Scott Bitting, Vice President of HDC Enterprises, says Fox visited because the workshop is among the few that survived federal spending cuts last year, and could serve as a model for others across the country.
"Because a lot of the workshops, when the funding got taken away, they closed. And the decision here was not to close it. So we created a business within a business, I guess, would be the way to do it. So knock on wood, so far we're succeeding."
HDC Enterprises is a subsidiary of the Handicapped Development Center that provides jobs for handicapped workers doing packaging and assembly for John Deere, Car-Freshner Corporation, the Springfield Armory, and other local companies.
"They can come here, they can work. They earn a paycheck. And you know what comes with a paycheck is dignity, respect, and pride, just like anybody. And so it really gives them an opportunity. It's also kind of a social outlet for a lot of them. You know, they look forward to coming to work. So it just overall helps fulfill the mission of the Handicapped Development Center. It's helping people with disabilities to be the best that they can be."
Since HDC Enterprises was founded, three years ago, it's grown from eight employees to thirty, with increasing revenue. The report will air Thursday night at 9:30 PM on Fox Business News.
