After years of steady growth, East Suburban Resources (ESR) was in desperate need of more space for its programs that put adults with developmental disabilities and other special needs to work.
On Monday, it opened an 8,600-square-foot center in an Oakdale business park that will help alleviate crowding at the nonprofit's other locations in Cottage Grove, Stillwater and Forest Lake and will provide a home for the agency's first formalized program for individuals with autism.
"It's great, but it's a little crazy today," said Executive Director Ed Boeve on his first day in the new facility with staff and 60 people who are served by the agency. "It's been crowded."
The opening of the Oakdale center is the first expansion since ESR's Cottage Grove facility was opened six years ago. The agency, now serving more than 350 people, had remodeled all of its facilities in recent years, but Boeve said growing demand made it necessary to open a fourth location.
With that comes a few program enhancements. The new space, in a suite at 7800 N. 4th St., has allowed the nonprofit to design and outfit a center specifically for those with autism, said Sara Hasslen, director of operations. It's also launching a new program at its Stillwater location to incorporate arts into the day.
But ESR's primary mission is to find jobs for adults with disabilities.
The agency partners with more than 200 businesses and civic organizations in the east metro area to find employment opportunities.
Individuals who are referred to the agency can be placed at a job in the community and get ongoing support from ESR staff in the form of on-site visits from job coaches and counselors. Others are placed in a four-team work crew to do jobs at area businesses under the supervision of a job coach who serves as the crew leader. In most cases, ESR provides the transportation to and from the job.
