New Redlands Program Opens!
Press Enterprise
by Robby Deming
Ability Counts Inc, a Corona-based non-profit organization which finds work for people who are developmentally challenged, opened a hanger recycling facility in Loma Linda January 20th.
Ability Counts finds appropriate jobs for people with developmental disabilities, who are capable of working. Thousands of hangers are shipped to the Loma Linda facility from companies such as Kohl’s. The Kohl’s regional distribution center at the new Norton Air Force Base Business Center serves more than 50 Kohl’s stores in Southern California, all of which will give their hangers to the Loma Linda center, according to Ability Counts.
The new facility is on Enterprise Drive in Loma Linda but has a Redlands mailing address.
Ability Counts will recycle more than 20 million hangers a year for second-time use. Hangers are sorted by condition and broken hangers and metal clips are recycled, according to the organization.
“Our operation is really two-fold,” said Job Developer and Spokesman, Pat Duvall. “At all of our locations we have what we call our shop. The shop is we train all of our clients and assess their functional level as they work to sort and clean hangers from large retail chains.”
Jasmin Desindes, an Instructor for Ability Counts, said that the Loma Linda site receives two trucks a week full of hangers.
“We sort all of the different hangers and clean them so that they can be recycled,” she said.
Desindes said that sometimes there are as many as 32 types of hangers and that each client can process “five to 100 boxes a day, depending on their ability.”
Rudy Garcia, who works as a Case Manager and supervises the new facility, described the second aspect of Ability Counts.
“Once our clients have demonstrated their level of ability and seem ready to move on, we work with businesses in the community to find appropriate jobs for them. We currently have five enclaves in the local area where our clients do various things like landscaping or making tortillas,” Garcia said.
Duvall and Ability Counts gets referrals from local organizations such as the Inland Regional Center.
“Once they are referred, we interview them and assess their skills. After that, they can begin working as soon as they want,” Duvall said.
Garcia and Duvall said that the clients are “well protected.”
“We’re basically under the gun here,” Garcia said. “We have a lot of different commissions watching us to make sure that we treat these people well and we pride ourselves on how much the clients enjoy their work.”
Not only does Ability Counts find people and jobs, it also coordinates rides for clients, sometimes bringing workers “door-to-door.”
And it doesn’t stop there.
“We try to prepare them for everything possible,” Garcia said. “We try to organize social events for the clients as often as possible. At least once a month, we have dances at our Riverside office, which are open to all people with disabilities. We make sure they are well chaperoned and that they are as safe as possible, while still being able to socialize and have a good time. We’ve even had a couple romances.”
Garcia said the company also provides transportation for clients to attend other disability-oriented events such as the Purple Turtles Bowling League.
“It just makes you feel good to work here,” Garcia said. “Even though every day is an adventure and we run into some issues, their love is undisputed. It’s great to see them able to advance and to see how dedicated they are to their jobs.”
“The hardest part of the job is actually finding companies who are receptive to us,” Duvall said. “Many companies out there hold prejudices against our clients, but some companies like Best Buy and Target realize that our clients are typically more dedicated than normal functioning people.”
“We could really learn a thing or two from them,” Duvall said. “Clients like Gerhard Veldman like to work at Ability Counts because it’s door-to-door and they don’t have to take a bus home.”
Client Raki Shelat is a secretary at the Loma Linda office.
“I used to work in Riverside, but I like it better here because it’s closer to home,” Shelat said.
“We just want to raise awareness about our program,” Duvall said. “There are hard-working individuals with disabilities who need employment.”
Garcia said that his goal for the next 12 months is to “continue to provide employment. We hope to be able to employ 30 to 40 people just in our shop alone.”
“They’re real happy,” he said. “I’m glad that we can help to provide them with a purpose and to see them grow.”
Tell us about your new employees, products and services. Then let us tell the folks of the Redlands’ area and beyond.
Send the information and photos mail to business editor, Joy Juedes, Redlands Daily Facts, 700 Brookside Avenue, Redlands, CA 93373; email to jjuedes@redlandsdailyfacts.com; or by fax to (909) 793-9588.
