Empties for Empower Meadowbrook Location Celebrates Opening with Ribbon Cutting
Pictured from left: Denise Dean, Empower CEO Jeff Paterson, Wheatfield Supervisor Don MacSwan and Kevin Hance
Empower staff, service recipients and local officials were on hand to officially cut the ribbon and celebrate the opening of the second Empties for Empower location that also serves as the hub for day-habilitation-without-walls. At this facility, people of all abilities socialize, learn job skills while interacting with customers and sorting their cans and bottles and go on community outings such as shopping and athletic activities. It is final step in the agency’s workforce transformation plan which ensures that all people served are fully integrated into their communities.
Day-Hab Participants Enjoy The Niagara Community Center
The bad weather did not stop day hab participants from getting some exercise and having fun, thanks to the generosity of Gary and Fran Hall, who invited this group to come to their indoor community center once a month for lunch and recreation.
The Niagara Community Center is a 22,000 square foot mixed-use facility that was built by the Halls as part of their philanthropic commitment to improve life for Niagara Falls residents. These outings are certainly fulfilling that objective with Empower’s Day Hab participants and staff.
In 2017, the Halls received the Neil and Mary Gruppo Service Award at Empower’s golf tournament for their long-time support of the agency and the greater Niagara County community.
Coming Soon: Large-Volume Bottle/Can Pick-ups by Empties for Empower
Soon, it will even easier for customers to utilize Empties for Empower. Customers with large quantities of containers can contact Empties and arrange a pick-up time. In order to receive credit for their return, Empties’ customers must first set up accounts. Checks will be mailed out once a month. In addition, Empower is the in the process of planning neighborhood pick-ups and collections at senior living facilities. Two box trucks that were used previously for its sheltered workshops will now be repurposed to do the pick ups. A grant was received from Univera Healthcare to pay for resurfacing the trucks’ exteriors to promote this service.