount importance in this project and parking and driveway / road access will be modified. |
Community Visibility
The Center continued to have a strong recognized presence in the local community as demonstrated by:
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Participation in numerous fairs and expos |
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Provided leadership, coordination, and service delivery to the Gloucester County One Stop project for disability access |
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Bagelicious Café / Deli awarded one of “Best of South Jersey” for breakfast and lunch |
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Service on Workforce Investment Board and subcommittees |
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Service on Disabled Persons Advisory Commission |
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Increased number of press releases and media coverage |
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Participation in Toys for Tots, United Way, and Gloucester County Cares About Hunger campaigns |
Product Development and Marketing
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Continued work with ACCSES NJ and State Set Aside program to promote Drug Testing Kits—received first large orders from State Department of Corrections |
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Cultivated 12 new customers for production contracts |
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Developed glass block light product and marketing strategy for expansion in 2007 |
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60% growth in catering sales |
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Increased use of machinery in manufacturing area |
Finance and Development
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Secured rate increases for DVRS programs through collaboration with ACCSES NJ and legislative representatives |
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Through review and revision of all Fiscal and Administrative Policies |
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Full audit will be available for publication by July 31, 2007. Pie Charts depict a breakdown of revenue sources and expenses |
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Significant donations from the William G. Rohrer and Danellie Charitable Foundations boosted the Capital Campaign raising over $500,000 thus far |
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First Annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraising even was held in October to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. |
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Annual Giving Campaign was implemented. |
Board of Trustees, 2006-2007
We welcomed four new board members in 2006 – Marissa Brooks, Maria Schaffner, Rhone Carr and Lisa Morina. In 2006, officers and members included:
Jack Heritage, Chair
Reyn Smith, Vice Chair
Rich Hubler, Treas
Tiffany Bennett, Sec
Andy Edelman, Past Chair
Members:
Zachary Edelman
Alex Erlam
Joseph Graham
Harriet Lawson
Nancy McCabe
Dr. Don Praiss
Patricia Quigley
Mark Seigel
Jack Sheppard, Jr.
President/CEO
Susan Perron
Become a Workforce Development Partner
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Consider partnering with the Abilities Center. Doing so will make you a leader in workforce development for your local community. Here’s how: |
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If you are an employer, consider hiring the people we serve. |
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If you own a company or know someone who does, consider what types of tasks could be done in our manufacturing area: collating, packaging, shrink wrap, bulk mailing—just to name a few. |
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If you eat out, consider stopping in at Bagelicious, located on Delsea Drive |
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If you need catering (big or small, hot or cold, day or night), consider using Bagelicious |
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If you shop, consider using our website to shop online at some of your favorite stores and have a portion of your sale go directly to the Abilities Center |
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If you see value in the work we do, consider making a donation for general use or the capital campaign |
We can’t do it alone! We need YOU to partner with us to make a difference!!
