You're listening to -- go through a series of interviews of people of interest in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington I'm your host Ted Douglas. I have with me today Dave Schaeffer PC EO of DePaul industries we're gonna get into what is at DePaul industries does for our community for our fellow citizens you have some disabilities. And also heard speak about any exciting event they have coming up on October ninth as a fund raiser Dave -- of great great. And you bad picture on trying to make. And let's give our listeners a little bit of background on yourself and what you do for DePaul industries.
I -- feel at DePaul on the streets and there have been here for about thirteen years and have been CEO for the last three.
let's get into a little bit about I think everybody confused lived in this area -- period of time has heard of DePaul saint Vincent DePaul does a little bit about the mission of -- industries and and the history.
DePaul industries has been around since 1971. In Portland and actually throughout Washington as well and our mission is to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities the -- in this line of work is that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities. It is pretty staggering -- statistics both locally and nationally suggest that unemployment rate is between sixty and 70% for people who. -- possibilities get -- so as the largest employer people with disabilities we really try to cover the broadest. Scope the people's disabilities and offer them opportunities for employment we do it in a in a very entrepreneurial way we run competitive businesses that provide lots and lots of employment. And we hope that our businesses are as fiscally unsustainable as possible so that we can employ until the largest number of folks.
Well that sounds like a fine mission to of course everybody's heard of saint Vincent DePaul and more specifically the society of saint Vincent DePaul what is the relationship between that organization -- DePaul industries.
Well today there really isn't any form -- relationship back in 1971. The state of Morgan requested.
Of the society of saint Vincent DePaul if they wanted to start in some sort of an organization that. Provided vocations for people with disabilities that were leading.
The state run institutions.
Called Fairview and the society recognize that there really wasn't their mission that they had certainly other worthy causes that are supporting -- employment wasn't really one of them so they contacted a couple of individuals. Philanthropic. -- in the community to see if they would be incidents starting such an entity.
And they loan these two individuals some money this society that is they loan that group of individuals some money and what what started ultimately became -- industry it's completely separate the -- along get paid back.
So we we cover our debt for the series but that was the Genesis of the on the street.
So it started as kind of a charitable arm and then not armed attached became something. Yeah exactly. So how does that apologies go about helping people disabilities finds a place to work or do they come do you do you have an outreach program how do you find one another.
We recruit we recruit in some of the more traditional ways job dangle in the Oregonian other papers and online ability to recruit and it's also a lot word of mouth. So because we're fairly large we have many applicants who come to us from all over the state looking for work the reason that they come to -- is. We employed last year about 2000 people. We allow authorities are revenues that we generated by providing these employment services approached point five million dollars and 97% of that revenue was earned by the work that people with disabilities have done in our main businesses so the three businesses that we around our a temporary staffing business.
An unarmed security business and the food and consumer goods packaging business and that I said earlier the key to our success is that we really.
Camp at all times to make those differences self sustaining so that they picture themselves right and the fundraising can be used for.
For some of the programs. That are not social sustaining that we operate as well.
And where we're talking about people with disabilities. What do you mean my disability was sort of call fire there.
Sometimes people get tangled up a little bit but basically we believe that a disability is defined as a condition a permanent condition that constitutes a permanent barriers to competitive employment.
So whatever the condition is that the person and we indeed get documentation. From a third party who's an expert.
And we believe that whatever their condition has provided that the individual with.
A barrier to have a permanent competitive employment.
So the definition is broad certainly sometimes. Our folks if you walk past them on the street you would know they have a disability sure others it's not quite so visible. But whatever the case is immunity is provided them with barriers to employment.
Do you look at what the disability isn't try and match up which job is going to kind of trip to -- him have them be as productive as possible.
But that's exactly right that's one of -- I guess it manages -- that we have is that as people apply for.
For jobs and positions with us we are allowed to ask them. Some of the hard questions right so I would almost call it somewhat of a reverse discrimination we actually give preference to people with disabilities I -- in in jobs and.
Why are asking and by our history and experience we think we do look pretty good job of matching people position today we have. So that they can have the greatest possibility success and the greatest outcome.
