RFI (short for Resources For Industry) is on a mission to find community employment for each Delaware County resident they train.  Recently the staff of the ARC vocational training program hosted a reception in conjunction with National Disability Employment Awareness Month to recognize area businesses who've hired Delaware County's capable men and women.  Nationally, roughly 70% of people with disabilities are unemployed.

The RFI team is working to improve this statistic.  Currently RFI trains and employs 112 area residents with disabilities.  Seventy-nine individuals work at its Walton-based center while 33 more have been placed in community jobs through its Supported Employment division. 

Over the past year, individuals employed at the RFI facility earned approximately $253,000 in wages that helped them lead more independent lives and reduced their need for other government benefits.  From Monday through Friday, those who attend RFI spend about 10% of their work day in classes to help them sharpen practical skills for competitive employment.  The majority of their time is spent working on jobs which are sub-contracted from local industry and governmental contracts.  This includes the production and packaging of 15 different types of paper fasteners, a government job that creates 22 jobs for local residents.

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