RESPECT of Florida is the central non-profit agency for the State of Florida that helps employ about 1,200 Floridians with disabilities through the production of commodities and contractual services that are sold to government entities. If you would like to learn more about us or browse our catalog, visit us at:
respectofflorida.org.
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A Message from Executive Director Ryland Musick
Another year has passed us by and we are looking toward the new year. RESPECT accomplished so many things in 2016. Staff worked to add 14 new service contracts and developed four new commodity assignments that resulted in 78 new commodities on the Procurement List. RESPECT funded its third Micro-Enterprise Grant and continued to enhance the RESPECT website. Our partners also reported creating jobs that provided more hours and higher wages to the people we serve.
In 2017, we plan to continue our focus on providing even more employment opportunities to people with disabilities. We are very appreciative of our long-term and new customers and look forward to finding more opportunities with other governmental entities.
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Facebook is one more way RESPECT wants to connect with you. Click above to like our page.
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Meetings, Training, and Events
- Jan. 24-27 - SUPRA Conference, Savannah, GA
- Jan. 25 - The Blink Experience, Orlando
- Feb. 9 -RESPECT Oversight Committee Meeting, Tallahassee
- Feb. 22 - The Blink Experience, Orlando
- Mar. 4 - Sight & Sole Walk Fest, Altamonte Springs
- Mar. 29 - The Blink Experience, Orlando
- TBD - Regional Training, Orlando
- TBD - Regional Training, West Palm Beach
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Commodity of the Month
Award Plaques
Recognize your employees for a job well done or honor them for their years of service. Nothing says "thank you" like a beautiful, hand-crafted wooden plaque. Personalized plaques are a lasting reminder of how much an employee's hard work and dedication mattered. This durable, quality memento can be treasured and easily displayed no matter where you go.
Call RESPECT customer service for a quote today - 850-942-3575.
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Goodwill Industries of South Florida Receives Three Year CARF Accreditation
Goodwill Industries of South Florida just received its three year CARF accreditation. CARF (The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) is a nonprofit organization that accredits health and human services in the areas of aging services, behavioral health, employment services, and much more. Goodwill Industries of South Florida has maintained it CARF accreditation for the past 25 years.
Providers who wish to become CARF accredited must demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement and submit to an external review. Following the review CARF determines if the provider meets the international standards of quality focusing on optimal outcomes for the individuals served and sustained organizational success.
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The Blink Experience: Hands-On Exploration of Vision Services
What could you do without sight? Odds are you are capable of doing much more than you think!
The Lighthouse Central Florida in Orlando is hosting a hand-on exploration on how it teaches, supports, and empowers individuals living beyond the restrictions of vision loss and blindness.
For more information, please contact Ileah Vazquez at Lighthouse Central Florida by email at [email protected] or by phone at (407) 898-2483, ext. 235.
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RESPECT: 2016 Highlights
RESPECT accomplished many goals in 2016. Overall, RESPECT's annual gross revenue increased by 2.4 percent from last year to this year. This was fueled by increases in commodities and services sales.
RESPECT commodities added new lines of business such as LED lighting, medical products, and dental supplies. In partnership with the Department of Management Services, RESPECT added four new commodity Assignment Agreements. New commodities under those assignments include LED troffers, barrier gowns, incontinence supplies, and about 30 medical and dental supplies. Additionally, several existing commodity lines were broadened including RESPECT's selection of First Aid Kits and Refill Items, soaps, gloves, and prophylactics.
RESPECT gained 14 new contracts, mostly janitorial and lawn maintenance work. RESPECT has 150 total service contracts and retained 96 percent of its existing contracts from last year.
The overall gains led to increased wages and hours for RESPECT workers. The average wage increased from $9.15 to $9.25 per hour from last year to this year. RESPECT workers on average earned 14.9 percent higher than Florida's minimum wage. RESPECT workers provided 823,222 hours of direct labor which is an increase of 8 percent from the previous year. Our partner organizations report that higher wages and more hours seem to be most individuals' primary concerns.
