2021 Year End Review.
THE YEAR 2021 IN REVIEW:
2021 began for MSI as a recovery period from all of the COVID-19 precautions from the previous year. During the first quarter, we offered COVID vaccines to all MSI employees and this helped us to steadily increase our daily attendance at the GIP, Special Hands Shoppe, Choices, Discovery Center and MSI Newbury program locations. We eventually were able to increase our daily adult services attendance by 50% compared to last year!
2021 was a very strong production year as we initiated new work relationships with Design Molded Products, Mercury Plastics, J & S Packaging and we continued strong partnerships with Apex, Humaneering, Fives Landis, Laszeray, DXP, Aramark, FiberCore and Cintas. New integrated work partners emerged as we placed units at MVP Plastics and at Normandy Products in Middlefield.
The Community Employment Department ran two Summer Youth Programs at Eddy’s Fruit Farm and we continue to place individuals into competitive positions in the area. Normandy Products has hired two individuals from the MSI program and we are currently exploring additional opportunities at this company.
In May, MSI hired Joan Lax as a Volunteer Coordinator as we have partnered with the Geauga County Board of DD to explore integrated volunteering opportunities in the community. Joan has been working with several individuals in a variety of program locations.
In January, Van # 29 hit the road as MSI’s newest ODOT Grant vehicle. Tom Compisi has also helped us to secure grant van awards for 2021 and 2022 projects which are currently delayed due to COVID supply issues. MSI’s current transit fleet includes 12 vans of which 7 have been funded by grants from ODOT, GCBDD and the Cleveland Foundation.
This past year, MSI bid good luck to longtime employees, Dave Turner, Deb Boslet and Lisa Bell, who moved on to other positions. Cody Neill, Mechanic was welcomed to the MSI family and we were proud to announce the promotion of Cara DuPont to Director of Integrated Services.
During the last quarter of 2021, staffing shortages have forced us to decrease program hours at the Discovery Center and Newbury sites. However, we have recently offered direct support positions to three new employees who are currently training at our adult services locations.
MSI would like to thank our outstanding employees who continue to provide quality services to individuals with disabilities from Geauga, Trumbull, Lake and Portage Counties; Cara Dupont, Debra Griggs, Patty Donato, Kayla Billings, Melissa Kerr, Melissa Gianguzzo, Dominique Smith, Jeanne Hosmer, Will Bottoms, Anna Stark, Katie Balog, Cody Neill, Carl Stahl, Carol Wiech and Mary Shuster. Also, we could not run our operations without our contracted Team of Marlise Gibson, Norm Turner, Kim Paprocki, Tom Compisi and Dean Soroka.
Thanks also to the MSI Board of Directors for their continued leadership as we move into 2022 with the highest of expectations for another great year!