From Simple Hand Labor to Complex Assembly, EPI-HAB Does It All

fpadmin | 05/08/2017

Founded in 1958, EPI-HAB Phoenix Inc. is a totally self-sufficient, not-for-profit company focused on providing meaningful employment for individuals with epilepsy and other challenges, primarily through hand labor services.

Since the start of the year, our team has been involved in a long list of fulfilling projects, and we’ve been proud to see several of EPI-HAB’s customers in the news. We thought we’d summarize these updates for our followers through a quick show-n-tell in this month’s blog:

Mobilegro Gains National Attention

Mobilegro, one of EPI-HAB’s unique customers, was the subject of a recent Inc. Magazine article highlighting the owner’s process of turning an innovative idea into a profitable business. Angela DiMaggio came up with the idea for Mobilegro, a cart for gardeners, when she was in her 20s. Thirty years later, she finally had the time to take it to market.

Mobilegro three-tier planter CREDIT: Courtesy Company

EPI-HAB receives, stores, and fulfills Angie’s orders for her Mobilegro gardening cart.

Our team takes a great deal of pride in helping small business owners fulfill their dreams!

Prepaid Power Units Get New Life

With spring and summer comes an increase in Phoenix relocations, which means increased demand for SRP’s UDT Program.

Throughout the year, EPI-HAB receives shipments of M-Power units multiple times a day. Our team strips the units of their packaging, sorts them by model number, and transports the units to the computer screening operation where each unit is scanned into a log. By scanning the pin numbers, each returned M-Power unit is recorded, so deposit monies can be properly refunded. The EPI-HAB inspection team also “scopes” each unit for operational defects, and the M-Power units that pass are deep cleaned. The clean M-Power units are then repackaged with new informational brochures, and the individually boxed/skidded units are returned to the warehouse, where they’ll await re-issue to the next customer.

Most weeks, EPI-HAB’s employees supply SRP with around 1,200 – 2,400 cleaned, inspected and freshly-packaged M-Power units. Over the last month, however, our team has been working hard to process an impressive 3,000-3,600 units per week.

Customers like SRP return to EPI-HAB because our dedicated team provides them with the flexibility they demand!

White Glove Treatment for…Gloves

In April, Beggs Consulting gave EPI-HAB a call based on a referral. They were seeking help with 3,060 silicone gloves that were packed with the wrong labels.

After receiving the gloves, replacement bags, and inner cards from Beggs Consulting, EPI-HAB’s employees have been removing items from their original bags and re-bagging and sealing them with the new labels. Our inspection team also checks for dirt and hair and rejects any bags that cannot be cleaned. The re-bagged gloves are then packed into a carton, labeled, palletized and stretch wrapped for customer pickup. EPI-HAB employees are required to wear hairnets, gloves, and long-sleeved cotton t-shirts while completing this work, and to keep dust out, no fans or swamp coolers can be run.

If your product requires a clean or sterile environment, “white glove” treatment is another unique service offered by EPI-HAB!

Print Projects Done to a ‘Tea’

Our team members recently had fun lending a hand to O’Neil Printing. We affixed 12 different tea samples to sales brochures, matching the name of the tea with the name on the brochure. Packs of five were then shrink wrapped and packed into boxes. The efforts resulted in a very creative and attractive sales tool!

O’Neil Printing also recently tasked EPI-HAB with a simple glue peeling project. Our hand laborers skillfully peeled pharmaceutical information packets apart, removed all of the packets’ glue residue and rubber banded them in random quantities. The 35,000 sheets were then placed in trays all going the same direction and skid packed, keeping all products clean.

EPI-HAB has been a proud partner of O’Neil Printing for more than twenty years. And in that time, we’ve completed a wide range of projects for this innovative Phoenix printer, including collating, large mailings and glue removal.

From simple hand labor to complex assembly, EPI-HAB does it all!

Are you wondering how EPI-HAB can help your company? We encourage you to check out this short video summary hosted by EPI-HAB’s Executive Director, Matt Redmann.

