This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable.

Community Connections is a not-for-profit organization located at 138 Allendale Dr. Forest City, NC 28043. It has been providing Community Services Coordination Services in the Forest City area since March of 2009.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.

For additional information, contact Jeff Adams at 704-471-0606.

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable.

CVII is a not-for-profit organization with offices at 650 North Post Rd. Shelby, NC. It has been providing Community Services and Community Employment Services in the Shelby area since 1984.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.

For additional information, contact Jeff Adams at 704-471-0606.

Shelby, NC — 2/24/2010 — CARF International announced that HarvestWorks, Inc. has been accredited for a period of three years for its Community Services: Child and Youth Services, Community Integration, Respite Services, and Supported Living programs.This is the first accreditation that the international accrediting body has awarded to HarvestWorks.

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable.

HarvestWorks is a not-for-profit organization with offices at 891 North Post Rd. Shelby, NC. It has been Child and Youth Services, Community Integration, Respite Services, and Supported Living Services in the Shelby area since 2003.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.

For additional information, contact Josh Lening at 704-487-7777.

It has long been Lee Greenwood’s desire to visit Cleveland Vocational Industries, Inc. outsourcing and fulfillment center since he started serving as the national spokesperson for “Products for Good.” And he finally got his chance Thursday. “Products for Good” sells patriotic shadow boxes with un-circulated Iraqi coins that were decommissioned by Saddam Hussein at the end of the first Gulf War. Twenty five percent of the sales of the shadow boxes support various disabled veterans groups.

Greenwood wanted to meet the people and see how the shadow boxes are assembled. He toured the facility and signed hundreds of autographs.

Greenwood was welcomed by Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-10th district) who thanked him for helping raise funds for disabled vets and for supporting Cleveland Vocational. Jo Boggs chairperson of the County Commissioners, other commissioners as well as County Manager David Dear presented a county commemorative shadow box and thanked Greenwood for his support of Cleveland Vocational. Boggs also gave him her personal county commissioner lapel pin. Mayor Ted Alexander thanked Greenwood for supporting Cleveland County and presented him with the key of the city. Greenwood then assembled a shadow box and autographed it. The shadow box will be used for a special fundraiser.

About Lee Greenwood:
Has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts
His best known hit was 1984′s “God Bless the U.S.A.”

The song was played in heavy rotation during the Gulf War, following Sept. 11 and was re-released as a single during the 2003 U.S. in-vasion of Iraq

In the coming days, visit http://youtube.com/orderfulfillment to watch a video of Lee Greenwood making a shadow box at Cleveland Vocational.

Cleveland Vocational Industries Inc. has ensured that some people aren’t forgotten this holiday season. Namely, those behind bars. Each year, CVII’s workforce processes and packages orders for inmates at 81 prisons across the state. “This year we did a total of 23,157 orders,” said Marketing Director Jeff Adams. “It’s up from last year’s 22,414 orders.” Adams said all of the proceeds would go to support the individuals with special needs that CV serves.

As part of CV’s contract with the state Department of Correction, the company offers more than 180 food items to family and friends of inmates, who can order the items online or through a mail order. All the items were shipped out to the prisons last week to ensure they arrive before Dec. 25. Cleveland Vocational started the program in 2003. Since then it has been growing steadily each year. “We fine tune it every year,” Adams said. “We learn each year what could be better. It’s a pretty tight ship.”

The process is streamlined with their gift-packaging program that automates much of the process. Adams said they have a state of the art bar code scanning “pick and pack” line with a total of eight stations. Labels are scanned at each station and items added from the order. “One [station] might have M&Ms and another might have pickles,” Adams said. After the final step of packaging, the items are stored on pallets and ready to be shipped out.

They operate the service two months out of the year and use a combination of staff, clients at CV, and the occasional temp worker. “It’s really something we’re proud of,” CV’s Ken Bagby previously told The Star. “It generates a lot of payroll for people who rise to the occasion to get the job done.”

All items are nonperishable or “shelf stable” foods, that are ordered from vendors and include anything from Moon Pies to Snickers. Ideally this …would be a year-round thing,” Adams said. “Our dream is to be able to utilize it and create jobs year round.”

“Enriching and enhancing the lives of children and adults with disabilities” is HarvestWorks’ theme. In its third full growing season in their state-of-the-art greenhouses, the non-profit can enrich the lives of anyone who loves vegetables. HarvestWorks greenhouses are bursting with life, thanks to the hands-on direction of new greenhouse manager Lillie Boyles. HarvestWorks greenhouses are bursting with life, thanks to the hands-on direction of new greenhouse manager Lillie Boyles. Endlessly busy both inside and outside of the greenhouses, Lillie seems to always find time to give customers special attention as she prepares their purchase of fresh, naturally grown organic produce.

