History

Columbia Industries started helping people in 1963 as the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Benton and Franklin Counties. The purpose for forming the non-profit agency was clear: to promote the general welfare of persons with cerebral palsy and other handicaps.

Today, our goals are similar, as we focus on helping as many people with disabilities and other challenges as we can. The slogan that appears in our logo, “Enrich. Empower. Respect.” was chosen to reflect our commitment to supporting and empowering our clients, our community, our board members, our staff, our donors – everyone who plays a part in our organization.

Over the years, Columbia Industries has taken on a variety of business ventures in order to provide ever-expanding and best-in-class employment services for our clients. Some of these programs have included laundry services, a wood shop, automobile detailing, a wine storage facility, gift box assembly, and Shop CI, a thrift store where clients could earn a paycheck by organizing donations, pricing items to sell, greeting customers, and performing many other typical retail-related job tasks.

In 1981, we adopted the name Columbia Industries to reflect our growth over the previous 18 years. Today we serve hundreds of clients each year. Our dedicated staff works with our clients to provide a diverse array of products and services for the community.