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New Year, New Goals
Every new year is another chance for a clean slate; an ideal time to set new goals and seek new opportunities. Each year, RESPECT creates a work plan and sets program goals to continually work toward its mission of creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities. In 2017, RESPECT plans to focus on retaining existing service contracts and add new service contracts; continue updating commodity offerings; enhance partner capacity and increase participation in RESPECT program; assure partner compliance; provide additional training; and increase the number of individuals served.
RESPECT currently has several new commodities and services in the research and development phase which it hopes to bring to market this year. Commodities include microfiber products, batteries, digital white boards, HVAC filters, interior and exterior lighting controls, and commercial paper and janitorial/sanitation supplies. Service staff are currently exploring temporary staffing as a new way to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
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Stake Your Claim, Help Employ People with Disabilities
RESPECT partner WORC, Inc., in Daytona produces wood stakes onsite in its wood shop. Wooden stakes are ideal for surveying and mapping, staking concrete forms, marking fence posts for temporary fences, staking of trees for landscape work, and ground posts for various signage needs.
WORC only uses #1 grade, dense pine to produce quality wood stakes to meet your project needs and to fit your budget. The top of the stakes can be painted and the smooth sides offer a convenient place for writing or numbering.
Visit RESPECT of Florida's
Procurement List for more information on available sizes and pricing for wood stakes.
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Bad Things Happen to Good Companies
Eight Simple Ways to Improve Workplace Safety
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HR & Compliance Manager, Dayna Lenk |
The day is great, the weather is good, everyone showed up for work and customers seem happy to be in your establishment, when the worst happens... You hear someone yell "Oh no call 911!" as you notice smoke is pouring of the breakroom, and employees are running in circles. What do you do? Do you have a plan of action? Should you call 911, or grab that report you have been working a month on? If you had an action plan in place, you would not even question what is the correct next step.
Workplace incidents are never expected. Bad things happen unexpectedly, and you do not have time to prepare when the building is burning down. To
help you maintain safely at work, below you will find eight very important thinking points:
1. Stay realistic.
It can happen in your workplace. Accidents, fires, or even workplace violence can occur. Living in denial is the riskiest strategy of all. Post-tragedy interviews prove the point: "I could never imagine it happening here," you will often hear. The only common thread they all carry is they were never expected.
2. Be aware of your surroundings, and do not be afraid to speak up.
If you notice a safety hazard, report it, and get it fixed before it causes an injury. Criminals use the element of surprise. By paying closer attention to unusual or suspicious behavior and challenging it, you can reconfigure the odds. Do not be afraid to inquire or report, and make sure your people are not afraid either. Be polite, but assertive in challenging anyone acting unusual.
3. Seek expert advice.
Law enforcement and fire officials are usually willing to offer suggestions and even courses to train your staff. Private enterprises can teach and provide security. Find someone in your community who is a proven expert in workplace safety. What is safest and most effective is not always intuitive, but an expert will know what works best.
4. Make and publish your plans.
Make sure every employee understands what needs to happen should there be a crisis, whether by a violent person or a natural disaster. A written plan of action should be included in your policies and procedures manual, and that manual should be reviewed with your staff.
5. Do the drill.
It is not enough to have a plan if your staff does not know how to follow it. Every quarter or at least every six months, alert your employees to a drill and practice it so people know what to do and where to go in case of specific emergencies.
6. Find leaders within your team.
Make workplace security a team effort by appointing willing individuals to serve as captains to help coordinate and take additional responsibility in case of an emergency. Ensure these leaders have the proper training they need to make them effective and confident in situations.
7. Provide safety courses to all employees.
It is an employee benefit that will not only be appreciated, but could potentially save lives. Classes like basic first aid, CPR, hazard communication, or even defensive driving are available. These courses can be obtained free of charge through your worker's compensation insurance or found online for a small fee.
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Perform post incident investigations. Investigations of incidents is a study prevention.As the adage goes: Learn from your mistakes. This rule also applies to the work environment. Employers should constantly examine why incidents occur and try to find ways to keep them from happening in the future. The scope of an incident investigation should be proportional to the incident. The more major the incident being investigated, the more comprehensive the investigation needs to be.
Many alarm systems are purchased only after a break in. You need to be ahead of the game. Do not put off doing what needs to be done to assure the safety of you and your team.
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