Suggest a long history and so much success in doing this. I'm sure that people with disabilities when they come that they're not in mind answering those hard questions so they know it's gonna most likely work out well for them.
You know I think in most cases that's true you know sometimes in the initial intake in an interview process we have to assure them that.
We're doing that further benefit.
Right you're not using this to discriminate against them.
And -- had to pick exactly the opposite breast but once we get through that initial discussions with comfort level there aren't the only results. Speak for themselves.
You mentioned they have three main businesses that you run staffing services security services and then food and consumer goods packaging what region doesn't --
Well -- like it maybe -- first place to start would be staffing services which is if you are a thing of it is a typical. Temporary staffing firm it's our largest business we have four offices in Oregon and and one in Washington and we provide opportunities primarily in. Clerical. And light industrial positions opened on the iPod quarter as well as what in the afternoon Puget Sound area.
And on any given date we have about 500. Temporary workers in various private and public sector work sitting and sat on a daily basis hosted in a vast majority of those individuals. Indeed are our disabled the big difference between us. Our staffing service saying in a traditional -- for profit firm. Of which Germany Islam is that we want our temporary workers to gain full time employment.
So say if somebody. Who's working for us and doing a really good job for one of our customers in the customer comes doesn't -- you know we would really like to hire this person. We -- great pick up and give them the opportunity that we want cause that's really the core of what we're in business.
Because people might think especially employers might think that is an easy somebody with a disability there might just be that natural reaction especially if it's. If it's a disability that you can recognize visually they might have a little bit of discrimination whether they they're doing it consciously or not. Might not be so quick to hire someone for any number of reasons. But here you have an opportunity to play somebody in that position and show them that you know what they can do this job and they can do it well.
That's right and and you know it it you know not to BS try to got to put it it's kind of.
Try before you buy a shirt and business and businesses are doing that a lot anyway even outside of -- for the world of people with disabilities. So this is very very much and proven. Business model and we're just sit doing it with a little bit about a social mission bend it to an -- have been. Quite successful and that could we have 500 people on a daily basis they're working in temporary positions sure you know that kind of come full circle. Depending on the year some years better than others. But during the year last year well over 300 people who started -- camps without actually being full time and.
While it's great. The strait so then that's that's your staffing services segment of your your business tells little bit about security services.
Yeah our security services is similar to staffing in that we are providing specific services as requested by our customer and we provide. Unarmed security officers who provide fixed post security services in various similar to staffing. Private and public sector customers mostly in Oregon on any we have 300 officers.
Working on a daily basis. Had about a 120 different locations.
And these security officers are very well trained our security officers receive at least forty hours of training before starting to work. And then forty hours a year of additional training on an annual kind of refresher type of basis. Our training. Which is probably one of them the most important parts of that does not share. He's so so very well received that the state of Oregon even recognizes it and -- provide training tool other for profit security companies or so while state yeah.
Well can I guess I'm injured and a good job. Think that's all right -- the last physicist you guys around is the food and consumer goods packaging business.
And that if you -- to have added another term for that that type of business might be called.
Contract packing for a co packing and we operate that business but the contract packaging business. Out of a 100000 square foot warehouse.
On Hayden island here in Portland and it started up in 2004 so it's a fairly new business for us in on a daily basis. We're providing packaging services for some of the largest.
Food and consumer goods companies that have.
Operation here in the Pacific northwest and we employ. On a daily basis there anywhere from a 10250. People and get very fast paced business it's very. Important that we can't meet. The needs of our customer I gotta keep pace. Because we are an integral part of the very supply chain between the manufacturing of a product and the actual. Distribution and retail presence of the product were the last person. That -- before it actually it's a retail shelves built that business is completely competitively driven but you know there are no excuses people are not hiring us. They're not engaging us because we import people with disabilities.
They're engaging us because we need you have to work done.
As you good fast quality work. Picture if you just joining us you listening to -- cup series of interviews and people of interest to northwest Oregon and southwest Washington I'm your host -- Douglas. I'm speaking today with Dave -- the CEO of DePaul industries a wonderful wonderful organization that has its -- in many pies but largely what -- about is hiring people with disabilities and getting them out as part of the workforce will -- to their staffing organization or through their businesses that they run themselves as -- Dave I understand that both the staffing services segment of your company and the food packaging operation recently recognized for their success. You -- little bit about that.
