The Mobile Work Crew is a group of twenty developmentally delayed individuals who do a range of activities in and around Vanderhoof and Fraser Lake. The Mobile Work Crew was created so clients could have something tangible, something to call their own. Thanks to the business they’ve created, they can collect a paycheck and pack a lunch and go to work with everyone else.
For many years before the Mobile Work Crew’s inception, the individuals who lived in the residences were only visible when running errands, which lead to staff concerns that the clients did not feel as if they were part of the community. Since the Mobile Work Crew began, the clients have made many new friends, have met many people, and have developed a presence in the community.
The Mobile Work Crew began with simple odd jobs, such as dump runs, cleaning jobs, and lawn care. Over the years, however, the Mobile Work Crew has grown to include consistent, reliable, contract work with the Districts of Vanderhoof and Fraser Lake. The Mobile Work Crew employees are responsible for advertising needs and street cleaning in these communities.
The Mobile Work Crew has also been involved in getting the Nechako Valley Organics greenhouse project up and running. More information on the project can be found here. The Mobile Work Crew can often be seen lending a helping hand at The Bean on Burrard Coffee House, another NVCSS program.
2010 Update! The Mobile Work Crew is pleased to be working with Little Valley Farms to bring you natural, hormone-free beef. In order to make their beef more easily available to families in our area, Little Valley Farms has teamed up with The Bean on Burrard in providing pre-cut and wrapped packages of beef. Contact the Mobile Work Crew to order Freezer packs. Call (250)567-9205 for a list of prices.
There isn't much that the Mobile Work Crew cannot do. If you need your lawn mowed, your yard cleaned, anything painted, garbage hauled away, or need firewood, please do not hesitate to give the Mobile Work Crew a call!
We can be reached at 250-567-9205 or 250-567-0052, or you can come into the Nechako Valley Community Services Society office, located at 157 Victoria Street.
In recognizing the importance the Mobile Work Crew plays, not only in the lives of the clients, but also to the community, the NVCSS has invested capital into the program. In 2008, the NVCSS assisted the Mobile Work Crew in the purchase of a new and reliable vehicle, and the crew now proudly owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 4x4 pickup. The proud owners in the Mobile Work Crew take time once a week to wash and polish their truck. Along with the pickup, the members received new uniforms, and have purchased new signage to be put on the pickup, advertising in the form of flyers and posters.
The continuing goal of the Mobile Work Crew is to build and expand, fostering stronger relationships with past, present, and potential customers. They will continue to proudly serve both the Vanderhoof and Fraser Lake districts, and will actively seek out new and sustainable work for the clients. The Mobile Work Crew thanks, and continues to rely on, Canfor/Plateau and L & M Lumber for their generous contributions of lumber. The Mobile Work Crew also relies on a rent-free compound, donated by David Fehr of Vanderhoof. With the assistance of the NVCSS, and the community, the future of the Mobile Work Crew is filled with endless possibilities.