Quality work at reasonable rates

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

Opportunities, Inc. workers get busy with some piecework for a local industry. Pictured are, from left, Jacob Wanamaker, Ronnie Crow and Donnie Everlith. (Charles W. Johnson photo)

Opportunities, Inc., according to information provided by the organization, is a sheltered workshop for differently abled adults.

The program began as a workshop at Gribble Memorial School to provide training for older children with disabilities. At that time, work was obtained from Century Electric, which is now known as A.O. Smith.

Around 1971, the workshop began the first of several moves, ending with its present location at 105 Magness Drive where it has been since 1988. The current building is provided by Warren County. Since 1972, Opportunities, Inc. has been a non-profit workshop which provides laborers who perform piece-work for various local industries.

Opportunities, Inc. relies on funding received from United Way to continue providing a sheltered work environment catering to adults with disabilities. Thirteen individuals currently work each weekday morning from 8 a.m. until noon under the direction of one supervisor. Individuals donate 25 percent of each of their personal paychecks to help cover operating expenses, but the major portion goes to the workers, providing them some personal income.

“On weeks where we have a lot of work, some of them can make up to $100 every two weeks,” said Opportunities, Inc. office manager MaryLou Hunter.

Workers can perform a variety of jobs such as sorting mixed parts, placing a specified assortment of parts in envelopes or plastic bags, and sanding operations to smooth edges on pressed metal parts.

“Each one has their knack for what they can do,” Hunter said, noting the program provides a much-needed outlet for people with disabilities who want to work and provide a useful service to the community. “If they couldn’t come here,” Hunter said, “they’d have nowhere.”

These workers, unlike those in programs like Pacesetters, are unable to work outside the program.

“They’re not able to go out into the mainstream, like at Wal-Mart,” Hunter said. “A lot of them have to be supervised.”

At the present time, A.O. Smith continues to provide work. But this will change at the end of 2004. According to Hunter, every job the program currently does for A.O. Smith will be moved to Mexico. The only other client the program has at this time is Metal Products Company.

Opportunities, Inc. needs your help. If you are interested in providing work for these highly motivated individuals, please contact Opportunities, Inc. as soon as possible. Opportunities, Inc. can be contacted at 474-8735.