Jersey City, New Jersey, November 2, 2008- Hudson Community Enterprises (HCE), a non-profit organization serving individuals with disabilities in Hudson County for over 50 years, today announced that it has received a grant of $386,011 from the Kessler Foundation to start a digital mailroom management business that will provide additional employment opportunities in the area for individuals with disabilities. Metro MMS will join HCE’s existing records management businesses, Metro Shredding and Metro Scanning.
All of HCE’s social enterprise businesses offer both the public as well as the private sector cost effective solutions for their records management needs, but more importantly they provide individuals with disabilities the dignity of a job and a paycheck for a job well done.
“This grant comes at a time of dwindling funding and an ever increasing need for additional employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities”, said Maureen Walliser, President of Hudson Community Enterprises. “With the recent economic slowdown, it is important that community rehabilitation programs such as HCE identify new employment areas with growth potential such as document management”.
This past year HCE served over 700 community residents with disabilities in its various programs through job placement in the private sector as well as job creation within its own organization through its social enterprise businesses.
Grant funding for this project will carry through until September 30, 2010. During the duration of the grant HCE will be growing the business through securing contracts in the area of digital mailroom management. After the grant’s expiration it is the goal that that the business will be self supporting and more importantly that it will be providing ongoing employment in the community for individuals with disabilities.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, established in 1985, is one of the largest public charities supporting people with physical disabilities. The Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of people with physical disabilities by raising, managing and distributing resources to support Kessler Research Center, its cutting-edge research facility and by supporting the efforts of other non-profit organizations that serve individuals with disabilities. Kessler Research Center conducts a range of research programs designed to improve function and quality of life for persons with physical disabilities due to spinal cord and traumatic brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and other neurological and orthopedic conditions. Kessler Foundation has also distributed millions of dollars to programs that promote the employment of people with disabilities through its “Transition to Work” Signature and Community Employment grants. The Foundation’s Special Initiative grants also support educational programs like ‘ThinkFirst’, an injury prevention program for children and teens. Kessler Foundation has a full-time staff of 90 individuals, divided between two locations in West Orange, New Jersey.
About Hudson Community Enterprises
Hudson Community Enterprises is a non profit organization that has been based in Jersey City for over 50 years. Although HCE’s mission has remained constant, “to create employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, its programs, services, and customers have expanded to meet the needs of its community. The agency offers a range of education, training, and employment services for youth with disabilities exiting school, and adults with disabilities. This past year over 700 individuals with disabilities participated in HCE various programs. HCE has offices located at 780 Montgomery Street and 68-70 Tuers Avenue. For more information please call (201) 434-3303 or visit our web site at www.hudsoncommunity.org.
Contact:
Maureen Walliser, President
(201) 434-3303
