FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rebeca Swank, Community Engagement Director, Job One, 816.905.6104, [email protected]
Deed Transfer Signals Historic Shift for Job One
Job One secures ownership of their own headquarters facility for first time since being founded in 1967.
Jackson County, MO — June 7, 2023 —For over 55 years, Job One has provided employment opportunities, as well as community-based services and programs for individuals with disabilities in Jackson County, Missouri. Job One has leased their headquarters and workshop facility on Yuma Avenue in Independence, Missouri since 1981, with the building under the ownership of Developmental Disabilities Services of Jackson County – eitas. On March 28, 2023, The eitas Board of Directors voted to deed ownership of the facility, as well as $250,000 in maintenance funds, to Job One.
Job One intends to leverage ownership of the property to further their mission and offer more diverse community-based and individual day services to better meet the needs of the people they serve. Job One is transitioning the workshop space to give employees more entrepreneurial and creative opportunities, including the introduction of screen printing, embroidery and digital printing equipment for customized t-shirt and apparel production. Other plans include expansion of their groundbreaking Community-Based Day Services (CBDS) program which provides highly individualized and group experiences of volunteering, meaningful activities, and making valuable connections.
“Our employees, staff and board are excited for the shift in services and programs that will occur with Job One’s new status as a property owner. This gives us much more flexibility in the ways we serve people and the choices we offer. We can now use our facility to deliver even more individualized employment choices and services. We are extremely grateful eitas and the taxpayers of Jackson County for their many decades of support. Transferring ownership will not only help Job One, but it will also save eitas money in the long run which they can utilize to providing support and funding to people with disabilities in Jackson County,” states Job One President and CEO, Aaron Martin. Planning for facility improvements are already underway.
To learn more about Job One, visit JobOneKC.org and follow @JobOneKC on social media.
Job One is a nonprofit social enterprise on a mission to build skills and connections that create meaningful days and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Job One serves individuals in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in Missouri. Visit www.JobOneKC.org for more information.
