“Everyone deserves to be a part of their community,” says Kirk Jude Goddard, Vice president of Habilitation Services for the non-profit JVS. “Our organization’s goal is to make sure our clients develop a sense of belonging.” For several years, JVS has partnered with SLC Recycling, the Warren, MI-based hub of Ferrous processing and Trading’s non-ferrous operations to employ people with physical and mental disabilities who might not otherwise be able to hold jobs. JVS clients are paid to disassemble computers at a pace that is appropriate for their abilities.
From its Southfield, Michigan offices, JVS helps people from all walks of life meet daily challenges affecting their self-sufficiency through counseling, training and support services. Their mission supports the steadfast belief that the best way to help people is to make it possible for them to help themselves. At 26 years old, adults with disabilities age out of Michigan’s special education system and JVS’s programs helps them find employment.
The ongoing SLC program was initiated through a connection with MPS Group’s Roger Bushnell. “Roger and the SLC team, led by Tony Levin, helped establish this wonderful JVS partnership, personally ensuring the JVS clients had tools they needed to begin,” explains Goddard. “His donation allowed for the purchasing of electronic screwdrivers for the team to be properly equipped and get started.”
Each Tuesday, JVS sends a vehicle to the SLC facility to gather and transport the computers slated to be recycled to the non-profit’s office. The program employs up to ten individuals at a time.
“While the individuals who work on the computers receive a paycheck for the work they do, they also receive the satisfaction and pride of being productive,” notes Goddard. “They are just like every other adult who is out in the working world.”