Worth Mentioning

The Enrichment Center-An affiliated chapter of The Arc is very grateful for those who support our mission-parents, staff, corporations, and community foundation and donors. We are proud of the accomplishments and milestones that we have made providing quality programs and services for the individuals that we serve and our community.

We would like to share:

John Z., parent

Mrs. Valerie Vizena
The Enrichment Center
1006 S. Marshall Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

My Amazement

For two years, I worked at Carter Vocational High School as the P.T.A. President. Four students I knew are currently at The Enrichment Center and had varying parts in the Holiday Performance, Tinsel Town.

I am amazed at the progress these students have made through direction provided by The Enrichment Center instructions and programs. Your program has provided shy introverted students the ability and self confidence to appear and perform in public.

Several students have limited attention spans and generally could only follow two step instructions. My amazement also was the students’ ability to learn their parts for an hour long performance.

I truly commend you and your staff for their dedication to help these men and women maximize their strengths and make such progress in addressing their disabilities.

Sincerely,

John Zakon
P.S. My son John was one of the students mentioned above which gives me 24 years of experience in recognizing your success.
 

Economic downturns are twice as challenging for nonprofit organizations than in the private sector. All organizations struggle with belt tightening measures, but in lean economic periods the demand for nonprofit services actually increases. This is especially true for the Enrichment Center as the number of clients looking for work increases while the market is flooded with job applicants who do not have disabilities.

In September, Robin Ragsdale, Employment Gateway Manager, and Jamie Ortegon-Glatus, Sales Manager for Old Salem, met to explore the possibility of a partnership that would employ clients of the Enrichment Center to produce corporate gift baskets for Old Salem, a fellow nonprofit. Old Salem ticket sales represent only 5% of its income and it relies on gifts, grants, endowments, and retail operations to keep its doors open to the public. Private business can help support Old Salem by purchasing gift items that they can in turn give to clients, guests, and employees for the holidays and other special occasions throughout the year.

Gift baskets are popular because the recipients get a sampling of many products from traditional Moravian cookies and Sugarcake to traditional crafts made by local artisans. All baskets can be customized to suit each customer’s needs, with variations in basket size, number and variety of products, and artistic touches. Clients can add their own items such as corporate coffee mugs, calendars, and other personalized items. With the increasing demand for corporate baskets, Old Salem found it difficult to produce custom baskets in large quantities. This is where The Enrichment Center entered the picture.

People with disabilities have as much to offer as those without. It’s a matter of matching the individual’s skills with the tasks required for successful job performance. The Enrichment Center develops clients’ life skills and job skills through the arts – music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and hand crafts including ceramics and jewelry. Old Salem saw this collaboration as a natural fit, because each basket is a work of art requiring creative skills coupled with a strong sense of aesthetics. We put together a sample of prototype baskets together for Old Salem and they were very impressed. They were so impressed that they have contracted with the Enrichment Center to produce all of their corporate gift baskets.

Initial projects in December were highly successful and we are now prepared to meet all of Old Salem’s future needs (including other products that are currently on the drawing board). The work provides meaningful employment for the Center’s clients while providing much needed financial support for our programs. Now, whenever you purchase a basket from Old Salem, you are purchasing opportunities for so many deserving individuals. Through partnerships we can work with other nonprofits to enrich our community while improving the quality of life for others.

Paul Marceau
Old Salem