EPI-HAB Employee Fulfills 30-Year Dream of U.S. Citizenship

fpadmin | 04/21/2017

Esthela Moran, an employee with EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc., is all smiles these days. Thirty years ago, Esthela left Mexico, the only home she had ever known, and embarked on an adventure to the United States for a chance at a better quality of life. Esthela says she grew to “love everything about the United States,” and it became increasingly important for her to put down permanent roots through citizenship.

After many years of hard work and a long paperwork journey of work permits, a working visa, Green Card for permanent residency and citizenship applications, Esthela’s dream was finally realized earlier this month. The almost 19-year EPI-HAB employee passed the citizenship examination and took an oath of allegiance to the United States on April 7, 2017.

Esthela’s swearing-in ceremony was attended by Torrey Rogers, EPI-HAB’s controller. “It was a fantastic day,” observed Torrey. “I think everyone should experience such a meaningful and patriotic event!”

The citizenship test Esthela passed is a Q&A on U.S. history, geography and civics alongside a reading and writing English competency test. It’s a challenging exam, even for those who were born in the U.S. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 92 percent of applicants pass this test. However, only around two percent of Americans (who are born citizens) can pass the test without studying.

Think you can pass? Take a sample quiz here!

Esthela is now eligible to serve on a jury, run for office, travel unlimited, and apply for government benefits. She can also vote in the next election—a right Esthela felt was the biggest motivator to pursue citizenship.

“It’s employees like Esthela that make EPI-HAB a special place to work,” said Matt Redmann, Executive Director of EPI-HAB. “Her enthusiasm is the epitome of what our team strives for every day in service. We are extremely proud of Esthela’s hard work on behalf of our country.”

In her spare time, Esthela enjoys cooking tacos and camping with her family. She began working at EPI-HAB in 1999. “My coworkers are very friendly, and I’m very happy here,” she shared.

About EPI-HAB:
EPI-HAB brings more than 59 years of experience and energy to fulfillment, assembly and inspection, full-service mail processing, and storage. As a 501(c) 3 organization, it is totally self-sufficient while providing meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with epilepsy and other challenges. EPI-HAB focuses on the abilities of its employees, not their disabilities, and performs valued work for businesses, large and small, assisting them with a wide variety of projects ranging from the assembly of medical devices to order fulfillment.

Special thanks to Torrey Rogers for Esthela’s swearing-in ceremony photos.

EPI-HAB Recycles Bras to Support and Empower Women in Need

fpadmin | 03/30/2017

Everyday items are often taken for granted by those who can afford them. Whereas a simple wardrobe staple, like a bra, is considered a luxury to women and girls impacted by difficult circumstances like natural disasters, human trafficking and domestic violence. And while 95 percent of clothes (worn and torn) can be recycled, only 15 percent of items are.

The Bra Recyclers is an Arizona-based textile company dedicated to collecting donations of gently-used and new bras. The goal of the organization is to reduce the number of bras sent to landfills while providing substantial social benefits to women and girls in need. Established in 2008, The Bra Recyclers has grown to provide bras to more than 80 organizations around the world as well as local shelters and transitional housing for women and girls. The Bra Recyclers received the 2013 NAACP Humanitarian Award and has been listed as Best Alternative Recycling Program in Phoenix Magazine.

EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc. recently joined forces with The Bra Recyclers to help support women in whatever battle they’re facing. After learning more about The Bra Recycler’s mission and process through the Phoenix Business Journal, EPI-HAB used its skilled inspection teams to lend a hand.

EPI-HAB has been a partner of The Bra Recyclers since October of 2016 and assists with the collection and sorting of bras. Twice a month, EPI-HAB’s driver picks up donated bras from four Sav-On stores in the Phoenix area and brings them back to EPI-HAB’s facilities to be sorted and packaged. The volume varies week-to-week, but an average pickup is a pallet (500 lbs of bras). EPI-HAB’s inspection teams then sort through the collected bras placing them into four categories: New Bras, Used But Like New, Victoria’s Secret and Thrift. After being sorted, the bras are boxed, palletized and shrink wrapped before they are picked up by The Bra Recycler. Since October, EPI-HAB has processed more than 3,300 lbs of bras for women in need.

Hand labor similar to this is just one of the many ways EPI-HAB can help your company save time, money and space. Not to mention, all projects are completed while providing meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with epilepsy and other challenges.

