Opportunities Center to serve more people

Douglas County commissioners approved a license capacity increase for the Alexandria Opportunities Center (AOC).

The AOC is a development achievement center that gives people with developmental challenges an opportunity to work. Companies that use the service include 3M, Tastefully Simple, Actuent Electrical, Lindrite, Varitech, Bio-corp, Cedar Canyon, Remco A&I, MHC, Insty-Prints and Quality Printing.

Employees, or clients as they are referred to at AOC, perform in-house production work at the facility located behind Fleet Farm in Alexandria.

“Our two biggest players are 3M, obviously and Tastefully Simple,” said Mike Burke. Burke is the new director of AOC.

The capacity increase will allow the program to serve 125 people; it previously allowed for 85 individuals. Case managers from other counties work with Douglas County Social Services for their clients to participate in the AOC program.

“We serve 133 people in some form or another,” Burke said.

Currently one shift at AOC ends at 9 p.m., which is not conducive to the needs of some clients. The AOC will now be able to add an additional work shift to the production model, adding a layer of flexibility to the existing two shifts. A building extension has also been considered to accommodate more clients, Burke said.

The reach of AOC extends from Douglas County to Stearns, Otter Tail, Hennepin, Becker, Cass, Chisago, Chippewa, Grant, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Pope, Ramsey, Sherburne, Scott, Steele, Stevens and Todd counties. Last year, total production resulted in gross revenue of $360,000 – money that Burke said goes back into the local community.

Funding for AOC is provided through waivers and social service programs. Any income made from manufacturing is supplemental.

Crystal Dey

Crystal Dey is a staff reporter for the Echo Press. Originally from Minnesota’s Iron Range, Dey worked for newspapers in North Dakota, Florida and Connecticut before returning to her home state to join the Echo Press in October 2011. Dey studied Mass Communications at Minnesota State University Moorhead with an emphasis in Online Journalism. Follow Staff Reporter Crystal Dey on Twitter at @CrystalDey_Echo.

Tags: local news, opportunities center, news, commissioners, expansion