Challenge Enterprises of North Florida Inc.
The Power of People and Possibilities
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Challenge Enterprises is addressing the needs of individuals with varied differences who are unemployed or underemployed in the Northeast Florida area. Individuals with differences, different abilities, and disabilities represent the highest number of unemployed working-age citizens.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Challenge Enterprises of North Florida, Inc.
Challenge Enterprises offers programs, services and employment opportunities for persons with different abilities. Individuals can seek assistance for day training, residential care and supports in small group homes or in their own homes or apartments, recreational programs and advocacy group meetings, family engagement on a monthly schedule, internships at medical and long term care facilities, job training, job placement, and employment on AbilityOne and RESPECT of Florida work sites. Work opportunities can include production lines, enclaves, mobile crews, pre-employment training, Discovery, internships, job coaching and local placements. Challenge Enterprises has engaged in Social Enterprises since 1976 with a working philosophy.
Challenge Enterprises / Lighthouse Learning Center
Lighthouse Learning Center provided educational services to prek children ages 12 months to 5 years in an inclusive setting for children with disabilities for 39 years. The agency announced it has completed it's Mission to provide this service upon the successful expansion of classrooms in area schools throughout Clay County. Mission Accomplished!. Thanks to all the many families, donors and community for supporting the children.
Where we work
Awards
Industry of the Year for Business Services 2004
Clay Chamber of Commerce
Daily Point of Light 2006
Points of Light
Point of Light 2005
Florida Governor
Clay County Industry of the Year for Community Services 2011
Clay Chamber of Commerce
Paul E. Reinhold Community Service Award 2011
Paul E. Reinhold Foundation
Paul E. Reinhold Community Service Award 2018
Paul E. Reinhold Foundation
Special Judges’Award 2012
Celebrate Clay
Special Judges’Award 2019
Celebrate Clay
Special Judges’Award 2021
Celebrate Clay
Quality Work Environment BRONZE LEVEL ACHIEVEMENT 2012
SourceAmerica
Certificate of Achievement 2016
SourceAmerica
Collaboration & Innovation Award 2014
Non-Profit Center of Northeast Florida
Employment Appreciation Award 2019
Florida Rehabilitation Council for the Blind and the Division of Blind Services
Directors Leadership Award 2021
Clay Chamber of Commerce
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of competitively employed individuals with disabilities
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Wages for individuals with disabilities
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Employ persons with disabilities on all job sites at the AbilityOne ratio requirement and secure funding for programs serving eligible individuals with disabilities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Maintain 20 work contracts cumulative with AbilityOne, RESPECT of Florida, and commercial
Promote monthly activities that advocate persons with significant disabilities to reach their goal of securing jobs of their choice
Obtain Certification for Janitorial Services CIMS implementation
Obtain Level 2 Certification in Quality Work Environment- SourceAmerica
Implement a formal job placement program with Vocation Rehabilitation
Establish an Advocacy Committee Board and Staff to promote letter-writing campaigns with families to maintain programs, services, and choice of work activities
Continue the goal of hiring 20% more persons with disabilities, including disabled veterans and veterans annually
Annually secure three new contracts to employ persons with disabilities at or above Florida minimum wage
Advocate annually with Wavier Support Coordinators for individual funding for adults attending the day program, residential, and supported living to provide ample staff coverage for persons with greater needs.
Submit and implement activities quarterly to secure funds from the State of Florida Vocational Rehabilitation to provide work training and placement services for individuals with significant disabilities in the community
Partner annually with Clay County Schools ESE placement program to fund Job Coach for students leaving the area high schools and selecting Project SEARCH for job training during their Vocational year.
Quarterly meet with State elected officials to advocate and secure annual funding for the development of Challenge Enterprises Club Challenge
Establish an Advocacy Committee Board and staff to promote letter-writing campaigns with families to local Clay County Delegation to maintain programs, services, and choice of work activities before each Legislative Session in Florida
Executive staff to participate in national advocacy programs, SourceAmerica training and grant opportunities, annual Congressional Fly-In and escort one or two direct labor employee(s) to represent the work contract programs, recruit a Congressional Representative as an AbilityOne Champion.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
15,000 sq. ft. of the Plaza facility has been leased by an anchor tenant for 15 years. The agency will now benefit from the earned income of this tenant's rental fee and Common Area Maintenance fee. Previously this area did not generate any rental income. This action will generate 34% more rental income for the Plaza operations. The plaza has 56,000 sq. ft. of retail space Challenge Enterprises utilizes 13% and the remainder is income producing. This site is a commercial real estate broker's dream with plenty of parking and frontage on a main street near the Town Hall and businesses. Challenge Enterprises does not however utilize brokers as there is a steady flow of interested tenants when a vacancy occurs. This site has office space for a number of the agency's administrative personnel
The adult Life Skills facility is 4400 sq. ft. plus an open area for additional training with the capacity to enroll 50 adults.
The adult work training area is 12,000 sq. ft. with the capacity to provide training for 50 adults with varying disabilities.
The adults who have achieved the desire to work, have arranged or have transportation, and have family support to engage in employment can apply and work on commercial and government contracts in North Florida. Capacity is limited by the number of job openings at the time of application.
The adults eligible for residential care are available to funded individuals who need support to live successfully in the community in one of the organization's group homes, their own home, or in an apartment. Challenge Enterprises provides the staffing necessary to meet the individual's needs. New residential settings selected by the individuals can be obtained through special financing and or public grant
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is hard to come up with good questions to ask people, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Challenge Enterprises of North Florida Inc.
Board of directorsas of 01/17/2024
Denise Adams
Retired Deputy Superintendent of Schools
Term: 2016 - 2021
Edward Kelly
Rogers Towers Law Firm
Term: 2016 - 2021
Ed Kelly
Roger Towers Law Firm
Tim Simpson
Hosiptal Administration
Tina Crowder
Banking/ Coast Guard Reserve
Bill Powers
Business
Iris King
Training and Development
Martin Kosiek
Air Museum Director
Denise Adams
Retired Deputy Superintendent of School
Mark Scruby
Attorney- Government
Brooke Davies
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/16/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.