ECF and Stone Candles win award for creating inclusive workforce

CULVER CITY, Calif. - Sept. 23, 2016 - PRLog -- This week, the California Disability Services Association (CDSA) presented Stone Candles of Santa Monica with a 2016 "Excellence in Employment Award" in recognition of their partnership with the Exceptional Children's Foundation (ECF) to include adults with developmental disabilities in the production of their many retail and private label lines.

Stone Candles first contracted ECF's Exceptional Packaging Solutions program to fulfill their package and assembly needs when their manufacturing center was located across the street from one of the 70 year-old nonprofit's 15 service sites. The service provided by ECF participants with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, autism and acquired brain injuries demonstrated their unique abilities and exceeded Stone Candles' expectations. After two years, Stone Candles moved their light manufacturing operations into ECF's employment training site for adults, resulting in a 1,200 square-foot "integrated workplace" where members of their staff worked together with ECF participants.

After more than five years of partnership, ECF has been able to provide more than 30 adults with developmental disabilities paid work training through business contracted with Stone Candles. While participants work on tasks like sorting and labeling, they are also taught about safety, teamwork and quality control – the transferrable skill sets needed to best-prepare them for entering competitive local job markets.  "We are grateful to Stone Candles for helping ECF pave a pathway to employment for our participants, empowering them to succeed in today's inclusive economy," says Scott D. Bowling, ECF's President and CEO.


While ECF recently sold the property from which it provided packaging and assembly services, Stone Candles decided it was worth the investment to continue the partnership from ECF's newest site, located in the City of Inglewood. Named the Exceptional Building, the 28,000-square foot property opened earlier this month and also houses ECF's Work Readiness Classes, Exceptional Training Academies and a Fine Art Studio.

"By partnering with ECF, we've increased our workplace diversity while differentiating our product offering. We are proud to be recognized by CDSA for doing well by doing good," says Daniel Stone, founder of Stone Candles and Light for Life Cause, a new manufacturing label with the mission of creating beauty while creating opportunity for adults with developmental disabilities training at ECF.

http://www.ecf.net

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About California Disability Services Association – Cal-DSA.org

The mission of CDSA is to advocate for and strengthen member organizations, and to ensure public and government support of services for persons with disabilities.

About Stone Candles – StoneCandles.com

Founded in Berkeley in the 1960s through their current location in Santa Monica, Stone Candles has always taken great pride in their handcrafted process and commitment to a clean, healthy environment.  A father-and-son business, their goal is to combine traditional values and artistry with innovative and creative designs.

About Exceptional Children's Foundation – ECF.net

ECF serves more than 3,600 clients and their families at 15 program sites, in clients' homes, and in community settings throughout Los Angeles County. Established in 1946, ECF is the only organization of its kind in California to provide a lifespan of services for children and adults with developmental disabilities.