We have been very fortunate over the last several years and particularly in the last year to. Receive a great deal -- recognition for what we're doing our staffing services has been recognized by the Portland business journal as -- the top staffing firm in Portland and by both the business journal and the organ business magazine over the last several years.
As being one of the top staffing firms and all of organ match whilst.
I mean that kind of shows you the scale what we're doing right we're not kind of just a mom and pop operation as a suspect. That's rather a -- take it seriously in and.
We are able to employ well a lot of folks and then it just recently this past winner. Our contract packaging our food. Contract packaging business was named by the northwest food processors association as the 2009. Food processor of the year and that was given to us.
Because of our innovative program called it part of the workforce program wolf we trained.
Individuals.
Four positions in the food processing industry and the heart of the workforce program would driven as much of our our our operation very driven. Because their business needs. So we listen to what. Food processors wanted to. They were having trouble. -- they believe that over the next five to ten years their biggest problem is going to be a shortage of workers both unskilled and semi skilled and skilled workers. So DePaul symbol what's put our heads together we have too many people that we wanna get employed. Why not put them to a training program. They can meet the needs of these companies so it's been very well received.
And it even has not allowed us open up an office in the eastern Oregon in her --
Where there are a lot of food processors so so far and it's only been going for the last several months we have a pushing 200 folks. Who are out working because of the heart of the workforce program.
That's great the reason that we have been successful. Is because we look at what business needs. Right close to taking individuals. And trying to individuals with disabilities and trying to. Crammed them into a job where they don't need. And that sound kind of crack but the fact is that the problem is big yes.
And so the solution have to be.
I don't think it's -- at all I think it's pretty ingenious.
The business. Community is what needs. To make this work strength we can recognize the business needs and help them correct the need with folks with disabilities and that's happened -- disabilities.
That's exactly right yes exactly right. You know we're talking hypocrite -- a little bit about awards or actually it's actually to whatever recognition. And there's even one more that. That is particularly I think even bigger.
Is that the poll industries has recently been identified by some packet commissioned if you will.
As being on the forefront of kind of the social entrepreneurial. Hybrid type of business.
We run and I should we we very much focused on business and at the same time the mission and very very important to us.
There's been a several papers written the ball the -- industries. And in fact. Next week I am headed to England where a paper about the Paul. Is being reviewed that the international social innovation research conference -- the multiple where this is at Oxford University.
I'll I'll hand with a paper -- is one of the keynote presentation that this conference.
And make it clearly shows that we are very entrepreneurial in how we're attempting to solve. Or help solve the problem of employment -- for people with disabilities.
That's fantastic nice perks -- truth. Now in addition to the businesses these guys Iran and you also have some programs that help out in other ways you got projects search for employment and -- senators from his where I think we spoke a little bit about the training centers is -- loads of food processing.
They're the training -- we also. Now operate two senators one end -- Salem and one in Portland where we teach. Basic computer skills that Microsoft licensed the battery of pro structure so that. People with disabilities who are seeking employment in offices as -- on manufacturing floors. Are brought up to speed. Yeah and that's your work and.
And up to CIA I don't know the basics.
Yeah you sure do it in every year we gradually between 150 and 200 people.
Through our three month program and most of them we've been fortunate enough to allow them to to gain good solid full time employment -- finish.
That's they have a project search.
Yep frantic search and support implement kind of go together -- in that they're both aimed at providing employment opportunities. Four people were very significant cognitive and developmental disabilities and that is particularly important. To the mission of the -- it's particularly important to me because the unemployment rate.
For these individuals is particularly disturbing the latest statistics suggest it's about 90% and that's the unemployment rate so I mean the employment -- I can't. And the vast majority of these people who are working in the state of Oregon.
Are working at wages that are there's a law in place to allow them to work at sub minimum wages. So tragic search. Is there an internationally recognized program that was started at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati about ten years ago. And we are replicating it in -- DePaul industries is cool and we we anticipate. That over the upcoming -- that tragic church has the ability to change the entire landscape and some of those statistics.
I was I was talking about we currently have several projects search.
