[NFBMT] Helena Industries

[Dan Burke]

Yes Robert, It was a rhetorical question. In fact, Helena Industries
has probably been around longer that 30 years. Jim is right about
federal policy.  VR funds were applied to creating the workshops back
in the 1960s and 1970s. They've provided a number of services to VR,
such as vocational evaluations, work adjustment and job placement
beyond their use of priority in federal contracts to bring in other
income.  When I worked for VR in the late 80s and 90s, counselors were
urged to send referrals over regularly, protecting the VR investment.

But workshops never adopted a belief in meaningful employment. Their
attitudes and, corporate structures and business plans were
essentially custodial and self-aggrandizing. And then the wind changed
direction and they're failing.

Subminimum wages aren't even part of why they're failing.  In 2012 we
had a day of protests across the country at Goodwill stores. There
were about half-a-dozen of us in front of the old Missoula Goodwill,
and TV coverage.  In Colorado there were two big protests at two
different Goodwill stores.  In 2014 they still had their 14(c)
certificates, but in 2017 they don't. They pay every one the Colorado
minimum wage which is over $10 an hour. They're very healthy
nonprofits, it seems.

So you have to ask about Helena Industries, what did they recently
invest in that created such a debt load? They were very healthy and
successful in the 80s and 90s. I have a couple of their factory
seconds from their contract with the Forest service making heavy-duty
backpacks.  They were rolling in it like fat hogs.

Dan

On 4/28/18, Edward Robbins via NFBMT <nfbmt at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>  FYI
> 	Helena Industries has been around for over 30 years, so they should
> be able to withstand a shortage of Government funds.
> Ted
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of rjaquiss via NFBMT
> Sent: Friday, April 27, 2018 11:22 AM
> To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List' <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: rjaquiss <rjaquiss at earthlink.net>
> Subject: Re: [NFBMT] Helena Industries
>
> Hello:
>
>      Having only very recently moved to Montana, I don't know much about
> Helena Industries. I would defer to Jim Marks' judgment. I can think of
> several ways a nonprofit can get itself into debt:
> 1. A program is started and it doesn't bring in the expected revenue. If
> funds were borrowed to start such a program, the nonprofit then has a debt.
> 2. As Jim mentioned, money was spent on the buildings and grounds. Just
> like
> owning a house, a nonprofit can be surprised if airconditioning, fails, the
> elevator fails, or the roof leaks. Good facilities management can help plan
> for such failures, but there are always the unexpected surprises.
> 3. A workshop can buy equipment for a contract and then have the contract
> terminated or not renewed.
>
>
> Hope this makes sense.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robert
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Dan Burke
President, NFB of Denver

"Blindness is not what holds you back.  You can live the life you want!"
My Cell:  406.546.8546
Twitter:  @DallDonal