By admin 
DURHAM, N.C. — As Durham Exchange Club Industries (DECI) celebrates 60 years of service, the nonprofit is looking toward the future with expanded partnerships, broader employment opportunities and increased community engagement for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Read more Athletics say hello to eventual Vegas fanbase with an explosive 15-14, 12-inning game
“DECI has been around for 60 years,” said President and CEO Chrissy Sailstad. “We’re located right here in Durham, and we work with people with disabilities and we help them with job skills, job training and sometimes job placement, either at our facility or out in the community in a job of their choice.”
Sailstad said the organization’s longevity is rooted in both community need and employee dedication.
“Obviously, there’s a huge need in our community, but also I think we’ve just really had great leadership over the years,” she said. “Our employees want to be there. They really enjoy what they do every day. We have employees who’ve been there 30, 40, 50 years, very dedicated to the work we do.”
In addition to employment placement services, DECI operates an industrial production facility where individuals gain hands-on work experience through customer projects.
“We do real work in our facility with real customers,” Sailstad said. “These client workers are working on a real job we have for a customer. We are ISO 9001 certified, so our quality is tested every year.”
The organization served approximately 250 clients over the past year through employment programs, community engagement activities and independent living support services.
“We served about 250 different clients this past year,” Sailstad said. “We also offer onsite activities, so community engagement activities, basically cooking classes and different things that help promote independent living.”
One recent milestone was DECI’s inaugural IDD Resource Fair, which brought together more than 55 organizations.
“We thought, why wouldn’t we just bring them all together under one roof and show everybody what their options are and see what’s available to them?” Sailstad said.
The event exceeded expectations.
“Over 55 organizations” participated, she said. “At the end, we were turning some down because we didn’t have enough space. We are looking at doing it again and probably in a larger space so we could have more organizations participate.”
As DECI works to connect more individuals with employment opportunities, Sailstad said one of the biggest challenges remains employer perceptions.
Read more Joel Bitonio announces retirement after 12 seasons, all with the Cleveland Browns
“A lot of employers look at people with disabilities and only see the things that they can’t do and they do not realize all the things they can do,” she said. “There are so many things that they can do just as easily as the rest of us.”
To address those barriers, DECI’s job placement team works directly with employers across the region.
“We really try to educate employers,” Sailstad said. “We have an entire team of job placement coordinators that goes out and talks directly to employers and shows them the capabilities that individuals have.”
She said employees placed through the program often become highly valued members of workplace teams.
“Our clients want to work,” Sailstad said. “They show up on time. They’re incredibly motivated. They’re dedicated to the work they’re doing. They want to do quality work. They end up being some of the best employees that a lot of our employers even have.”
Looking ahead, DECI is expanding its employment services footprint while pursuing new partnerships throughout the region.
“We work with nine different counties,” Sailstad said. “We have a much broader reach through job placement.”
The organization’s future strategy focuses on collaboration and maximizing impact.
“We’re looking at ways that we can partner with other organizations,” Sailstad said. “Partnerships are really going to be very important to us in the future.”
She added that community awareness remains a priority.
“I think it’s really important for everyone to understand the work that we do and also to recognize the important people who do the work,” Sailstad said. “We have people who’ve worked at DECI for 30, 40, some over 50 years. They’re just incredibly dedicated.”
As DECI enters its next chapter, Sailstad said the mission remains unchanged: creating opportunities and expanding possibilities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Read more Serena returns: Williams begins her comeback in doubles at Queen’s Club
“Our goal is to reach as many people as we can,” she said.