The recent merger of HarvestWorks with Cleveland Vocational Industries created a growth spurt, said Jeff Adams, marketing coordinator and intake specialist.”All this activity provides agricultural experiences and invaluable activities for children and adults with disabilities,” Adams said, and more new customers are coming in every week saying: “We wish we knew about this a long time ago!” There are still lots of leafy greens available, but summer’s fare is coming. Fields will produce a variety of heirloom tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, regular and French filet beans, Swiss chard, okra, corn, beets and four varieties of potatoes. There would be one other tender, tasty item, however, Adams said, “The deer already ate our snow peas, and they liked them!”

Want to know more? Visit: 891 N. Post Road N.C. 180, Shelby 704-487-7777

Ken Bagby hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in more than a month. The executive director of Cleveland Vocational Industries Inc. can sleep easy now. After several anxious weeks not knowing whether his company would again oversee the North Carolina Department of Correction’s Holiday Package Program, Bagby finally received the go-ahead Thursday morning.

Now he has until Oct. 3 to send 110,000 order forms and 2,000 brochures to 78 prisons throughout the state. Then receive the orders, package the items and ship boxes out to 19,000 inmates in time for the holiday season. The pressure is on but, after three years, Bagby is confident in Cleveland Vocational’s ability to get the job done.

“I think we can do it,” he said. “We all know what we’re doing and what we’re up against at this point. We’ve got the experience factor going into it.” The contract was awarded to Cleveland Vocational following a bidding process held Sept. 14 in which Cleveland Vocational beat out three of the top grocery companies in the country, Bagby said. “It’s such a wonderful feeling,” he said. “You feel like David versus Goliath.” A call to the Department of Correction for a list of bidders was not returned Thursday.

The three-year contract, which is expected to bring more than $3 million into the community, allows for a yearly cost-of-living increase, something Cleveland Vocational did not previously receive. “I can’t even describe how important it is,” Bagby said. “There’s some happy campers running around here this afternoon.” He said he and the Cleveland Vocational workers who participate in the Holiday Package Program pride themselves on their efficiency, which Bagby said was 99.6 percent, and customer service. “It’s really something we’re proud of,” he said. “It generates a lot of payroll for people who rise to the occasion to get the job done.”

Josh Houck works the closing shift at McDonalds in Blacksburg, S.C. He gets off around 1 a.m. Drives home to his apartment in Boiling Springs. Crashes into bed. Wakes up at 8 a.m. and rushes to class. Gets off at 3:30 p.m. Drives back to Blacksburg. He works seven days a week. Gets about five hours of sleep a night. Spends his few waking moments with his girlfriend.

Josh sounds like your typical overworked young adult. Except he isnt. Josh Houck is only 17.

Andrea Brice plows through several 300-page workbooks a week. She makes high marks on all her work, never misses a day of class. She is determined to attend Cleveland Community College and become a registered nurse. Her teachers have nothing but praise for her.

She sounds like your typical straight-A student. Except she isnt. Andrea Brice was held back three times in school. Once in the third grade. Twice in the ninth grade. Andrea was a 17-year-old freshman last year at Kings Mountain High. At some point she got fed up and quit.

It wasnt that she didnt like learning. She just couldnt relate. The kids were like 14, 15, she said. I just wasnt feeling school at that time.

A reason why
Theres a term for teen-agers like Josh Houck and Andrea Brice. High school dropouts. Theres also a reason for teen-agers like Josh Houck and Andrea Brice. You just have to look for it.

There is a reason why every student has withdrawn from high school, said Robin Edwards, an instructor who works with students like Josh and Andrea. The regular school setting obviously didnt work.

Mrs. Edwards teaches FOCUS Academy, a school for students who quit school but havent given up on the dream of getting an education. She teaches students who never expected to get a second chance at high school, let alone college. She teaches them that they can learn the basics they somehow missed year after year in the classroom. I have to go back

Andreas problem is English. Math is a breeze. Science, fine. But writing? She breaks out in a cold sweat. English, Andrea said. Thats the only thing that got to me. Somehow Andrea missed the fundamentals, like how to write stories with detailed paragraphs and introductions.

Some of the things I learn in here I didnt even learn in regular school, Andrea said. Now, at FOCUS Academy, she takes GED workbooks home to sharpen her skills. Shes very dedicated, very devoted, Mrs. Edwards said. Shes not missed but a day.

