Press

Advantis CU’s GROW Community Fund Grant Helps Exceed Enterprises

Wendy Edwards
Vice President of Marketing & Human Resources
503-785-2569
wedwards@advantiscu.org

Claudia Johnson
Claudia Johnson Strategic Communications
503-799-2220
claudia@claudiajohnson.com

Misti Rooney
Community Relations Officer
503-785-2548
mrooney@advantiscu.org

Exceed Enterprises is helping more adults with developmental disabilities find meaningful, productive work thanks to the Advantis Credit Union GROW Community Fund

The non-profit is enhancing vocational and educational facilities to transition more adults with developmental disabilities into the mainstream workforce

Portland, OR — It is human nature — much of our self-esteem comes from what we do. It’s no different for adults with developmental disabilities. But some people with disabilities need special assistance to succeed in the mainstream workforce. Exceed Enterprises educates and trains adults with developmental disabilities so they can transition successfully into the local workplace with competitive job skills.

A $10,000 grant from Advantis Credit Union’s GROW Community Fund is already helping Exceed Enterprises to construct a Work Assessment and Readiness Classroom for enhanced assessment, instruction and training sessions. The non-profit is remodeling an old office space to provide vocational training, skill development and job readiness for people with disabilities .From here these adults can springboard into new jobs and more fulfilling lives. The promise is that they land with the confidence that they have skills not only to survive, but also thrive in their work.

“We are using Advantis GROW grant funds to repurpose an old office space into a new classroom for the vocational assessment of adults with developmental disabilities. We’ve cleaned the space, painted, ordered tables/shelving and are in the process of hiring instructors to lead the program,” says Phil Stuva, Director of Development at Exceed Enterprises. “The Advantis GROW grant is critical to helping us provide even better educational opportunities and skills training to our clients, who are seeking competitive employment at local companies.”

Advantis Credit Union launched the GROW Community Fund to assist non-profits in carrying out their missions to help those in need. By creating a $51,000 fund – for the inaugural round of funding in 2011 — to bolster small- and medium-sized non-profits with grants up to $10,000, organizations like Exceed Enterprises can put into motion their mission too often stymied by a sluggish economy.

About Advantis
Advantis Credit Union, with over $905 million in assets, is one of Oregon’s largest member-owned not-for-profit, financial cooperatives with over 48,000 members and five branches in the Portland metro area. Advantis is one of the oldest credit unions in Oregon, serving the Portland metro area for over 84 years. Membership is open to anyone who lives, works or is a member of an organization in Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Hood River, Lane, Linn, and Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington, or Yamhill counties in Oregon and anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in the state of Washington. www.AdvantisCU.org