Black River Industries

Black River Industries served a record number of individuals in 2022. We served 160 people in a variety of different programs. We provided services in Taylor, Price, and Clark County. Our programs consist of Vocational Services, Day Services/Community Integration, Residential, Supported Employment, Supervised Visits, Parent Education, and Transportation. We had 75 individuals utilize our transportation for work services or community needs. We worked with 25 individuals for supported employment regarding job development and placement, job coaching, resume building, and on going support. BRI provided 31 individuals services in our Day Services/Community Integration program. This program provides meaningful experiences to enhance your quality of life. These are activities that take place both at BRI and in the community. This also includes our summer youth program that was provided in the summer for ages 14-21 year olds. We provided services for 77 individuals in our residential program. These services promote independence and safe living skills. We provided 3 parents with parent education and 27 individuals for supervised visitation. In the year of 2022, BRI employed 126 employees.

BRI has offered transportation services to disabled adults since 1973; to seniors, in conjunction with the Taylor County Commission on Aging's Elderly Transportation Program, since 1980; and children since 1990. This represents the largest public transportation system in our county. In 2021, our fleet extended services to approximately 130 unduplicated passengers and logged over 271,000 miles. Our fleet is fully accessible, and consists of twelve buses with wheelchair lifts. All of our buses are purchased with grant monies that are awarded to us from the Wisconsin Transportation services are key to providing quality of life for people with disabilities in rural Wisconsin. BRI has provided door to door transportation to adults with disabilities since 1973 with expansion to senior citizens in 1980 and children in 1990. The BRI fleet of eleven buses logged 293,201 miles in 2022 transporting 110 unduplicated riders to medical appointments, grocery stores, community events, pharmacies and other essential places. BRI's fleet of buses are purchased with grant funds from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation competitive Section 5310 Grant Program. BRI also utilizes 17 passenger vehicles for in home services, one on one transportation, and meals on wheels delivery. This year, BRI delivered 14,257 meals to homes and congregate sites this year.

Work services creates opportunities for the people we serve and our staff to work together learning new skills and producing quality products for our communities. BRI contracted with six local factories and three state of Wisconsin departments to employ 25 people with disabilities and 49 community staff in assembly, packaging, collating, commercial sewing, dry goods packaging, and confidential document shredding jobs. BRI also contracts to maintain five rest areas in Taylor and Rusk counties employing 6 people during the summer months. Another crew of 4 people operate BRI's commercial and residential lawn services. And an additional crew of 4 people maintain the two National Guard Armory locations. BRI is committed to providing an array of skill building jobs that encourage people with disabilities and community staff to excel.

BRI's Food Services Industries component has been providing meals for seniors and children since 1981. Food Services provides commercial kitchen experience for individuals with disabilities in preparation for community employment. The majority of meals were provided under contract with the Taylor County Commission on Aging at two Senior Centers in the county, as well as the Meals-on-Wheels Program. In addition, our passenger routes for the elderly and persons with disabilities routinely deliver meals to many homebound seniors in outlying areas who would not otherwise be able to access the congregate meal sites.