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GRANITE CITY - Everyday items such as hangers and potpourri are usually products that are outsourced to different countries and manufactured in a large factory, but New Opportunities is creating a new approach to producing such items while making a difference in the life of others.
New Opportunities, located at 1510 W. Seventh Street in Granite City, is a “day training facility for adults with developmental disabilities,” Executive Director Kim Fears said.
Clients have the chance to work for a wage while being provided with ongoing learning opportunities after traditional school opportunities have ended.
“We work on life skills training, activities of daily living training, and social interactions so that they [clients] are more part of the community,” said Fears.
Clients do work such as assembling and sorting. Employees of New Opportunities count and record the products that are assembled so that clients are paid accordingly.
New Opportunities, formerly known as OATH (Organization for the Advancement of the Handicapped), has been around since the late 1970’s. It was started by a group of parents that wanted something different for their children.
“A lot of those original participants are still here,” said Fears.
New Opportunities is a non-profit organization. The organization is equally federally and state funded.
Along with creating practical products, clients are also heavily involved in their community.
“We really focus on making the people that we serve a part of the community. They get to see the work that they’re doing impact the community. We volunteer a lot with the Salvation Army and Partners for Pets,” Fears said.
Not only does New Opportunities serve as a training facility, but also as a mentor. Their biggest goal is to ensure that the clients have the best quality of life as possible.
For more on New Opportunities, visit their website at newopportunities.us.
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