VOCATIONAL CENTERS GET FEDERAL FUNDS FOR MANUFACTURING

THE MARKETING ASSOCIATION FOR REHABILITATION CENTERS HAS WON a $200,000 federal grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The federal grant will be used to support the formation of MARC's Custom Medical Products manufacturing initiative. This program will create or retain 250 jobs, primarily for people with disabilities, in the 17 westernmost counties of North Carolina. It will also create a manufacturing platform for small town rural entrepreneurial development.

"I have seen first-hand the tremendous work being done by MARC and its affiliates across Western North Carolina. They are bringing people with disabilities into the workforce and helping them become full, active citizens," said Heath Shuler, who helped MARC secure the federal funding. "MARC has also proven to be a great investment for our communities by creating jobs and providing a great platform for entrepreneurs to work from -- by providing services to the factories, transporting needed materials, and repairing machinery. I am proud to have been able to help MARC secure this grant, and I look forward to working closely with them in the future."

The Custom Medical Products manufacturing initiative will produce custom disposable surgical drapes and other devices used in the health care industr y. MARC's $200,000 investment in critical administrative and overhead funding will be matched by direct and indirect member investment of $838,000 over the duration of the project. Further funding from other sources, restricted to capital equipment and renovations, will increase total funding to approximately $4 million.