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Friendship Industries is a nonprofit agency (NPA) whose mission is to develop and maintain employment and training opportunities for persons with disabilities in integrated work environments. Located in Harrisonburg VA , Friendship has been in existence since 1964. Friendship is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. Tax deductible donations support independence, dignity and quality of life for the persons with disabilities that are served. Friendship is also known as a Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP) and an Employment Services Organization (ESO). Friendship is the oldest and largest employer of persons with disabilities in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and, as such, fills the need of providing working, tax-paying citizens for the community. As of 2006, Friendship currently serves over 150 men and women annually with a wide range of many disabilities including mental retardation, mental illnesses and/or physical disabilities. In 2004, Friendship provided over $3.6 million in wages, payroll, taxes and services to the Community. Friendship provides transportation to and from work with vans. Very few workers would have access to Friendship's employment services if they were unable to be picked up and dropped off at their homes. In fact, over 93% of clients use the vans every day! Friendship Industries is a United Way Agency member. Community donations through the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County United Way provide just under one-half of Friendship's transportation costs. Friendship serves more persons with increasingly varied needs each year. In order to maintain training programs, funds from private sources must be maintained. As commercial options move away from handwork and become more automated, those with the most severe disabilities are left with fewer and fewer work options. Support is also needed to provide new programs and services. Friendship generates over 80% of their own revenue through commercial enterprises. Commercial operations are a real business with very real customers and quality controls in place just as any for-profit business. The birth and growth of Friendship: 1960's: A number of Special Education instructors became concerned about what their graduating students would do with their lives after they left school. After years of effort by a growing number of educators and concerned citizens, the Linville-Edom Sheltered Workshop was opened in late 1964. They operated out of the Agricultural Building of Linville-Edom School . 1970's: Vandals burned the Agricultural Building of Linville-Edom Sheltered Workshop in 1970. Within weeks a new home was found for the Workshop in Shenk's Hatchery. In 1971, Friendship Industries, Inc. incorporates. First Board of Directors Officers were Dr. John R. Mumaw, President and Chairman; Lowell Miller, VP; Jared Clem, Secretary; Don Callison, Treasurer. In February 1974, thanks to a small capital fundraising campaign and a mortgage, Friendship moved into a new building on Waterman Drive. In 1977, newly available Title XX funds allowed for the expansion of the transportation system to all of Friendship's clients. The first rehabilitative staff at Friendship Industries was formed. With new staff, transportation available, and space for new jobs, the number of people served more than doubled. 1980's: The 80s were years of struggle. A national recession cut deeply into production revenues while government budget deficits reduced the amount of services purchased by State agencies. Staff and disabled clients were laid off. In 1986, Friendship received a bequest from the estate of Mrs. Pearle M. Minnich. In 1988, Friendship's Board of Directors approved acquisition of a second building located at 300 Waterman Drive—the Cuddy Farms warehouse. Mrs. Minnich’s bequest provides half of the purchase price while Cuddy Farms and Rocco donated the remainder. Friendship pioneered a new placement approach in the community -- Supported Competitive Employment -- which moved training to the employer's worksite and provided for ongoing long-term training and support for “regular“ jobs in the community. 1990's: In the spring of 1994, Friendship completed a strategic planning process. This process, and the resulting five-year plan, led to the creation of a new division, Mail Management Services , and the need for more space to serve the growing number of persons with disabilities. In 1997, Friendship began providing all employees with retirement benefits. Client productivity increased by 42% in three years. Annual earnings and benefits nearly tripled over the same period. 2000's: The culmination of the second five-year strategic plan was the creation of a new building for Friendship Industries. The building consolidated all Friendship operations under one roof and allowed Friendship to double the number of persons with disabilities hired. In July 2000, Friendship moved into the current location at 801 Friendship Drive. In September 2000, a Dedication Ceremony welcomes family, friends, clients and community to the new 40,000 square foot facility. In 2001, Friendship made a bold step to strengthen commercial sales with the addition of a dedicated Director of Sales & Marketing . In 2003, Friendship began a new commercial endeavor, Contract Manufacturing , and expanded their Contract Packaging customer base. Friendship Industries is the sole U.S. Manufacturer of Newline retractable shower doors and the exclusive packaging source for Reynolds Parchment Baking Paper . In April 2004, Friendship celebrated 40 years of serving this community’s persons with disabilities with a Commendation from the U.S. Congress read into the Congressional Record by Senator George Allen . |
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