[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17222]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNITION OF BAYAUD INDUSTRIES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 8, 2003

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bayaud 
Industries, a non-profit corporation that enables disabled individuals 
to contribute to their communities by providing them job training and 
placement.
  Since 1969 Bayaud Industries has provided job training and placement 
to thousands of individuals with mental, emotional, and physical 
disabilities. Even after placement, Bayaud Industries continues its 
support, making sure that each of their clients has a case worker they 
can turn to even after they start their first job. Bayuad's mission is 
simple--to provide hope, opportunity, and choice by using employment as 
a means through which people with disabilities can participate in 
mainstream life.
  Many working individuals find satisfaction in their jobs because they 
feel they have the opportunity to do something useful everyday. Groups 
of disabled Americans and advocates for individuals with disabilities 
have told me that employment can provide a sense of worth and 
accomplishment that many people with disabilities live without. In 
addition, they say that disabilities can keep people isolated from 
their communities, creating a sense of loneliness and dulling social 
skills. Employment can take individuals with disabilities off of the 
sidelines, provide them an opportunity to be involved in daily life, 
and a chance to interact with members of the community.
  Unfortunately, according to the Mental Health Association the 
unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is approximately 75 
percent, and for those with psychiatric disabilities it is at almost 80 
percent. Some of these statistics can be attributed to those 
individuals with such severe disabilities that they are unable to work, 
however much of that percentage is made up of individuals with 
disabilities who have never had the training or help they need to find 
the jobs they can do.
  The need for a company like Bayaud Industries is clear. Bayaud 
provides an invaluable link between individuals with disabilities and 
employment. By being that link they are changing lives on a daily 
basis. They make a difference every day by opening doors for members of 
America's disabled community that many of them never knew existed 
before.

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