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| Fed Dollars to Help Employ Disabled New Mexicans, Says Wilson |
November 21, 2005 |
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| Rep. announces $1 million for ACCENT Job Program.
This week, Heather visited Adelante Assembly Services and Packaging, a business staffed almost entirely by people with disabilities. The affirmative business employs 68 people with disabilities and packages or assembles over 100,000 items a month for local and national contracts.
Wilson says it’s a perfect example of the types of job programs she hopes to see continued with the $1 million in funding she just secured for Adelante Development Center Inc., which operates the facility she toured today. At the plant, Wilson joined Adelante officials and clients to announce the funding, just approved by Congress and on its way to the President for signature.
“Adelante and I have a great working relationship and I’m pleased to support the work that you do in our community,” said Wilson. “This funding, $1 million, will help the ACCENT program create hundreds of jobs for people who need a paycheck and some independence. I particularly like the model that Adelante has followed, where they take federal money and use it to seed businesses that become self-sustaining.”
"Congresswoman Wilson has been consistently dedicated in her support of Adelante and the employment needs of people with disabilities in our community,” said Mike Kivitz, Adelante’s President and CEO. “This federal funding will continue the progress made in implementing the ACCENT project, which has resulted in lasting employment opportunities. We appreciate Congresswoman Wilson for her continuing championship on behalf of people with disabilities."
According to Wilson, the federal dollars she and Senator Domenici pushed through Congress will support Adelante’s job creation program known as ACCENT, or Adelante Congressional Comprehensive Employment Network Team. The goal of the program is to create a network of employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Wilson says the federal funding is a result of her work with Senator Pete Domenici, who has long supported Adelante and helped create the ACCENT program.
“This year was an especially difficult year for federal funding of almost any projects," stated Senator Pete Domenici. “I had thought that our request for Adelante would be much less than in previous years. However, everyone should know that our Congresswoman, Heather Wilson, was absolutely critical in getting money from her personal allocation and that, as a result of her work, supported by Congressman Steve Pearce, Adelante was given $1 million in the recently passed Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill.”
“We all understand the critical work Adelante does in getting jobs individuals with disabilities,” continued Domenici. “I think more New Mexicans will know about Adelante as a result of planned expansion of activity.”
The funding, $1 million form the Small Business Administration, comes from this year’s Science, State, Justice, and Commerce Appropriations Bill (HR 2862). The legislation passed in the U.S. House on November 9, then later in the U.S. Senate. It is now awaiting signature by the President to become law.
Adelante has a two-tiered approach to finding employment for their clients.
The first approach is to foster relationships with existing businesses and educate them on the value of employing people with disabilities and possible tax incentives for workplace accommodations. The idea is to keep the focus on the abilities rather than the disabilities of each individual. Adelante job coaches help businesses train people with disabilities so they can succeed in the work place. In this, year four of the project, the goal is to locate 15 new employers that will provide jobs in the community to employees with disabilities.
The second approach is to establish businesses that offer a needed business services to New Mexico companies and a variety of employment opportunities for Adelante’s program participants. Adelante Enterprises include six affirmative businesses -- Assembly, Services & Packaging; Mailing Services (one of the largest bulk mailing services in New Mexico); Document Destruction Services (a high security shredding business); Facilities Support Services (janitorial and maintenance contracts); and two locations of Bargain Square thrift stores.
“Adelante, through ACCENT, has a range of programs that benefit their clients and small businesses in central New Mexico,” says Wilson. “Today, more than 350 people with special needs receive paychecks because of Adelante programs. I look forward to this year’s successes as they train and employ even more people and expand their partnership with more employers.”
Congressman Steve Pearce also provided support for funding of ACCENT.
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