Our Story: From Garten Foundation to Garten Services, Inc.
What’s in a name?
Garten was founded as a nonprofit corporation in 1970 by Sally Gearhart in Salem, Oregon. Sweeping legal changes that gave rights to people with disabilities were afoot in Oregon and across the nation. Newly retired from her first career as a nurse, Sally chose this pivitol window of history to begin a small program that served special needs children. She called it “Garten Foundation”.
Garten Today ...
Garten Services provides vocational, career, retirement and day activities for more than 500 people with disabilities throughout the Central Willamette Valley.
Garten’s Mission
Garten Services, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that provides vocational, day activity and retirement services for people with developmental disabilities and long-term mental illness.
The mission of Garten Services is to support people with disabilities in their effort to contribute to the community through employment, career, and retirement opportunities. Our actions increase society’s awareness of human potential.
We fulfill our mission in part by providing Business Enterprises on a fee-for-service basis to businesses throughout the Willamette Valley.
Hundreds of area businesses rely on us to operate our businesses in ways that effectively support their professional business image, environment, employees and customers.
Garten customer businesses also become partners with us in fulfilling our non-profit mission to give people with disabilities the opportunity to achieve greater levels of self-sufficiency and independence. This is accomplished through programs like our Summer Youth Employment Program. This unique program provides paid work experience for high school age youth in the Willamette Valley. We contract with community businesses to provide this opportunity, at no cost to the employer.
Garten provides services to more than 500 people with disabilities and hundreds of local businesses and agencies throughout the Willamette Valley.
We would love the opportunity to work with you.
Our Core Values:
PEOPLE:
Teamwork, Acceptance & Inclusion, Respect, Diversity.
OPPORTUNITY:
Choice, Responsibility, Learning, Growth.
EXCELLENCE:
Sustainability, Safety, Integrity, Recognition, Honesty.
