Schenectady ARC Named Member Agency of the Year for Employment Excellence in Work Center and Community
In its 65th year of providing wide-ranging services, Schenectady ARC received NYSID's 2017 Member Agency of the Year Award for recognizing the importance of employment as a means for individuals to live fulfilled lives throughout the Schenectady County community.
Schenectady ARC was honored during NYSID's Annual Meeting on September 26 at The Saratoga Hilton.
The ARC's Pine Ridge Industries offers center-based and community employment choices, including Preferred Source jobs.
In Document Destruction Services, a team of up to six individuals serves more than 100 state government customers. For Mailroom Services, one individual works at the Schenectady Justice Center, a contract that has continued since 2000. Two individuals work at the Albany County Airport Authority in Plant Maintenance Services.
Pine Ridge Industries also has assembled and packaged a number of Preferred Source products over the years. This includes recent state approval to produce the new Jamboxx breath-controlled musical instrument that can be played hands-free or held by hand.
Taking steps to expand center-based job choices, Pine Ridge has opened its doors to several local startup manufacturing businesses, with the potential to develop some of these products into new Preferred Source items.
Their chosen Employee of the Year, Paul Roes, is a familiar presence to Pine Ridge Industries' Document Destruction customers, removing full containers of confidential records and bringing in new ones. He speaks knowledgeably of the process and represents his employer at the Preferred Source Expo at New York GovBuy in May.
According to his supervisor, Paul is "the main man" on the crew. He takes ownership of each task he's assigned and is proud of the paycheck that he earns.
"I like my job because I make more money." Paul said. "I get paid every Friday. I live with my sister. I give her money. My sister is proud of me because I got an award. So I'm going to put it on my mantle."
John Craig, our Annual Meeting emcee, profiled Paul in this wonderful story on WNYT NewsChannel 13.
NYS Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara, NYSID's 2016 Legislative Preferred Source Champion Award co-recipient, attended the Annual Meeting in support of Schenectady ARC, as the agency is located in his Assembly district.
Spectrum Designs Foundation in Nassau County was named Member Agency of the Year Award co-recipient.