When Andrea quit school, she tried just working at McDonalds. But she said she couldnt escape the feeling that she was throwing her future away. Her mother, Renee Brice, suggested she meet with the FOCUS coordinator, Annette Thoms.

When she came to us, she said she wanted to go back to high school, but she wasnt really sure what she wanted to do, Ms. Thoms said. Then she came in and said, I have to go. Needing to go back and realizing that you have to back are two different things. Then a change occurred.

When she came in, she was really shy, real timid, but now she has this glow in her eyes, Mrs. Edwards said. Her self esteem has changed. Shes smiling. I really enjoy my teachers, Andrea said. I relate to my teachers.

Relating hasnt always been easy for Andrea, who grew up with four siblings and no father. The only time I hear from my Daddy is when hes in prison, and thats sad, Andrea said. My Mama, shes always put clothes on our back. She has to be momma and daddy.

The students choice
High school dropouts in Cleveland County used to slip through the cracks. They would get suspended and not come back. Clean out their locker after arguing with an administrator. Or simply vanish, drop off the roster. In the end, its the students choice. If a student who is 16 or older walks out of a high school, state law says they dont have to come back. But nothing prevents someone from calling up former students, or driving to their home, to ask them why they left. Thats just what Ms. Thoms and Dan McCabe have been doing for more than a year.

The two FOCUS coordinators get names of every student in Cleveland County who has dropped out of high school, and track them down. Their efforts are funded by a grant from the Workforce Investment Act. It requires going to some places they never knew existed and seeing conditions they didnt think were possible.

Ms. Thoms says some of the students she talks to have grown up in such poverty that they have never seen a paycheck, never handled cash, dont know what a bank is and have never been inside a grocery store.Not every student they talk to will go back to school.

Some are dealing with illnesses, abuse and other overwhelming situations. But there are some who want to go back, and have the means to do it. Ms. Thoms and McCabe are determined to find them. Thats how they found Josh, Andrea, and the other students who come to the FOCUS Academy.

FOCUS classes are small the first class last spring was six students. But of those six, all completed the 90-day program. Three now have their high school diploma, one is taking high school completion courses and one is back in regular high school, Mrs. Edwards said. They come to the academy to improve their skills and then earn credit for a high school diploma, Ms. Thoms said. Focus Academy is a real starting point for a lot of these kids. They already have some desire to finish school, but I dont think they have the roadmap to get there, Mrs. Edwards said. We look for students who really have a desire to complete their education.

FOCUS Academy even has school colors of orange and blue, a butterfly mascot, and a theme, Soaring to New Heights. I never did nothing right Josh said he left the house after he got in a fight with a stepparent. He now rooms with a friend. He attended Crest High for a while but then switched to home school so he could work. Before Josh left home, he was working three jobs Chick-Fil-A, Food Lion and cutting grass in addition to home school. I never did nothing right, so I left, he said.

Josh doesnt have any contact with his real mother. My real mom did drugs, Josh said. She wouldnt have nothing to do with me. Someday, Josh wants to get certified in electrical mechanics. He studies math and related subjects at Focus Academy from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. every day of the week. After that, he works on the floor at Cleveland Vocational Industries, packaging and shipping products.

All FOCUS students have the option of working at the school. Its a way for them to learn job skills and get some pocket change. Its easy to say, Dress this way, be on time, be punctual, but here, theyre actually doing it, Mrs. Edwards said. Only a few of them have had a job.

Cleveland Vocational Industries doesnt charge FOCUS instructors for the classroom space they use, and guarantees every FOCUS student a job. Students also get free lunches from Tops Pizza, Tastee-T, Golden Corral and Chick-Fil-A.

We brought about a change
In the classroom at FOCUS Academy, everyone gets the same treatment. A lot of them werent active socially in high school, Mrs. Edwards said. In here, there are no differences, you all come in and do the same thing. But there are differences in learning ability.

Some have trouble with capitalization and punctuation. Or they cant fill out or read an employment application. Others are above-average readers. We see kids who have tested anywhere from the second to eleventh grade, Mrs. Edwards said. I do seven different lesson plans, one for each student. There is one learning tool all of them enjoy: the daily newspaper.

They read The Star every day, Mrs. Edwards said. Before they started coming to this class they never read a newspaper. Now its like, Give me the newspaper. Most of the FOCUS students want to go into helping professions, like nursing or social work, Mrs. Edwards said. She tells them they can do it. My expectation of these students is to succeed, Mrs. Edwards said. Theres no alternative. You will succeed. After awhile, the students start to believe it. Were high school dropouts, Andrea said. But we brought about a change, to want to go back to school.