2007年VOA标准英语-'A Business With a Mission' -- US Nonprofit Acc

By June Soh
Baltimore, Maryland
25 January 2007
 
watch Mental Health report

 
Michael Freeman, a former Harbor City Services employee, now has his own business
Finding a job can be extremely difficult for those who are psychologically disabled or recovering from addictions³.  An unusual business in the eastern U.S. city of Baltimore makes a special effort to offer employment to people on society's edges.  Harbor City Services calls itself "a business on a mission."  As VOA's June Soh reports, the company seeks no special treatment as it tries to build opportunity for the employees by earning its way in the marketplace.  Amy Katz narrates⁴ the story.

"I like working here.  It is all right.  It is not too hard, it is not too easy," says Adrian Brinkley, who has been working for Harbor City Services for six months. "It is something that fits the time in my life right now. It is like God's plan for me to be here."

Adrian has a mental illness, for which he receives medication.  So does Joseph McPherson, who started working at Harbor City six years ago.

"Some (people) were surprised.  Some didn't think I would be able to work.  I am really proud (of myself) because (previously) I didn't think I would be able to work this long..."

Harbor City Services, based in a warehouse⁵ in Baltimore, works for other businesses -- managing documents, shredding⁶ paper copies that are no longer needed, offering commercial moving and delivery services.

The company does not seem very different from other firms that perform such business services.  But one part of Harbor City is unusual -- its work force.  Everyone -- more than 50 people, including those who work part-time -- has a psychiatric disability or is a recovering drug abuser.

 
John Herron
John Herron, a former university professor and a licensed⁷ social worker who also has a master's degree in business, founded the company 20 years ago.  He is its chief executive officer.

"A job doesn't cure mental illness and it doesn't cure substance abuses, but it is really hard to recover from those things if you don't have a job,” he says. “A job gives people not just money; it gives them purpose.  It captures their need for social life.  I think that a job really becomes a necessary part of recovery from any illness."

Harbor City is a "social enterprise" -- a nonprofit business with a social purpose that operates on income it earns, rather than relying on donations, gifts or government grants.  The company is committed to hiring people with disabilities, and the only benefit it receives is exemption⁸ from taxes.

"Why we don't seek out donations?  My answer to people is, 'Don't just give me your money.  Give me your business, so I can hire more people and grow the scale.'  We need to provide this kind of opportunity to a lot more people," Herron told us.

Harbor City faces an extra challenge as an employer, says Herron.  In addition to competing for business, the chief executive has to remain attentive⁹ to his workers' needs; in particular, their "relapse potential" -- the possibility of a setback¹⁰ in their recovery from addiction². 

Such problems can come to light during the morning group meditation¹¹, an important part of each workday at Harbor City Services.

"A lot of societies look on relapse and going to the hospital as failure.  We don't [think that way] here.  That's the, I think, fundamental difference in the way we operate.  We take away the fact that if you get sick, you lose your job.  We say, if you get sick, take off for a while and come back to work when you are able."

Sometimes Harbor City's employees are hired away by its customers.  That means their talent and stability have been noticed.  Herron calls it a success. 

Michael Freeman, who was a drug addict¹, calls himself a success, too.  He earned enough trust while working on shed-building projects at Harbor City that he has formed his own business, operating as a subcontractor for Harbor City.

"When you come out from jail, you are marked as a felon¹².  It is very hard to get a job out there in society marked as a felon, because a lot of employers don't want to give you a chance,” explains Freeman. “So I am very grateful to have the job."

Like many other Harbor City Services workers, Freeman says his plan is to be a productive member of society and provide for his family.

1 addict   

v.使沉溺；使上瘾；n.沉溺于不良嗜好的人

参考例句：

• He became gambling addict,and lost all his possessions.他习染上了赌博，最终输掉了全部家产。
• He assisted a drug addict to escape from drug but failed firstly.一开始他帮助一个吸毒者戒毒但失败了。

2 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

3 addictions   

瘾( addiction的名词复数 )； 吸毒成瘾； 沉溺； 癖好

参考例句：

• He has removed the stigma of drug addictions. 他已经洗去吸毒的污点了。
• Intelligent people are good at using reason to control excessive addictions. 智慧的人善于用理性来控制过度的嗜欲。

4 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

5 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

6 shredding   

v.撕碎，切碎( shred的现在分词 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件）

参考例句：

• Like the Tehran experience, the shredding may be all for naught. 如同德黑兰事件中的情况一样，切碎文件可能是徒劳的。 来自时文部分
• How shredding began is subject to some guesswork. 粉碎处理行业的起源是个有争议的问题。 来自时文部分

7 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

8 exemption   

n.豁免，免税额，免除

参考例句：

• You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
• These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。

9 attentive   

adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的

参考例句：

• She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
• The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。

10 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

11 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

12 felon   

n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的

参考例句：

• He's a convicted felon.他是个已定罪的重犯。
• Hitler's early "successes" were only the startling depredations of a resolute felon.希特勒的早期“胜利 ”，只不过是一个死心塌地的恶棍出人意料地抢掠得手而已。