This document discusses successes and opportunities at Friendship Industries, a nonprofit that provides employment and training for people with disabilities. Some of their successes in the past year include increasing clients' average wages, hours worked, job placements, and client satisfaction. Opportunities for improvement include serving more clients, increasing job placements and wages. Support from the community is critical to their continued success in helping people with disabilities.

1. Partnering
With You
The Pyramid
For The
Future
Volume 2, Issue 1 Winter 2007
Successes and Opportunities — Dave Flick
The mission of Friendship Industries is to develop and main-
tain employment and training opportunities for persons with dis-
abilities. In an effort to continuously improve and strengthen our
programs, we conduct an annual review of our rehabilitation goals
and objectives.
Our Rehabilitation Department evaluates our job training and
employment programs, analyzing results ranging from the number
of clients served in our programs to the hourly wages paid to cli-
ents. Some of our successes in the 2005-2006 fiscal year include:
• the average hourly wage paid to clients increased by
.10/hour
• the average hours per week worked by clients in Ex-
tended Employment rose by 6%
• 94% of our clients feel that they are making progress
toward their primary rehabilitation goal
• the number of people served in Supported Employ-
ment jumped by 14%
• Friendship’s Supported Employment counselors placed
21 clients in competitive jobs in the community
As we are always searching for opportunities to improve
our programs and serve more people with disabilities,
there are areas we would like to strengthen by:
• serving more clients in Work Assessment and Work
Adjustment
• increasing the number of clients that move from
Work Assessment and Work Adjustment into Extend-
ed Employment or Supported Competitive Employment
• boosting the monthly number of active clients in
Extended Employment and Medicaid Waiver
• placing more clients in better-paying positions in the
community
• increasing hourly wages for clients in Supported
Employment
As we strive to strengthen our programs and serve more people
with disabilities, we are mindful that our successes would not be
possible without the support of the community and the hardwork-
ing, dedicated people we serve.

2. the function of friendship
l l l
E
Friendship’s Extended Employment Program
Friendship Client
Experiences The Extended Employment program at Friendship Industries is Friendship’s larg-
Success
E
est program. About 80 clients are currently employed in Extended Employment.
Ryan Hart went to Turner In order to enter Extended Employ-
Ashby High School where he ment, clients must successfully com-
Y
was a manager for the T.A. plete Friendship’s Assessment and/or
football team and Homecoming Work Adjustment programs. Clients
King. He still enjoys attending are normally referred and sponsored
O
football and basketball games by the Department of Rehabilitative
at T.A. Services (DRS) or the Community
Services Board (CSB) for their Assess-
While at Turner Ashby, Ryan’s
L
ment, Work Adjustment, and Extended
teachers helped him participate
Employment programs. Referral and
in a number of work experi-
sponsorship by other sources is also a
ences at school and with local
P
possibility.
employers. After high school,
Ryan and his family decided that Families and friends are a vital part
he should come to Friendship of each client’s network of support
M
Ryan Hart
Industries to work. that helps them be a successful Friend-
ship employee. Some clients in Ex-
After working at Friendship
tended Employment have worked for
for several months, Ryan decided
E
Friendship for a few months and others have worked for Friendship for many years.
that he was interested in trying
One client in Extended Employment has worked for Friendship for approximately
employment in the community with
l
40 years.
the help of Friendship’s Supported
Employment program. The Depart- Clients in Extended Employment work on personal goals and are provided indi-
ment of Rehabilitative Services and vidualized supports. These supports include:
D
Friendship staff assisted Ryan in • Training in Friendship’s Learning Center if clients are not working
obtaining employment with Aramark • Assistance arranging transportation to and from work
where he works as a Food Service • A flexible attendance policy that enables clients to request time off for
Worker at P.C. Dukes at James Madi- vacations, family functions and appointments
E
son University. • Additional supervision and support than would normally be provided
by an employer
Ryan reports that he enjoys work-
• A chance to work with their friends
R
ing at JMU. He remarked, “I like
• Work schedules that may be modified due to medical issues
working here. The people are nice.”
• Assistance in contacting and referral to other agencies for work and
He also likes seeing his high school
non-work related assistance
friends who are now JMU students.
U
• Assistive technology
Beth Hartman, Aramark’s Facil-
Friendship assisted 21 clients in obtaining competitive employment elsewhere in the
ity Manager for P.C. Dukes, noted,
community last year. Clients in Extended Employment may request Supported Em-
T
“Ryan is a great asset to our com-
ployment services if they would like to try employment elsewhere in the community.
pany. He has made a lot of friends,
Paul McFarland
including other employees and
Rehabilitation Director
customers. His singing and words of
a
540- 434-9586
wisdom put smiles on our faces.” paulmcfarland@friendship-industries.com
Paul McFarland
Rehabilitation Director
e
540- 434-9586
paulmcfarland@friendship-industries.com
F