To learn more about EPI-HAB’S services, call: 602-254-7027 or complete our online inquiry form.

Click here to learn more about The Bra Recycler’s unique organization and mission.

Proposition 206: What Does It Mean for EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc.?

fpadmin | 01/27/2017

EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc. faces a big question in 2017: As Arizona’s controversial new wage rule kicks in, will this nonprofit company employing the disabled continue to thrive…or struggle?

The passing of Proposition 206 is great news for Arizona workers, but many business owners fear varying degrees of fallout, including an increase in automation, job loss and the shuttering of beloved small businesses.

What is EPI-HAB, and how does it operate?

For nearly sixty years, EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc., unlike most other nonprofit organizations, has been self-sufficient. Employing hundreds of individuals with epilepsy and other challenges, the company has thrived without receiving outside help.

“EPI-HAB is unique in that we do not solicit donations or charitable contributions, receive any grants – government or otherwise, nor do we conduct fundraisers,” explained Matt Redmann, Executive Director of EPI-HAB. “EPI-HAB operates and competes, for the most part, as a for-profit business.”

The 501(c)3 organization was founded in 1958 by a group of business and medical professionals who volunteered their time and efforts to form a company providing meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with epilepsy. Government grants and other funds helped launch EPI-HAB, but the goal from the beginning was for the company to become self-supporting.

The goal was quickly achieved, and over the years, EPI-HAB has actually been able to donate excess profits to local charities to advance the study of epilepsy. Additionally, with the health industry’s breakthroughs in the field of epilepsy, EPI-HAB expanded its mission “to provide meaningful employment for individuals with epilepsy and other challenges.”

What did Proposition 206 change?

On January 1, Arizona’s minimum wage increased to $10 an hour, a nearly 25 percent jump from the current $8.05. The ballot measure also calls for the minimum wage to continue increasing in 50-cent increments to $12 by 2020, and employers are now required to pay for sick leave.

EPI-HAB employs around 30 people, and with most previously making less than $10 an hour, the majority of its staff received raises this month.

What does this mean for EPI-HAB?

Unfortunately, EPI-HAB doesn’t have a vast overhead that can be cut to support these raises, and there is no profit margin to reduce. The logical answer may be to raise prices to cover the added payroll costs, but the company fears its major customers throughout the U.S. may look to automate tasks or seek out cheaper labor.

However, undaunted by change, Redmann says he’s up to the challenge and has set a goal to increase sales by $40,000 – $80,000 to cover the year’s added payroll.

“I’m going to work my butt off to avoid having to raise costs, reduce benefits or trim staff,” said Redmann.

How can you support EPI-HAB’s mission?

EPI-HAB helps businesses, large and small, overcome challenges with growth and logistics. The company helps save time, money and space with its hand labor solutions; including mailings, inspection/cleaning, assembly and custom packaging, storage and order fulfillment.

EPI-HAB is also suited for jobs of all sizes, from the large business needing increased production during its peak season to the individual who needs some help with a bulk mailing. Employees have taken on important projects for local professional sports teams as well as medical device manufacturers.

To help offset this year’s losses, please consider EPI-HAB for any labor-intensive job! Contact Matt Redmann at 602-254-7027 or through email at matt@epihab.org.

Meet the Team: An Interview with Charles Johnson, EPI-HAB’s Custodian

fpadmin | 12/20/2016

At EPI-HAB, our team is united around a single goal: “to provide meaningful employment for individuals with epilepsy and other challenges by performing valued work for area businesses.” And while each of our employees brings a unique skill set to his or her role, they all equally represent the spirit of our organization: dedicated, passionate and acutely aware of EPI-HAB’s potential for growth.

With decades of experience in mailings, inspection/cleaning, assembly and custom packaging, storage and order fulfillment, our talented team members truly become a valuable extension of our partners’ teams.

This month, we are pleased to continue our series of blog entries and e-blasts introducing EPI-HAB’s hardworking employees to our readers, friends and partners.

