Thanks to $70,000 in grant funding, a new state-of-the-art commercial embroidery machine will help employees with disabilities at Spectrum Designs perform their jobs more efficiently and expand production capabilities.
Spectrum Designs employs a neurodiverse workforce in Westchester and Nassau counties. The matching grant from New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID) totaled $35,000, with Spectrum Designs contributing the remaining $35,000. The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation has also provided financial support to NYSID’s annual Matching Grants funding initiative for its member agencies.
“Meaningful employment creates independence, confidence, and opportunity for people with disabilities, while also strengthening our workforce and economy,” said Maureen O’Brien, President & CEO of NYSID, in a statement.
Spectrum Designs’ custom apparel and promotional products business create meaningful, inclusive employment and vocational training opportunities for individuals in a neurodiverse world. As a NYSID Member Agency serving the Preferred Source marketplace, Spectrum Designs produces apparel worn by employees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, numerous school districts, and other organizations across the region, according to the organization.
“Spectrum is like a lighthouse. It gives people purpose and shows them the way. I feel like they empower me and I always want to do more and learn more,” said Bradley Jacobs, a neurodiverse employee from Spectrum Designs, in a statement.
The addition of new embroidery equipment will support the production of more than $8 million in annual revenue, directly contributing to the employment of four individuals on the autism spectrum.
“Our grantee partners are navigating an incredibly challenging landscape, and yet their commitment to serving their communities continues to deepen,” said Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, Chief Executive Officer of The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. “These grants demonstrate our resolve to stand with them by addressing urgent needs today, while strengthening the systems and workforce that will support New Yorkers’ health for years to come.”
Patrick Bardsley, co-founder and CEO of Spectrum Designs, said in a statement that the funding will enable Spectrum to “upgrade 30-year-old equipment with the newest embroidery technology at our Pleasantville, Westchester location. The advanced equipment is tremendously more user-friendly, intuitive, and accessible to our neurodiverse workforce. It is also quieter with increased safety features. It will not only enable us to get capacity back on track but will actually increase opportunities for upskilling and promotions across our team.”