Employment Services

The nonprofit social enterprise was recognized for its exemplary inclusive hiring and employment practices

Roseville, Calif. – At the recent Annual Forum held by the National Organization on Disability (NOD), PRIDE Industries was honored as a 2021 NOD Leading Disability Employer. The award was given in recognition of PRIDE Industries’ decades-long commitment to creating employment for people with disabilities, and its success in promoting its inclusive workforce model in multiple industries.

 

“As the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities, we are honored to be recognized by the National Organization on Disability,” said Jeff Dern, President and CEO of PRIDE Industries. “We have a vision to create a world where people of all abilities have equal access to employment. For more than five decades, PRIDE Industries has proven that inclusion of people with disabilities is essential to a positive workplace culture and access to a larger talent pool, which creates a more productive and engaged workforce.

 

Since 1966, PRIDE Industries has partnered with hundreds of customer organizations and created employment for thousands of people with disabilities. These employees perform essential functions in multiple industries. They build electronic devices and medical equipment, maintain 13,000 buildings every day, and package and ship thousands of retail products. They balance the books in finance departments, troubleshoot in IT, and contribute to all facets of a company’s operations, including leadership.

 

It was PRIDE Industries’ work in advancing workplace inclusion that brought it to the attention of the NOD. PRIDE Industries was recognized publicly, along with several other companies, before an audience of hundreds of diversity and inclusion leaders from global companies at NOD’s two-hour virtual Forum. Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin kicked off the event with an inspiring keynote address, while comedian, actress, and disability advocate Santina Muha served as the emcee.

 

In her announcement of this year’s honorees, NOD President Carol Glazer emphasized the importance of recognizing every person’s talents.

 

“NOD’s mission is to ensure that no ability is wasted, that all Americans, including those of us with disabilities, have an opportunity for enterprise, achievement, and earnings; and that corporate America knows how to put our talents to work,” she said. “These winning organizations have stepped up and are doing just that. We want to applaud their leadership and thank them for their commitment to hiring and retaining people with disabilities.”

About PRIDE Industries

PRIDE Industries delivers business excellence with a positive social impact. A social enterprise, we provide facilities operations and maintenance services, custodial services, contract manufacturing, supply chain management, packaging and fulfillment services, and staffing and recruitment services to private and public organizations nationwide. Founded in 1966, PRIDE Industries’ mission is to create employment for people with disabilities. Through personalized employment services, we help individuals realize their true potential and lead more independent lives. PRIDE Industries proves the value of its inclusive workforce model through operational success across multiple industries every day. Learn more at https://PRIDEIndustries.com.

About National Organization on Disability (NOD)

The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that seeks to increase employment opportunities for the millions of working age Americans with disabilities who are not employed. To achieve this goal, NOD offers a suite of employment solutions, tailored to meet leading companies’ workforce needs. NOD has helped some of the world’s most recognized brands be more competitive in today’s global economy by building or enriching their disability inclusion programs. For more information about NOD and how its professional services, Leadership Council and Employment Tracker can help your business, visit www.NOD.org.

 

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Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

Leah Burdick, Chief Growth Officer with PRIDE Industries, joined Richard Sharp on Fox 40 News. During her interview, Leah shared the company’s story, including the announcement of the I AM ABLE job helpline. This important resource serves people with disabilities as well as military veterans, former foster youth, and trafficking survivors.

 

“Our goal is to create 100,000 jobs for people with disabilities. One in five Americans has a disability, and two-thirds of working-age Americans with disabilities are unemployed. As the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities, we believe that people of all abilities should have equal access to achieve their employment goals. And that belief shapes everything we are as a company. We are bound by a set of core values and a shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

 

– Leah Burdick, PRIDE Industries’ Chief Growth Officer

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

Leah Burdick, PRIDE Industries’ Chief Growth Officer, was interviewed on Good Day Sacramento about the organization’s new job helpline dedicated to serving people with disabilities as well as military veterans, former foster youth, and trafficking survivors. Call (844) I-AM-ABLE or (844) 426-2253 or visit IAmAbleHelpline.com.

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

PRIDE Industries’ Vice President of Inclusive Talent Solutions, Matt Anderson, joins the program to discuss National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Congress declared this month in 1988 to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities as well as to pay tribute to the accomplishments of individuals with disabilities.

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

ROSEVILLE, Calif. — October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It’s a time to celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities in the workplace and to shine a light on the barriers they face.

 

PRIDE Industries, the nation’s leading employer for people with disabilities, works to connect people with disabilities to jobs and services they need. Sherryl Kubel told KCRA 3 that being run over by a car 4 years ago forced her to have to re-learn how to do what some consider basic tasks.

 

“It’s like living your life in slow motion. Every task becomes extremely important,” Kubel, who is a PRIDE Industries proposal development assistant, said.

 

Benjamin Dunn has worked at PRIDE Industries as a material handler for 8 years. He was happy to explain what it means to have a job.

 

“To feel that you have a purpose, you have satisfaction in the work that you do and knowing that when you do the job, you get it done right,” Dunn said.

 

Dunn and Kubel are just two of the hundreds of people living with disabilities that are being helped by PRIDE.

 

Chief Growth Officer Leah Burdick said people with disabilities are just as productive as the general workforce.

 

“If you haven’t been given the ability to shine and all of a sudden you have that chance to shine and show your talents people rise to that occasion, you will find that people rise to that occasion. We have great retention; they are very loyal,” Burdick said.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. has some type of disability.

 

Barriers often prevent people living with disabilities from getting jobs, but PRIDE Industries is changing that.

 

“We provide manufacturing, logistic supply chain, packaging and fulfillment, the gamut of facilities management. Every day we maintain 13,000 buildings across the country,” Burdick said.

 

Casandra Hatfield designed the pilot for the recently launched first-of-its-kind I-AM-ABLE employee helpline.

 

“The different resources that people provide within the community are things like employment preparation, training, job placement, interview skills, resume building, and job coaching,” Hatfield said.

 

Although she didn’t use the helpline to get a job, Kubel explained that regaining independence has changed her life.

 

“This has helped me make my dream come true,” Kubel said.

 

The employment helpline is dedicated to serving people with disabilities as well as military veterans, former foster youth, and trafficking survivors.

 

Call 844-I-AM-ABLE or (844) 426-2253 to learn about the resources available.

This article was featured on KRCA3 on October 6, 2021 by reporter/anchor Brandi Cummings:  

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Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

Cody Robinson was joined by Leah Burdick, Chief Growth Officer with PRIDE Industries, in a public affairs programming interview to discuss October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the work of PRIDE Industries.

Media Contact
Kat Maudru

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.