3. t h e f u e l o f f r i e n d s h i p
l l l
USPS Update: The Long and The Short of it!
Friendship Mail Management Services can help you play the USPS game and win!
New Postal Rate Case with BIG changes goes into effect May 2007
measure success in meeting standards,
Size Matters Mailpiece design now What the Future Holds After more
and take action when standards aren’t
matters more than ever — Shape, Weight, than a decade, postal reform legislation
met. This is an important new provi-
and Standardization. New postal rates finally became law December 2006.
sion, especially for not-for-profits who
emphasize efficiency. Re-categorizing For the first time in a generation, laws
have long experienced slow delivery of
mail to save money is the way to go. governing the finance and operations of
fundraising mail!
Example: convert flats to letters (save as the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will be
revised. What does that mean to you? Future
much as 20¢) and parcels to flats (save Friendship Mail Management Services (FMMS)
Laura Wine@Friendship-Industries.com
as much as 38¢). rate hikes will be more predictable,
Customer Service Representative and USPS-Certified
especially important to not-for-profits,
Health Matters Mailing list health must Mail Quality Control Specialist
and we’ll have stability in the nation’s
be improved and maintained. New rates Toll-Free 800-777-9586 OR Direct Dial 540- 442-1866
mail system. (NOTE: The current rate
benefit those who keep their lists clean.
changes scheduled for May 2007 will
Using a “cleansing” process such as
NOT be affected by this legislation.)
NCOA (National Change of Address),
Deceased File, “Out of Business” File The new Postal Regulatory Commis-
and more will help you stop losing your sion is allowed to increase rates each
target audience, mail at lower postage year, but capped at no more than the
rates and increase your ROI (Return on annual increase in the Consumer Price
Investment), too. Index (CPI) and most rates can change
with 45 days notice. The current pro-
Why print more pieces? Why pay
cess takes as much as a year and has no
more postage? Especially if a signifi-
cap on rate hikes.
cant number of your carefully crafted Laura Wine
Customer Service Representative and
mailpieces will end up in the trash and The USPS will also be required to de-
USPS-Certified Mail Quality
vise delivery standards for ALL classes of mail,
never reach their destination!?! Control Specialist
how to donate to friendship industries
l l l l l
o Yes, I would like to support Friendship’s mission of providing
employment and training opportunities to disabled persons with a gift of: Pay by Credit Card
other.
o $25 o $50 o $100
Card Number:
Name
Expiration Date in Month/Year:
Address
City State Zip Security Code (3-4 digit number on back of card):
Phone # Email
Amount: $
Employer Job Title
o My employer will match my gift!
If you prefer to provide your credit card information over the phone, please call:
Missy Stover, Director of Development at 540-434-9137

4. NON-PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT 161
HARRISONBURG, VA
North Pointe Corporate Center
801 Friendship Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
540-434-9586
800-777-9586 Toll Free
ContactUs@Friendship-Industries.com
We’re on the Web
www.Friendship-Industries.com
Click on “The Pyramid” icon to request
current and past issues of the newsletter
t h e f i r e o f f r i e n d s h i p
l l l
Making a Difference at Friendship
Friendship Industries is grateful for the support the local community has demonstrated
over the years. Contributions assist us in providing training and employment opportunities
for our clients and help fund the costs of transporting them to and from Friendship every
day. Many of the people we serve wouldn’t have these opportunities without your generosity.
mission statement
l
There are several ways you can support the work of Friendship Industries: Friendship Industries develops
Gifts of Cash — you can invest in our mission with an annual gift. Friendship has and maintains employment
state tax credits available for qualified gifts. and training opportunities for
Stocks/Bonds/Certificates — to make a gift of stocks or securities, please con- persons with disabilities in inte-
tact the Development Office for our brokerage account information. grated work environments.
Planned Gifts — there are several types of planned giving options available,
including some which will provide you with an income while helping Friendship.
Bequests — you can leave a fixed amount or percentage of your estate to
Friendship.
Much of what we accomplish is because of local support. Whether through financial
support, providing work for our clients, or hiring people with disabilities, you—the
community — make our success possible.