Positions. And only chance you won that legacy and we have a commitment from Providence health.
And services that we are working on but these individuals who have become very significant cognitive disabilities. Can become employees in the case of the hospitals that were talking about. Integrated. In regular work settings and they turn out to be very very very good employees. And statistics a project search around the country suggests that it's not only obviously a win.
For the employee. But it's a win for the hospital as well right hand and the coworkers so it is that it's a great program. And we're very excited to be part of project search and we're hopeful that some other agencies world will jump on board can assist us.
To make some of -- significant changes in the state.
Now -- a fantastic program that's great. Does DePaul industries you receive any government subsidies at all any help from the government.
The short answer to that is no -- as I mentioned earlier in excess of 97%. Of the revenue that flows through. Upon street is earned by the work that we do and the other two or 3% is fundraising that helps us pay for some of these.
Programs like project search.
And our training centers that at this point don't pay for themselves I'm a business person and so I like the ability to run businesses and that's the same time. Do good works and that allows me as well as you know I think upon --
I cannot talk about us as being apolitical. So I can talk you've if you will business owners I can talk to social workers. I can talk to Democrats I can talk to Republicans.
And I can come all the same story.
Sure because your story isn't a political one it's -- people.
These individuals are people and we can help them in a way that makes everybody happy -- This it's truly a win win situation that way I don't have to get my story straight so.
That's that's that's right for you on the right right -- play the game my story that's right exactly right well that's great well you do you have every year AM big fund -- needed help out DePaul industries. And that's coming up this year real soon on October ninth can you -- spot it.
It's a great event this year we're we're actually having it as Sergey mentioned on the ninth of October. It's gonna be held at the dance pavilion at Oak Park here in Portland. All right act and it and it called the country's best jamboree oh. As you might guess it has a bit of a country western team it features light music.
Flying dancing forever mechanical bull.
We're gonna have some really good barbecue food a lot of auction -- see what else we -- gone. -- And our host will be Amanda Jones those -- cool is nine point 50 yeah. The purpose of the event is really twofold one is to raise some money for the program -- industry but also to increase the awareness. Of -- industries because the more people that know Obama I can -- greater impact.
We can have absolutely yeah and you know that nothing about it that the event is very casual.
So he wanted to be a fun experience. For our guests who worked would probably trigger -- maybe 300 herself very cool and we wanted to have a good -- so they come back next year I -- wanna say that if anybody's interest in coming up like him to give you know old king a call and he can be reached at 503. 331. 3824. And you'll be glad to take your reservation and it it should be a blast I know look. We've we've been doing it for about four years now and as I think it's grown to about 300 folks and it should be a good time for everyone.
Let's -- excellent sound like your book group really really good time and oaks park is always a blast. If somebody's listening may have a business and and possibly have some positions open and this sounds like a good fit. What's the best way to get older DePaul.
You know I think the best way in that case it either call myself. Any cheaper that in my phone number is 503281. 1289. War Travis Pearson who runs our temporary staffing business either one of us will -- and find out if it makes cents. And you know I can assure them that they're gonna get very very good service who would do and that's a long time and do a good job.
Fantastic well let's all sounds like good stuff he's doing some very very good work it sounds like this fundraiser coming up is going to be a blast again that is. At oaks park on October ninth it's the country fest jamboree if you'd like to go get a called you know king. And his number 50333138. -- four let him know that you would like to go. And now you can of course find out all about Paul industries as well at the Paul industries dot com. As well as the support DePaul dot com. So check those out Dave thank you so much for taking some time today.
I very much appreciated and and thanks for having me.
Absolutely all right that'll do it for this edition amateur scope and Entercom communications public affairs program I've been your host Ted Douglas. If you have a nonprofit or public affairs organization they would like to let others know about please email me at microscope @entercom.com. And intercom starts with a neat. And please put -- in the subject -- it doesn't get snagged by my spam filter. -- go directly to the station's website click on the community link and submit your information there. Also if he'd like to hear this program again you can visit our podcast page at -- PDX dot com where you'll find this and the last couple months what's episodes thank you again David thank you all so much for listening and thanks to all the great work done at DePaul industries. This has been mattress don't.
