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BY BARBARA COWARD
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT

For regular listeners of WTOP radio, 'Melwood' probably has a familiar ring to it. Many will recognize the name as the source of all those advertisements for vehicle donations. But what exactly is Melwood?

'Melwood impacts 2,000 people with developmental disabilities on an annual basis,' said the Rev. Tom Roberts, a Baltimore-Washington Conference clergyman who heads up the congressional lobbying efforts as Melwood?s vice president of government relations. 'We have programs for job training, employment, residential supports, recreation, and travel.'

Since its founding in 1963 by a former Peace Corps volunteer, this $72 million organization based in Upper Marlboro has made a huge impact in the community. Its social entrepreneurial approach provides people with developmental disabilities with a wide range of skills for employment in areas such as landscaping, grounds-keeping, mail room, custodial, and shipping and receiving.

'We currently have 34 contracts with federal agencies in the Washington metropolitan region, and employ a thousand persons with developmental disabilities through this program,' Roberts said.

Their client list reads like a 'who?s who' of the federal government. It includes the U.S. Federal Court House in D.C., the FBI Building, the headquarters of H.U.D. and NASA?s Goddard Space Center.

Melwood recently signed a $30 million contract with the Naval Academy. 'It?s a five-year contract to provide custodial and other services to the Academy,' said Roberts. 'We will have a workforce of 200 and 135 of them will be persons with developmental disabilities.'

'Custodial services in private industry have a high turnover rate between 200-300 percent a year,' said Roberts. 'Our turnover rate is low. People value their jobs and their economic independence.'

This independence is made possible through Melwood?s determination to remove barriers of discrimination and ignorance. 'The unemployment rate for persons with developmental disabilities is alarming,' said Roberts, who estimated the figure at 70 percent. 'We illuminate employers that we have willing and capable workers.'

One of the best examples of how Melwood has been able to promote self-sufficiency and social inclusion is the story of Essie Jackson, a Melwood employee since 1998. Jackson, who worked as a custodian at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for three years, was able to buy her own condo as a result of her Melwood-trained job.

In June, Jackson was honored at a ceremony to promote National Homeownership Month. 'The HUD Secretary knew that one of their custodians had bought her own condo and at the ceremony all his remarks were centered on her,' Roberts said. 'It was touching.'

'Essie?s is an inspiring story of someone who has achieved the American Dream of home ownership,' HUD Secretary Jackson said in his speech.

In buying her $60,000 home, Jackson sought advice and assistance from HUD employees she worked with and took Saturday classes to understand the home buying process. 'The heartwarming part was not only did her job at Melwood enable her to achieve this goal, but the people at HUD gave her the coaching,' said Roberts. 'That?s the benefit of fully integrating persons with developmental disabilities into employment rather than the old mode of sheltered workshops.'

As Melwood celebrates success stories like this one, it continues to reach out to even more people with developmental disabilities. Roberts is trying to get a grant to do a workforce analysis on recruitment strategies. 'We want to find out what work we?re not able to provide,' he said.

For Roberts, who has been under appointment at Melwood for the past six years, this lobbying work has brought him full circle since his early years when he majored in political science at the University of Virginia. His first job was on Capitol Hill, and prior to seminary, he worked in the federal government.

'It was much better to be in politics after the parish,' said Roberts who spent 20 years in the local church. 'I could bring the power of persuasion, and compelling public speaking and writing skills.'

The role also has personal significance. 'My sister became blind when I was in the parish,' said Roberts. 'Many of the people here found a calling because a family member has a developmental disability. They have an affinity for the field.'

This shared purpose to create an environment of opportunity and acceptance for persons with developmental disabilities is what Melwood is all about. 'It reflects the Kingdom of God,' said Roberts. 'There?s a place at the table for everyone.'