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The Resource Center and Heritage Centers in Erie County have received financial support from The John R. Oishei Foiundation for an employment initiative aimed at increasing manufacturing and work opportunities in Buffalo and Western New York.

The Oishei Foundation has approved funding in the amount of $450,000 to enable Heritage Centers' adult services division, Allentown Industries, to provide manufacturing support to the government contract work currently being performed by Allied Industries.

Allied Industries is a division of The Resource Center that provides employment opportunities to individuals with severe disabilities in Chautauqua County. Allied Industries performs dozens of contracts with the federal government, primarily with the Department of Defense through the AbilityOne Program, which assists thousands of people with disabilities nationwide in finding employment.

Products manufactured by Allied Industries for the Department of Defense include first-aid kits for the Air Force and the Marine Corps, and a variety of soldiers' vests and pouches for the Army and Special Forces Command's Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment (MOLLE) system, which is what soldiers use to carry their equipage when in the field. In 2008, Allied Industries shipped $45 million in sales of government products.

In addition to providing jobs to hundreds of people at its Work Centers in Dunkirk and Jamestown, The Resource Center subcontracts with other community rehabilitation programs in Indiana, North Carolina and Herkimer County, NY. The Oishei Foundation's financial support provides TRC with the necessary investment to extend manufacturing operations and employment opportunities to Buffalo, thereby bringing that subcontracted work home.

The partnership with Heritage Centers will assist in developing Allentown Industries' ability to subcontract existing products currently produced by The Resource Center, develop its own capacity for manufacturing new products, and support the training and employment of individuals with disabilities for meaningful work.

Workers will be employed from Allentown Industries, Catholic Charities and the Veterans Administration. The New York State Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) is expected to support this initiative by identifying and assisting individuals with disabilities in seeking work positions.

The manufacturing operation is located within 20,000 square feet of leased space at 701 Seneca Street in Buffalo. Some of the money provided by Oishei has been used to purchase the equipment needed for the production workers things such as industrial sewing machines, binders, clamping and programming machines, a clicker press, a pre-punch hole machine, a grommet-attaching machine, snap fastener and socket machinery, a buckle pounder, and an equipment cutter.

Training of employees began in August, with production commencing in September. It is anticipated that over time, 75 job opportunities will be created through this initiative.

The initial product being manufactured is a pouch to hold three ammunition clips for an M4 rifle. Allied Industries currently produces a total of 13,000 of the pouches each week at its Work Centers in Dunkirk and Jamestown. Transferring that work to the Buffalo operation will enable Allied Industries to secure additional government contracts for other products. The large amount of manufacturing space available at the Seneca Street location positions Allied Industries to be able to handle any surge in production demand for the M4 ammunition pouch.

Officials from Heritage Centers and The Resource Center are thrilled about what the collaboration will mean to Western New York.

"The partnership between The Oishei Foundation, The Resource Center and Heritage Centers gives our people the opportunity to work at an extremely important and demanding job," said Michael L. Gross, Heritage Centers executive director. "It is exciting to realize what role our workers will play in the lives of our soldiers and the role we will play in the addition of viable jobs to the Western New York area."

"We are looking forward to extend our unique position in providing meaningful employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities in Buffalo, by expanding our expertise and capacity in supplying quality, key products to the Department of Defense," remarked Paul Cesana, executive director of The Resource Center. "The financial support received from The Oishei Foundation was the critical catalyst to convince our respective Boards of Directors to undergo this exciting initiative with a sense of comfort and optimism."

The Resource Center is a comprehensive, not-for-profit agency that provides, in addition to employment services, residential and day services to individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as diagnostic and treatment services and mental health services that also are available to the Chautauqua County community. TRC has 1,700 people on its payroll and in 2008 had operating revenues exceeding $100 million.

Heritage Centers is a local not-for-profit that employs 900-plus people and serves more than 3,000 individuals with disabilities and their families each year. Individualized services include early intervention, education, residential, vocational, service coordination, legal and advocacy programming.

The John R. Oishei Foundation strives to be a catalyst for change to enhance economic vitality and the quality of life for the Buffalo Niagara region. The Foundation was established in 1940 by John R. Oishei, founder of Trico Products Corporation.

For more information, contact The Resource Center at 483-2344 or Heritage Centers at 856-4202.