CTC Manufacturing received a $13,100 grant from the First Federal Charitable Foundation that it will use to purchase new equipment at its business centers in Beaver Meadows and the Valmont Industrial Park in West Hazleton.
CTC Manufacturing plans to use the grant money to purchase a reconditioned vertical baler and ink-jet coding machine. The baler will allow the organization to package and sell cardboard and shrink wrap, which will reduce trash and recycling costs and create additional revenue through the resale of the recycled materials. The coding machine will attach directly to CTC Manufacturing’s assembly line case sealer and allow the organization to complete repackaging work for current client Henkel Consumer Goods, the makers of Dial soap, as well as bid on a wide variety of additional repackaging jobs from other companies.
Devon Nicoletti, executive director of CTC Manufacturing, said, “For a non-profit organization, any amount of money is a big help to your operations. It was a relief to see First Federal Charitable Foundation step in to help us with this grant. It will allow us to grow our capacity and continue our mission to become more environmentally friendly.”
Steve Peterson, who submitted the grant application before retiring as CTC Manufacturing’s president and CEO earlier this year, said the purchase of the new equipment will help CTC Manufacturing continue to provide jobs for many area residents and help the organization advance toward its goal of being a self-funded operation.
“CTC has a 47-year history of providing job training and employment for adults with disabilities. We are 87 percent self-funded through the goods and services produced by our integrated workforce of disabled and non-disabled workers. Over the past 10 years, we have doubled our annual production and service revenues through the development of partnerships with core customers such as the Henkel Corporation,” Peterson said. “In 2020, CTC Manufacturing will celebrate 50 years of providing job training and employment for individuals with disabilities in our service area. We are in the process of developing a stand-alone organization that does not rely on state or federal funding to achieve its mission.”
CTC Manufacturing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing job training and employment opportunities for adults with disabilities who want to work. The organization serves the tri-county area of Carbon, Southern Luzerne, and Northern Schuylkill counties. Their specialties are assembly, packaging, re-packaging, detailing and commercial sewing. CTC employs an integrated workforce of workers with disabilities and non-disabled workers and currently has 26 workers with disabilities on its staff. Its mission is to provide job training and employment for individuals with disabilities who want to work, offering competitive wages, benefits, job security, and opportunities for promotion.
Megan Kennedy, First Federal Charitable Foundation executive director, said, “CTC Manufacturing does incredible work every day and has one of the most dedicated workforces you will find anywhere. We’re very honored to assist them in introducing new production equipment that will help their operating capacity. They have such a long history of serving the individuals of this community and we look forward to seeing them reach their funding goals as they approach their 50th anniversary.”
The First Federal Charitable Foundation was established to support worthwhile community causes. It strives to nurture nonprofit institutions and programs that will effectively serve those in need from the community, empower nonprofit institutions and programs that will expand their presence in and services to the area, and promote opportunities for new nonprofit institutions and programs that will serve the unserved.
Nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) IRS designation that are located in Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon and Columbia counties are eligible to apply. Any organization whose headquarters is in another county but services either Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon or Columbia Counties may apply for a grant to be used in one of those counties.