“Empowerment” is a term that has been used extensively during the past few months. The Arc of Alachua County exemplifies the concept of empowerment, enabling those who may otherwise be disabled and seeing potential where other organizations or businesses may not. This vision prompted the nonprofit to create a for-profit business that continues to grow.
Gone4Ever launched about five years ago after members of The Arc identified a growing need: secure document destruction. Since its inception, it has continued to expand its earnings and its services, and has grown more than 190 percent during the past year, tripling its revenue over the past 12 months.
The Arc is a nonprofit organization that provides an array of services for the developmentally disabled. Among those services are adult day training, which includes life and work skills, and entrepreneurial programs such as Gone4Ever.
The initial idea for Gone4Ever came from The Arc Board President Bill Williams, whose developmentally disabled daughter had a shredding business she wanted to expand. Tying it in to day training, by teaching others at The Arc the skills necessary to work in the document destruction field, was a good way to do that.
“What started as something to do during the day has grown into a business,” said Bryan Harned, development and design director for The Arc.
In business since 2007, Gone4Ever continues to offer secure document destruction, but it has grown to include computer and e-waste recycling; plastic, glass and aluminum recycling; cardboard recycling; and a secure hard drive destruction service. The Gone4Ever staff also refurbishes and sells computers on eBay, and sells commodities directly to commodities recyclers. All of these entrepreneurial programs brought in nearly $1 million in 2011-2012 fiscal year, allowing The Arc to provide jobs for at least 90 developmentally disabled workers.
“Over the last eight years, we have lost a significant amount of our government funding,” Harned said. “This has caused us to grow our entrepreneurial programs.”
Todd Baker, assistant director for adult non-residential programs, got the idea to expand Gone4Ever’s services when he attended an Alachua County workshop focusing on “waste to wealth.” There, he learned about how the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Eugene, Oregon had started a waste-based business to support its charitable works. By offering glass and mattress recycling services, refurbishing electronics and appliances, and manufacturing items such as pet beds, the nonprofit was able to supply its thrift stores with sellable goods and, thereby, fund its services.
“We are hoping to get away from relying on government funding,” Baker said.
One of the biggest obstacles is advertising their business services. Relying on word-of-mouth from community advocates and customers has helped them to get to where they are now, but they have room to grow and want to expand their customer list.
“I have Arc clients who want to work, but we just don’t have enough business to employ them,” Baker said.
Gone4Ever serves businesses in various industries, including medicine, banking, insurance and government. Employees who work in document destruction must meet the highest levels of security, including a thorough background screening and drug testing. Lock boxes are provided to clients for their places of business and are transported securely to the shredding facility, where they are kept in a room under constant video surveillance. Gone4Ever shredding employees are required to check in and out of their shifts and must relinquish their mobile devices to security personnel at the front desk.
Gone4Ever has a growing list of customers, including Santa Fe College, Infinite Energy and the Florida Farm Bureau. Stephen Tanner, vice president of human resources and administration at the Florida Farm Bureau, has been a customer since April 2012.
“About a year ago, they obtained the highest level of certification to destroy documents, which is necessary for our business,” Tanner said. “They’re less expensive than every other company, and the customer service is excellent.”
The cost of Gone4Ever’s services is often a surprise to customers.
“A lot of people expect to pay a premium because it’s a charity, but it’s a pleasant surprise to find out that our services cost less than our competitors’,” Harned said.
Gone4Ever also handles the Florida Farm Bureau’s recycling, including cardboard, cans and glass.
“No one else in town recycles cardboard,” Tanner said. “Local recyclers don’t have the capability to recycle cans and they end up in landfills. They also repurpose glass by smoothing it out and selling it to landscaping companies. We’re saving money, doing good for the environment and helping a local charity. It’s a win-win all around.”
“It’s great to see one of our Arc clients get his first paycheck. There’s light in his eyes. He takes pride in earning that,” Baker added. “Most of all, he feels that he’s adding value to society.”
The Arc of Alachua County empowers people, constantly develops and grows profitable entrepreneurial ventures, creates a self-sustaining nonprofit organization and helps the environment. Part of its mission is to assure that people with developmental disabilities can enjoy respect and dignity and be full participants in the community. Gone4Ever’s success indicates that mission is accomplished.
“People enjoy providing jobs for people with disabilities,” Harned said. “Even more satisfying is being able to create jobs for these individuals living with disabilities.”
For more information about Gone4Ever visit gone4evershredding.com