December’s employee spotlight features, Charles Johnson, EPI-HAB’s custodian:

Charles, a native of Phoenix, has been responsible for maintaining the safety and cleanliness of EPI-HAB’s facility for 30 years.

thumbnail_img_0200 Charles truly took pride in his career and was a compassionate team member, with a deep desire to support the EPI-HAB mission and values in his daily work. Charles says he was drawn to the organization and ultimately chose to work for EPI-HAB “because it was a company that helped people with disabilities such as epilepsy.”

Unfortunately, EPI-HAB was forced to say goodbye to Charles earlier this month as he will be moving with his wife to Florida. To commemorate his decades of diligent service and express the team’s gratitude, EPI-HAB recently presented Charles with a plaque at EPI-HAB’s annual Christmas celebration.

“EPI-HAB has been able to develop a very well-rounded and complementary team by effectively identifying self-starters, like Charles, over the years,” said Matt Redmann, Executive Director of EPI-HAB. “We are incredibly thankful for his contributions.”

What have you liked most about your job at EPI-HAB? What has kept you around for 30 years?
Charles: I love the work that I do as well as my coworkers.

What is an achievement you are proud of?
C: Keeping a job I love for 30 years

What are your hobbies? What do you do during your time out of the office?
C: I enjoy watching football and basketball and spending time with family.

What is something interesting most people don’t know about you?
C: I love to swim and jump off the high dive.

Where will you be working in Florida? And what are you most looking forward to with your move?
C: I will be working at a church, and I am excited for the new adventures and change in scenery.

EPI-HAB is centrally located at 2125 W. Fillmore Street, Phoenix Arizona 85009, with easy accessibility to all Phoenix locations and throughout Arizona. To learn more about how we work, check out our story here.

Interested in starting a career with EPI-HAB? Click here for more information.

EPI-HAB Makes Holiday Gift Basket Assembly Quick and Easy

fpadmin | 12/02/2016

For businesses, the end-of-the-year holidays are always an opportune time to say “thanks,” and an easy, meaningful way to recognize outstanding employees and valued partners is through gift baskets!

Holiday gift baskets are an effective goodwill tool that can help your business stay engaged with existing clients, retain seasonal clients, reconnect with lapsed accounts and convert prospects into loyal customers.

And while personalized, branded baskets may be an ideal corporate gift, they can be incredibly time consuming and difficult to assemble (especially if you’re looking to keep essential employees focused on the tasks they’re best at).

Let EPI-HAB’s skilled assembly team help alleviate the stress this holiday season! The organization’s hand laborers are highly experienced in setting up efficient assembly/collation operations, and no project is too big or small!

EPI-HAB offers a full suite of gift basket assembly services, including:

Receiving inbound goods from your suppliers
Inventorying and storing your goods
Interacting with your materials: collating items, assembling and/or packaging items according to your requirements
Storage
Shipping and delivery

Through EPI-HAB’s gift basket assembly services, your business will save time, money, and space during this most wonderful time of the year!

EPI-HAB regularly assists destination centers, hotels, conference centers, casinos and guest relations companies with kit/basket assembly and other hand labor solutions. The picture to the left showcases the elaborate gift baskets the EPI-HAB team assembled and delivered for the Arizona Commerce Commission this year. The baskets were given to members of the BCS committee who were attending the BCS Championship football game in Phoenix. The gift baskets were covered with a decorative cellophane bag and topped with a festive bow. At EPI-HAB, every basket assembly project is customized to perfectly fit the customers’ needs and brand.

EPI-HAB’s assembly team understands the quality and quick turnaround demands of holiday gift baskets, and has built a reputation of complete customer satisfaction for its contract hand labor services.

Please call us today at 602-254-7027 to discuss your next gift basket, swag bag, kit or packet assembly project.

Storage headaches this holiday season?

Storage is already a challenge for many businesses and retailers, and a holiday inventory influx only makes matters worse. EPI-HAB’s temporary, secure storage can help your business manage inventory for maximum sales!

EPI-HAB is located near downtown Phoenix at 2125 W. Fillmore St., and offers warehouse storage services, short or long term, up to 15,000 square feet.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: A Look Back at the Founders of EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc.

fpadmin | 10/29/2016

EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc. was founded in 1958 by a group of concerned citizens and business leaders who volunteered their time and efforts to provide meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with epilepsy. Government grants and donated funds helped start EPI-HAB, but the goal from the beginning was for the company to become self-supporting.

