Kyle Hauth, executive director of Orange Grove Center, accepts a check from Hamilton County District 1 Commissioner Randy Fairbanks.
Hamilton County District 1 Commissioner Randy Fairbanks was true to his word when he stopped by Orange Grove Center on Wednesday to personally deliver a check for $10,000 to support upgrades and improvements at the center’s recycling facility.
Commissioner Fairbanks first heard of the center’s needs in May 2015 at the County Commission’s budget hearings, when officials from Orange Grove presented a funding request for necessary improvements to the Center’s materials recovery facility (MRF).
He later visited the center to tour the
MRF and ask questions before committing to directing some of his discretionary dollars to help with the project.
“I appreciate being given the opportunity to participate in this project. As commissioners, we owe a duty not just to our own constituents, but to everyone in the County,” Mr. Fairbanks said. “Orange Grove has been a part of this community for over 60 years, doing great work with some of our most vulnerable citizens.
“What is so impressive about the center, especially with what they do at the recycling center, is that not only do they have such a positive impact on our local environment, they do it by providing meaningful work for folks who may have difficulty managing work in a typical job setting. That is the kind of forward thinking that we need to support. We live in a beautiful area – one that is on all sorts of ‘best places’ lists. We are on those lists, not just because of the geography, but because we believe that taking care of each other is what truly makes this community something great to share with the world.”
Through its various programs, Orange Grove serves approximately 155 individuals in Mr. Fairbanks’ district. In turn, families and caregivers can work, seek employment, or otherwise contribute to their community, confident that the needs of their loved ones are being met, and that their loved ones are able to explore their own interests, pursue dreams, and gain important skills and training opportunities.
The upgrades needed at the MRF are necessary to keep up with increasing demand for recycling services and provide the needed training and work environments for Orange Grove to fulfill its mission. As a result of this contribution and many others from those who understand and appreciate the worth of individuals with disabilities, Hamilton County’s most vulnerable population can pursue training and paid work opportunities in a safe and efficient facility designed to improve lives and better the community as a whole.