POWERGRAMS

100% CONNECTED Since 1900, the mission of Workshops Inc. has been to offer vocational services to people with mental and physical disabilities. "We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to work," said Executive Director Susan Crow. "We help people with disabilities achieve that goal." The organization assists with business solutions for about 250 organizations and helps train workers for 60-80 employers each year. It partners with local nonprofits, including the United Way. "There are at least a dozen local nonprofits that we have a fairly active relationship with," said Crow. "It takes all of us working together to bring about real change." Workshops offers several levels of skill development at its Birmingham facilities. The employee development program teaches basic job and life skills, also called "essential skills." "We used to call them soft skills, but they're so important that they're really essential," said Crow. Employee development helps trainees understand the importance of being reliable, doing what they say they will do and staying on task. The program covers skills as basic as how to dress for business or how to call in to work when ill. The goal is to transform trainees into standout employees. Employee development graduates move into the community employment services program, which teaches communication techniques and job interview skills, such as preparing a resume. Employment specialists ensure that each job placement is personalized to fit the person's strengths and passions. Workshops staff members provide job coaching once a client begins working. "If someone lands a job where they might need more training than another employee would, our employment specialists can help with their job training to give the consumer a better chance to be successful on the job," said Crow. Workshops retains some former students for on-site positions through its organizational employment program. Another program helps young people transition from high school to employment. Workshops recently received a grant from the Alabama Business Charitable Trust Fund for a lighting retrofit in the industrial assembly department. Primarily, the work in this department is putting nuts on bolts. The older florescent lighting has been unreliable, dim and not energy- efficient. The Efficiency Forward grant is helping Workshops replace the florescent grid with LED lighting. "We are really grateful for this grant," Crow said. "Sometimes upgrading things like lighting for nonprofits can seem like a luxury, but these upgrades are integral to us doing our mission as well. We serve a great number of low-vision consumers and we currently can't put them in this department. In addition to aesthetics, it's an accommodation." Efficiency Forward helps nonprofits make their buildings more energy- efficient, which lowers utility bills and increases the money those agencies can direct toward services. "Since the program was started in 2007, the ABC Trust has awarded more than $1 million in Efficiency Forward grants to more than 100 nonprofits across Alabama," said Peggy Burnett, associate director of the ABC Trust. "We are very proud to have assisted so many hardworking organizations across the state." Efficiency Forward grants are available to 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organizations, preferably social service agencies that offer direct health and human services to clients. To be eligible, agencies must own their building and receive an Energy Checkup from Alabama Power. For more information, call Burnett at 205-257-2357. By Allison Swagler Lighting the Way 2 Drones provide new opportunities for businesses to improve safety for employees by looking into difficult to reach or hazardous locations. Photo by Phil Free ON THE COVER: EFFICIENCY FORWARD GRANT HELPS WORKSHOPS AID MORE PEOPLE Birmingham nonprofit will replace, improve lighting with funding from ABC Trust, which has awarded more than $1 million in grants. Workshops trains people in "essential skills."

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