EPI-HAB’s Founders

The first President of EPI-HAB was Dr. John Green, and the first Vice-President was Charles Barrow. Both men were also instrumental in the formation of the Barrow Neurological Institute which opened a
year after EPI-HAB, in 1959. The Barrow Neurological Institute is one of the premiere destinations in the world for neurology and neurosurgery.

thumbnail_fredsteiner2

A young attorney, Fred Steiner of Snell and Wilmer, was also a member of that founding board. Fred authored EPI-HAB’s constitution and thereafter served as a board member and legal consultant for 55 years. Fred’s values and wisdom are a big part of EPI-HAB’s foundation and reason for its long-term success.

In his leisure time, Fred loved reading and writing poetry.

EPI-HAB Today

Today, EPI-HAB is a totally self-sufficient, not-for-profit company. While working primarily as a wood shop in its early years, the company has grown to assist customers with a wide range of affordable hand labor and other business solutions, like mailings, inspection and cleaning, custom packaging, storage and order fulfillment. Past and current projects include the assembly of medical devices that regulate I.V. flow rates, financial mailings, packet and kit assembly, and meter cleaning and packaging.

Additionally, due to the significant strides the health industry has made in the field of epilepsy, EPI-HAB expanded its mission “to provide meaningful employment for individuals with epilepsy and other challenges.” In doing so, EPI-HAB’s focus remains on the ability, not on the disability.

EPI-HAB has also maintained its relationship with the Barrow Institute, and through its success, EPI-HAB has been able to make several donations to the institute to advance the study of epilepsy.

To learn more about any of EPI-HAB’S services or career opportunities, call 602-254-7027 or complete our online inquiry form.

EPI-HAB’s Hand Labor Team Lends a Hand to Tuft & Needle

fpadmin | 09/30/2016

A few months ago, the EPI-HAB team began an ongoing project with an innovative Phoenix company called Tuft & Needle.

Tuft & Needle was founded in 2012 by two software engineers from Silicon Valley who were fed up with the lack of transparency and fairness in the mattress industry. One of the owners was recently married and had set out to buy a mattress. He was pushed into buying a fully-loaded, feature-rich memory foam mattress. After spending $3,300 on it, it should have been the pinnacle of comfort…but it wasn’t. To make matters worse, it was impossible to return. “The whole experience was worse than car shopping.”

Tuft & Needle was then built on the belief that business can be honest, and premium products don’t need remote controls and payment plans. The company’s mattresses are made in the USA and ship right to your door in a surprisingly small box. They guarantee no gimmicks, no sales tactics, a 100-night trial and easy returns.

Intrigued by the promises made by the brand, EPI-HAB’s controller, Torrey Rogers, recently purchased a Tuft & Needle mattress and recorded his “unboxing” experience.

“The first night was wonderful. I slept through the night without any tossing and turning or getting up, and best of all; I didn’t wake up with a backache. From this point on, I am sold on their concept and innovative way to a better night’s sleep.” – Torrey Rogers

How has EPI-HAB lent a hand to Tuft & Needle’s business operations?

We are truly proud to partner with Tuft & Needle as they share many of the same values to which we attribute EPI-HAB’s success. Over the past few months, EPI-HAB has been helping the company with a customer appreciation project. After receiving t-shirts and packing material, our hand labor team has lent a hand by folding the t-shirts as per sample, erecting triangular cartons, inserting the t-shirt as per sample into the cartons, inserting a Tuft & Needle card and closing and sealing the cartons with clear tape. The cartons are then stockpiled by size, and FedEx labels are applied for shipping. Check out the process below:

The t-shirt gift packages are sent to customers as a “thank you” after purchasing a Tuft & Needle mattress.

To learn more about EPI-HAB’S services, call: 602-254-7027 or complete our online inquiry form.

Click here to learn more about Tuft & Needle’s unique mattresses.

