ECHO Looks To Expand Business Partnerships

Since its founding with five clients and a donated van in 1974, ECHO, now known as ECHOworks, has 163 participants supported by a staff of 60, providing workers to 15 sites around the county. It is always looking for new business partners willing to welcome capableand enthusiasticdisabled workers to their staff.

Over the years, the organization has built up a core base of support from area businesses that provide work opportunities for teams of anywhere from six to 13 individuals.

Karen Russell, ECHOworks marketing manager, has been associated with the organization from almost the beginning. She is aided by Kelly Yost, business development officer and daily operations manager, and the two work with CEO Bill Haney, assembling a strong and diverse labor force that can cope with a variety of tasks. Whether its mowing lawns, doing bulk mail, document conversion to digital, scanning and shredding documents, assembling and disassembling circuit board packages, or cleaning, the ECHO workers provide a reliable service for which the individual business contracts.

Those businesses that use ECHOworks services, including Inova Loudoun Hospital, Loudoun County Public Schools, Loudoun County government, the Federal Aviation Administration, REHAU, EIT Inc. and Telos Corporation are convinced supporters of the program.

It is such an effective program that it is much in demand for families who are looking for safe, secure programs in which their disabled family member can find employment and be esteemed for that workand there arent enough sites to meet that need, Russell said. Yost agreed, noting in a recent interview, Ive had four calls this week from families looking to us for our services. We need businesses to match that need.

Shannon Sollinger, who volunteers with ECHOworks, helping put out its newsletter, says she doesnt think businesses appreciate the value of what theyre getting by contracting services through the organization.

Most employers dont get that its a smart business tacticno human resources problems, no Social Security, no benefits, no overtime, no training responsibilities; just one check for the service, she notes.

Russell agreed. We only charge the business the actual work done. We pay for equipment, transportationincluding the vans and buses that take workers to their job sitessalaries, insurance, workers compensation its just like a business, she said. Each team has a trained supervisor, and the groups are insured, trained, transported and fed by ECHOworks.

We do what the business needs, Russell said, noting that Inova Loudoun Hospital, which uses teams at two sites, is one of ECHOworks biggest customers. We run the mail for them. We provide food for our workers, and maybe buy from the cafeteria once a week, Russell said. We also take care of all the human resources side.

For Sollinger, the decision to hire an ECHOworks team is more than a smart business decision. Its a step to put our neighbors who are developmentally challenged into a productive, rewarding work environment where they earn a pay check, make friends and contribute to the community, she said.

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ECHO Looks To Expand Business Partnerships