SourceAmerica member nonprofit agencies have shown tremendous support to their customers during the COVID-19 response.
Member nonprofit agency PRIDE Industries, headquartered in Roseville, California, has continued to provide meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities during this unprecedented time. Their dedication and support of professionals with disabilities makes them a strong partner to SourceAmerica and the AbilityOne® Program.
“I am incredibly proud of the innovative and fast response of our PRIDE team,” said President Jeff Dern of PRIDE Industries. “They stepped up to provide a wide array of products and services in support of our country throughout this pandemic.”
PRIDE has continued to provide mission-essential services to the military and other federal and commercial customers. “We are grateful for the overwhelming support from our customers as we propel our mission to create jobs for people with disabilities.”
Supporting the federal government
During COVID-19, PRIDE Industries has supported their customers in a variety of ways through the U.S. AbilityOne Program, one of the largest sources of employment in the United States for people who are blind or have significant disabilities:
USNS Mercy
As part of the federal response to COVID-19 the U.S. Navy’s hospital ship Mercy was deployed to Los Angeles to provide extra hospital beds, and other medical resources during the initial stages of the pandemic. 71 PRIDE employees, including 67 with disabilities, loaded 151 pallets of food and stocked supplies on the USNS Mercy hospital ship. PRIDE employees have provided shipboard provisioning at the Naval Base San Diego for 16 years, showcasing a history of exceptional workplace safety.
Beale Air Force Base
At Beale Air Force Base in Yuba County, California, staff management expressed gratitude to essential PRIDE employees for their hard work at the commissary and warehouse during these unprecedented times. Employees with disabilities have been diligently working to offload trucks, break down pallets, and get product out safely to support the Air Force mission.
Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk)
PRIDE’s Base Operating Support team at Fort Johnson in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, recently performed a generator install with an automatic transfer switch. The project was requested, planned, and executed in a little over a week with the help of professionals with disabilities.
The generator is for barracks on the base that will serve as a temporary medical dorm if needed to supply power for lifesaving medical equipment amidst the pandemic. If this facility experiences a power outage, the temporary emergency generator will automatically take over and provide power to the facility within 20 seconds.
Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker)
At Fort Novosel in Alabama, professionals with disabilities assembled and distributed hand sanitizer stations for the airfields on base. The hand sanitizer stations are vital for enhanced safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their work has made an impact on the precautions the team at Fort Novosel is making.
Individuals with disabilities at PRIDE Industries are part of an incredibly talented and dedicated workforce. Their efforts are truly making a difference, reminding us all that these professionals are a vital part of our nation’s response to this crisis.
Editor’s note: PRIDE Industries CEO, Michael Ziegler passed away on May 12, 2020. SourceAmerica extends our deepest condolences to his family and the PRIDE Industries team.
Article originally published by SourceAmerica
PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.
