Nonprofit Spotlight: Challenge Unlimited
Here in the St. Louis Metro region, we’re fortunate to have a number of nonprofit organizations that help propel our community forward. To help grow awareness of their efforts, we have been spotlighting some of our favorite nonprofits with which we have the honor of working.
Today, we’re chatting with Whitney Harvey, Business Development Associate at Challenge Unlimited, Inc.: a nonprofit organization that provides meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities and our communities. Read on for more about this inspiring organization.
Q. Please tell us about Challenge Unlimited.
In 1959, this organization started as a small group of concerned parents (founded as “Specialized Services, Inc.”) that wanted to provide vocational training for their adult children with disabilities.
Since then, we’re proud to say we have grown into the organization that we are now -- an organization with a presence in five different states and with 900 employees, 600 of whom are individuals with disabilities.
Our mission is to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities, which will assist them to live, work and participate in their communities, and all of our work is focused on meeting this mission.
Q. What specific training and services do you provide?
We offer four main types of services:
Business Services. We specialize in facility management services, production services, and niche staffing services that support our social mission of providing independence through opportunity to people with disabilities. For instance, we provide support for federal government facilities, such as custodial service at Scott Air Force Base (as well as other Air Force bases throughout the country).
Staffing Services, through which we connect job seekers and employers with meaningful opportunities.
Program Services, which help those with disabilities gain independence by connecting them with opportunities.
And, Housing Services, which offer alternative housing choices to individuals with developmental disabilities and other mental illness.
Q: How has the pandemic impacted Challenge Unlimited?
Our Skilled Training Centers have been impacted fairly significantly due to COVID-19. Because they are regulated by the State of Illinois, we saw some new regulations take effect and some of our programming was also restricted with the changes.
Another area that was affected by the pandemic was our Operations division. We saw an increase in demand from our customers to ensure their workplaces were effectively disinfected and safe, and compliant with new guidelines put in place because of the pandemic.
Because there was such a demand, we pivoted to add Disinfection Services to our training and offerings, and it has become a successful line of business for our employees and our business clients. It’s a critical way we are keeping our team employed these days, so we’re glad to provide this training and service.
Additionally, the pandemic has resulted in a greater need for funding for certain divisions. For instance, we saw an increased need to ensure our Housing Services were properly equipped with PPE, healthcare supplies and more to ensure that our residents who are sheltering-in-place are properly cared for and that their living spaces are safe.
Q. Are there any specific grants that Challenge Unlimited received in 2020 that helped meet these new objectives?
Yes, earlier this year, we received a COVID-specific relief grant from the Edwardsville Community Foundation that helped meet the needs we saw with Housing Services, in terms of safety equipment.
With this funding, we also were able to ensure that we could plan and implement safe activities to keep our residents engaged while easing them into new routines that resulted from the pandemic.
We also recently were awarded a grant from the City of Edwardsville, which went towards one of our Skills Training work sites called A Quick Bite, a food service training worksite which helps provide specialized training in and certifications for the food service industry.
Q: Are there any specific initiatives that our community can help support, and how?
One of the greatest areas of opportunity for us and our members is through our Custodial Services. We know there is an increased need for Disinfection Services, so if you are or if you know of a business that is looking to implement these safety measures, please consider Partnering with Challenge Unlimited for your custodial needs. Doing so will also help ensure we have employment opportunities for our members.
We provide a comprehensive solution to meet the needs of your facility while protecting your investments, reducing your environmental footprint, and lowering costs. Learn more here or send me an email to chat about how we can help: wharvey@cuinc.org
Also, the community can make a donation to support our mission and our members directly on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ChallengeUnlimitedInc.
Interested in learning more about Challenge Unlimited’s incredible work? Visit https://www.cuinc.org.