Meet the Team: An Interview with Bonnie Munoz, Assistant Manager of EPI-HAB

fpadmin | 08/31/2016

Experience matters in the hand labor industry, and EPI-HAB has it! Our dedicated staff, combining technical, creative and strategic talents, boasts decades of experience in mailings, inspection/cleaning, assembly and custom packaging, storage and order fulfillment. The EPI-HAB team is committed to helping businesses overcome challenges with growth and logistics by helping them save time, money and space.

We recognize our organization’s most valuable assets are the people who make it tick and are excited to continue our series of employee-focused blogs and eblasts.

August’s employee spotlight features Bonnie Munoz, EPI-HAB’s assistant manager:

Bonnie joined the EPI-HAB team in 1979 as a temporary employee and has thankfully never left! Her skills were apparent from the very start. When given a project, she’ll find the best way to get it done. Bonnie’s successfully accomplished every production, customer service and planning job in the plant. And through her commitment to quality and customer service, she has worked her way up in the company, recently being promoted to assistant manager.

“I stay because what we do makes a difference in the community, and the people we help make a difference in my life,” Bonnie says.

As EPI-HAB’s assistant manager, Bonnie is an expert in developing quotes for projects, customer service, billing, conducting inventories and ordering supplies.

Untitled

What do you like most about your job?
B: I enjoy the people and companies I’ve worked with for years. It’s a job I look forward to going to every morning. It’s my “happy place.”

What are the biggest challenges in your position?
B: I’m unable to run and lift like I did the first 30 years, but I make do! If I can’t move something, I just grab a teammate to help me out.

What are some achievements, successes or milestones you are proud of?
B: I started working at EPI-HAB in the 1970s at $2.00 an hour. I was a single mom and in the process of getting a divorce. Even back then, I felt proud to work here. We work together as a team. I worked my way up to become a group leader, an assistant and then a supervisor! I was then promoted from supervisor to assistant general manager of EPI-HAB.

What are your hobbies? What do you do during your time out of the office?
B: My husband and I enjoy watching movies, spending time at the casino and visiting with our grandchildren.

What television show or movie reminds you the most of the team atmosphere and personalities you work with at EPI-HAB?
B: The Brady Bunch! Similar to the brothers, sisters, parents and even Alice, the maid, EPI-HAB is one big, happy family!

Interested in joining Bonnie and starting a career with EPI-HAB? Check out our website for more information: www.epihab.org

EPI-HAB is Named in Phoenix Business Journal’s Top 25 Health/Medical Nonprofits

fpadmin | 07/29/2016

EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc., a not-for-profit company focused on providing meaningful employment for individuals with epilepsy and other challenges, today announced it has been named to the Phoenix Business Journal’s list of the top 25 health/medical nonprofits. This honor is based on 2015-2016 annual budgets submitted by local nonprofits. EPI-HAB employs six full-time managers and engages 27 employees on a full and part-time basis. The organization operates on an annual budget of $1.2 million and provided services to more than 100 active clients in 2015.

For nearly sixty years, EPI-HAB Phoenix, Inc., unlike most other nonprofit organizations, has been self-sufficient. The organization is unique in that it does not solicit donations or charitable contributions, receive any grants – government or otherwise, nor does it conduct fundraisers. EPI-HAB operates and competes, for the most part, as a for-profit business.

“EPI-HAB focuses on its employees’ ‘abilities,’ rather than their limitations,” said Matt Redmann, Executive Director of EPI-HAB. “Their wealth of intelligence, experience and dedication has been the key to EPI-HAB’s success.”

For decades, EPI-HAB has helped businesses, large and small, overcome challenges with growth and logistics. The company helps save time, money and space with its hand labor solutions; including mailings, inspection/cleaning, assembly and custom packaging, storage and order fulfillment. EPI-HAB is suited for jobs of all sizes, from the large business needing increased production during its peak season to the individual who needs some help with a bulk mailing. Employees have taken on important projects for local professional sports teams as well as medical device manufacturers.

“EPI-HAB represents the perfect combination of ‘helping individuals who need help’ and helping businesses in need of our flexible services, all without government or taxpayer expense…a true WIN, WIN, WIN,” explained Redmann.

If you have a labor-intensive job or know of someone who may be interested in working at EPI-HAB, contact Matt Redmann at 602-254-7027 or through email at matt@epihab.org