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When employees
initially enroll at Person Industries, many already
have the goal of finding employment with a business
or industry in the community. If the goal is not already
present, the concept of working outside of PI is quickly
instilled in their minds by program managers who want
to see them reach their full potential while experiencing
the world of work with all of its risky yet rewarding
remunerations. Therefore, the terms community support,
community employment and community contracts are greatly
bandied about as staff go about the daily business
of PI.
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Community Support
It is the support of the community that allows PI
to function for the benefit of those we serve. In
the 2006 fiscal year, an event unfolded that typified
the term community support. For years, Quinland had
worked as a bagger at a local
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Kevin
works as
logoer at PI Mfg.
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grocery store. In his
job, he became known to many in the community and was
extremely well-liked. When the owner of the business
decided to retire and sell the store, he encouraged
Quinland to come to Person Industries. As time passed
and Quinland did not make the move, people from everywhere
within the community decided to refer Quinland to PI
on their own. Calls came to PI from a diverse group
of people with just two thoughts in mind-Quinland needed
a place to work and Person Industries was that place.
This is a single example of the intangible support PI
enjoys and such support is a precondition to the subsequent
phases of community employment and community contracts.
Community Employment
Over the past several years, Person County, like many
textile towns, has been on the losing end of jobs. As
local industries like Collins and Aikman slowed down
preparatory to closing, many of the job placements PI
had made in previous years,
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Petrina
and Angela
shred at Person
Memorial Hospital
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came to be in need of
new job placements during fiscal year 2006. Because
of such layoffs and job shifting, PI found itself in
the position of finding job placements to the first
person ever to be placed in the Supported Employment
Program 20 years ago.
Despite this tenuous situation, the community "opened
up" and PI was able to place those as well as seven
others. (See Supported Employment and Work Adjustment).
Currently, nine businesses and industries are
employing participants from Supported Employment and
30 from the Work Adjustment Program.
Community Employment
The 2006 fiscal year was one of new contracts for those
PI
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Bobby
handles
embroidery orders
at Bee-Line Designs
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services in the community
for confidential shredding and housekeeping. It was
also a year of growth in the number of our in-house
contracts from local businesses. Requests for PI's services
came from the Person County Health Department, Alsco
Metals and Taylor Printing. As is the case with most
contracts, the beginning was small but leaves open enormous
opportunity for growth as well as an opportunity to
diversify contracts, as suggested by CARF.As PI's presence
continues to grow in the community, our goal is to continually
assess and train our employees to be
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Quinland
changes jobs to become
a packer at PI
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productive members of
their community, whether performing in or outside of
Person Industries.
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