The engines that help drive the Freedom Village concept are the Project FREE Businesses. These self-sufficient businesses will provide real employment opportunities for persons with disabilities as well as skilled positions for our communities at a time they are so desperately needed.
The key to sustainable independence for people with disabilities is the opportunity to earn a livable wage. Yet, in January 2010, the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 21.8 percent compared with 70.1 percent for persons with no disability, (United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)). What’s more, nearly 424,000 individuals are earning subminimum wages and 74 percent of these workers are people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, (Government Accountability Office (GAO)).
Project FREE stands firmly against sub minimum wage pay for any working persons. Sub-minimum wages are exploitive and do not allow persons to live independent lives. At a time when some organizations are fighting against legislation that would require them to pay minimum wage to their employees with disabilities, Project FREE is developing businesses which will never pay sub-minimum wages to any of its employees.
As one pillar of our mission and our vision of Freedom Village, we have developed Project FREE Businesses; actual operating businesses that will offer competitive paying supported and non-supported jobs and career opportunities in fields as diverse as culinary arts, horticulture and small engine repair. These businesses will also be a key component of our state-of-the-art Project FREE Transition Program where students will receive hands on training to prepare for competitive employment. The Project FREE Business environment is designed to develop the confidence and skills for a high quality, balanced, independent life. These Business Centers will be tailored to integrate with the communities we serve and are designed to be self sufficient.
It would be impossible to overstate the need for real jobs and vocational training for these individuals. The numbers are inexcusable but not irreversible. The efficient Project FREE Business Center model creates jobs in our communities and is a vital component in our mission of building independent lives for our disabled population. If you would like to join us in our efforts, please take a moment to see how you can help.
