PROFILE OF ABILITY FIRST

AbilityFirst provides programs and services to help children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities realize their full potential. AbilityFirst’s programs for adults respect each person’s right of self-determination. They work to support the choices of men and women with disabilities to pursue activities and work that they find interesting, meaningful and enriching. AbilityFirst provides opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities to learn job skills, and find employment, either at one of the three AbilityFirst Work Center, or directly with a company such as Ralphs Supermarkets or McDonalds.

Work Centers

The first work center opened in 1946, and today AbilityFirst operates three Work Centers in Los Angeles County – Los Angeles, Pasadena and Woodland Hills. These Centers offer paid work to adults with developmental and physical disabilities, providing jobs tailored to the skills and abilities of each individual. Job opportunities at the Work Centers include assembly, secure document shredding, packaging, sorting, collating, mailing and more.

A wide range of corporate clients have retained AbilityFirst for business services provided at the work centers including Union Bank, Charter Communications and DirecTV.

AbilityFirst Business Services meets many key corporate needs such as secure document shredding, sorting, packaging, assembly, fulfillment and mailing – while providing employment to individuals with disabilities. The workers are dependable, highly motivated and committed to quality work.

BE INVOLVED IN TWO AREAS:

Project Potentials in Internal Operation or External Operation Improvements:

Assist Internal Operations Improvement – Warehouse Operations

Assist External Operations   Improvement – Pickup and Delivery operations

Deliverables include and not limited   to the ff.:   VSM of operations –       Times –       Frequency –       Quality   Layout –       Current state   Bale storage   Sorting area   Shredding area –       Future state   Bale storage   Sorting area   Shredding area   Storage needs   Raw material storage   Finished bale storage   WIP (sorted but not shredded)

Deliverables include and not limited   to the ff.:   Current state –       How many bins per customer –       How many customers –       How often is pick up –       VSM »       Times »       Frequency »       Quality –       Where is the “drop zone”   Future state –       Truck type (suitability) –       Capacity per customer –       “should we be making more trips with   smaller truck”

 

TWO WAYS TO DONATE YOUR SKILLS AND TIME:

1. Remotely (i.e., studying data provided using IE concepts and prepare a written summary of findings and recommendations)
2. Active participant  (i.e.,  completing in person visits and working with operations during spare time)

Get some hands on experience and continue to learn by doing. If interested in applying your skills and volunteering your time with AbilityFirst, learn more and please contact Stella Mahakian at smpsasing@gmail.com.

Join us. Another chance to get to know AbilityFirst up close is this coming Tuesday, May 27, 2014, 2:30 p.m.