TULSA, Okla. — March is National Intellectual and Developmental Disability Awareness Month, and a local group created work opportunities for those who appreciate it the most.
Empower Business Services is a part of the Gatesway Foundation, which serves the community helping them lead independent lives. The company is expanding on a previously created paper shredding business.
The foundation said this is their next step after years of offering housing.
"They make the best employees they make they're the most dedicated. They come on time, they work hard, they stay late. And so, it's kind of been a beautiful bridge, not kind of, it's been a beautiful bridge between the two where we could provide the housing and then we could in turn find them gainful employment," said Kristina Watkins, the communications and marketing officer with the foundation.
WATCH: Empower Business Services
She said they all talked about it before landing on office supply sales and printing, shredding, and copying services. She said this is a way for the people supported by the foundation to engage with the community.
2 News talked with one of the employees at Empower, who said this was what she needed.
"It’s good. It gives me something to do to get out of the house and it’s helping people. And it’s communicating and I’m a talker. So I like to talk and listen," said Saundra Watkins.
Downey's been a friend of the Gatesway Foundation for several years, being a leader and go-getter with this new opportunity. She said she loves the housing and her roommates but was excited to be able to work.
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Watkins said this opportunity not only prepares the employees to grow in a career field but sets them up for growth, all with the foundation's support.
"So employment is a big deal in all of our lives. We all need employment and financial stability to be able to live and work so do the friends. And so, this was a big piece of the puzzle that they were missing to be able to have that holistic individualized life," said Watkins.
She said there are incentives to pick Empower over other office supply places. With the help of numerous donors, including financial support from the State Department of Commerce, they can provide services at a significant discount.
The funds go right back into the foundation.
The business is located on the first floor of the City Plex Towers and is open to the public. They said they welcome all visitors and are always willing to make new connections.
Visit their website for hours.
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