Eddie Works (and his PASS is approved)!

Eddie Arnio has been working 20-24 hours a week at Grafton Farm and Home Supply since late September 2012. Prior to this gig, Eddie’s work history comprised of 6 months at the local—now out of business—sheltered workshop.

Eddie has worked hard at finding a job in Grafton, applying at local corporate and big-box businesses like Wal-Mart and McDonalds every 4 months for the last 6 years. He was told that if he kept applying, kept keeping at it, his efforts would eventually be awarded with a job—using this approach, won’t employers eventually recognize his desire to work, his tenacity and persistence?

After meeting with WVDRS and being referred to Job Squad, Eddie engaged in some Discovery, a few short term work experiences, and a theme of technology or machinery emerged. During his work experiences, Eddie operated a car washing machine, spray washer, and a compactor. We also learned he was interested in automobiles, in part because his dad once drove a cab.

Conversations with others in the community led us to Grafton Farm and Home Supply, which, we learned, had a broken stone mill. The broken mill increased costs—feed that would typically be milled on site now had to be transported to a nearby mill and Grafton Farm and Home Supply had to pay for the feed to be milled, gas and transportation costs, and staff time to transport the feed. With this in mind, Eddie and Southern States began a conversation on how they could help each other. They agreed there would be mutual benefit if a new, negotiated part-time job were created where Eddie would complete numerous tasks, including milling, weighing and bagging feed; making sweet feed; assisting customers to gather orders and transport items to their cars (including straw, feed, barbed wire, and many other items); filling propane tanks, handling chickens (!), and various other tasks. Eddie would also assist with a getting the stone mill running, using a Compensating Balance Loan in partnership with Job Squad and CWVTEL.

Eddie began part-time work, but he wanted to work full-time. Grafton Farm and Home Supply couldn’t offer Eddie full-time work based on existing revenues. Discussions began about other ways Eddie could help the business and centered around a Hydraulic Sprayer that would help the business meet existing needs and also be used to offer additional services and generate new revenue. The owners of Grafton Farm and Home Supply felt they could offer Eddie full-time hours with the additional revenue generated by the sprayer services.

A PASS was submitted--which will enable Eddie to purchase the Hydraulic Sprayer (and a few other items)--at the end of September 2012 and was approved last month (July 2013). Once Eddie purchases the sprayer, his hours will increase.

A follow-up post will focus on Eddie’s PASS, the new services offered by the sprayer, and how the sprayer fits into Eddie’s automobile theme.

Check out this video of Eddie at work:

Beech's Apiaries & Honey Producers uses Compensating Balance Loan to Seed Start-Up. Next Step, Kickstarter?

Raymond Beech, owner of Beech's Apiaries & Honey Producers, meets with LaDonna Hardman, a loan officer with  CWV TEL Federal Credit Union, to wrap up loan paperwork. Raymond, in partnership with CWV TEL and Job Squad, secured a small Compensating Balance Loan to aid his start-up by making possible the purchase of an additional 10 bee hive frames and associated tools and supplies (queen bees, smokers, suits, etc.).

This is Job Squad's 3rd Compensating Balance Loan. Information about the first two loans can be found here: Loan #1 and Loan #2.

Raymond has kept bees for the last 6 years as a hobby, in addition to working full-time. He is now exploring the varying ways artisanal apiaries generate revenue, which include--in addition to honey production--the sale of pollen, wax, propolis, royal jelly, bee extraction, pollination, and services related to processing honey for others. Raymond has met with the area's Business Coach with the Small Business Development Center and is seeking support from the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation.

Raymond, a technophile, is also researching other way to share his passion and skills. He looking into securing start-up funding through the crowdfunding site Kickstarter to create a web series to showing the creation of a honey bee house (check out Creativebug for inspiration). Raymond tells his own story best and, after the pictures of Raymond in gear, you can read a draft version of his Kickstarter idea.

Who am I:

Hi, my name is Raymond, father of six, veteran and beekeeper. I love keeping honey-bees and my children love to help dad with the honeybees; but my wife is furious and I’m running out of room (and time according to her.) For the past six years I have been keeping honeybees as a hobby. I really enjoy my honeybees, even when they sting me. But my wife has finally put her foot down; and I can’t say that I blame her.

What is the issue?

You see my bee gear and equipment take up lots and lots of space – a good portion of my Master Bedroom/Bathroom, a large portion of my Living room, a small portion of the kitchen, a little bit of here and there throughout the rest of the house, and of course scattered out in the yard. When I only had two or three hives it wasn’t a big deal – now that I have a quadrupled my hives – it’s definitely an issue. Eventually I would like to have a few hundred hives – but that’s another story.

What is the Project?

To create a website explaining who we are, what we do and will do, our team, and much more. Our primary goal is to create a web series that shows the planning, designing, and construction of a building or the purchasing, moving and setting up of modular or trailer – to use as a honeybee house; and of course the moving of my honeybee gear, equipment, and hives (which should be an extremely fun-filled day) into this honeybee house. 

As stated previously some of my children show a real interest in my bees and actually help me with my honeybees (imagine that – they can move away from the computers, consoles and phones for more than twenty minutes.) Unfortunately a lot of the work can’t be done on my living room floor (we’ve tried and failed miserably.) With a new building to house my gear, equipment and bees; it could also be designed to with a designated area to work in – which would offer a place where my family’s passion can grow. While working together building our bee boxes, frames, or splitting hives; all while growing a family bond.

Guest Blog: Creating Opportunity Using a Compensating Balance Loan

(Our Guest Blogger, Jamie Alderman is seated at left. Sitting at the desk is Shannon Kile, Loan Officer with CWV TEL Federal Credit Union.)

Hello. My name is Jamie Alderman and I am ready to go back to college. The CWV TEL Federal Credit Union has made that next step possible for me.

Up to this point, service industry employment has not offered the career challenges I am seeking. I am looking for something that is more intellectually stimulating. I will be studying Sociology (undergraduate), then Seminary (graduate school). I will develop my people skills in the ministry--graduating as a pastor and using my education and skills to teach, counsel, and minister to my congregation.

I owed approximately $1,200 in old student loan debt. Systems such as VR and PASS cannot pay of my existing debt so that I can go back to school sooner, rather than later. I could have waited until I paid the debt off myself, but that would have taken about 4 more years according to my current payment schedule. Instead, the loan offered by CWV TEL  has made it possible for me to go back to school next semester.

Russell's quick note:

This is Job Squad's 2nd round with a Compensating Balance Loan. The first was done in partnership with the Center for Social Capital. Jaime's loan is 100% guaranteed by a JSI deposit with CWV TEL, equivalent to Jaime's loan principle.

Thank you to Carol Johnson of CWV TEL for making this happen! And to Ian Rudick for connecting JSI with such an outstanding group of folks at CWV TEL Federal Credit Union!