Brevard - T-V-S Overcoming Challenges | Feeding Our World

TVS collects over 850 school supplies for local Sharing House

Aug 13, 2021 | News

Lined paper, colored pencils, glue sticks, and neon highlighters overflow boxes after two weeks of collecting school supply donations for the Transylvania County Sharing House. TVS held a “Tools 4 School” donation drive and donated an amazing 885 school supply items to assist local students with getting back into the classrooms!

“TVS has been trying to support many local organizations since starting our donation drives. We figured this we would be a great time to incorporate the schools,” said TVS Benefits and Recruitment Specialist Catherine Tinsley. “This year and last has been very difficult for many families in Transylvania County and we wanted to make sure that the kids had everything they needed to have a successful school year.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, TVS decided to offer more donation events within the company to help provide extra resources to other local services aiding the community. Previous local donations include food and clothing to the Life Changers Outreach in Pisgah Forest and pet needs to the Transylvania County Animal Shelter.

The school supply donation is currently the largest donation in recent TVS history, edging out the canned food drive by almost 100 items. “It really amazes me each time we do a donation drive here at TVS, our employees pull together for a great cause,” said Tinsley. “I am so excited to know that we are going to help many children and teens across the county!”

For over 20 years the local Sharing House has been providing free school supplies for any school-aged child (K-12) in a Transylvania County School. On average around 500 children receive supplies through this program. So far this year, 425 kids have already filled backpacks with supplies and the Sharing House is expecting more before the Back to School supply drive ends.

Last year the Sharing House saw a decline in students due to the COVID-19 pandemic having students learning in home classrooms.

COVID has affected the Sharing House in different ways. “This meant a huge amount to us because of the pandemic and the way life is right now, we have not seen the same amount of donations that we are used to,” said Sharing House Special Projects Coordinator Lynn Traub. “With this donation we now have the freedom to continue giving out all the supplies that students need.”

The pandemic also affected how the Sharing House hands out the backpacks. For most of this year (and prior to the pandemic), families were able to come into the building and pick out all the supplies. Now, with a rise in new cases, the Sharing House allows children to choose their backpacks, but they instead have personnel fill it with the required items before bringing the backpack out to the car.

Along with the school supplies all children have been receiving a new pair of shoes, socks, and underwear to start the year. This part of the program started 3 years ago thanks to local donations.

To take part and receive school supplies, you do not have to be signed up with the Sharing House. Appointments can be made by calling (828) 884-2866 ext. 111 and talking with Lynn Traub. However, they will accommodate walk-ins to the best of their abilities and availability. Friday, Aug 13 was the last day to receive new shoes, socks, and underwear with the school items.

The school supply drive will stay open until Friday, August 20 to assist with any last-minute needs. You can learn more about the Sharing House at https://www.sharinghouse.org/

Tracie Thomas — Warehouse Associate

Aug 5, 2021 | Employee Profiles, News

“The most enjoyable part of my job is being a part of the TVS mission. On the struggle days, that’s what keeps me going.”

Graduated from Rosman High School in 1991
Started at TVS in December 2018
College Education: Associate in Arts (AA) from Blue Ridge Community College
Professional Growth at TVS: Originally hired as an INTERACT Direct Support Professional (DSP). “This was the most personally rewarding job I’ve ever had in my life.”
After 9 months, Tracie accepted the HR Administrative Assistant position before being presented with an opportunity as a Warehouse Associate.
Warehouse Associate, in a nut shell: “Responsible for data entry of all incoming materials and ingredients and outgoing shipments of Mountain Maid INDM and Low-Fat Bakery Mix. As well as, moving materials from the warehouse and production locations, and assisting in other inventory or logistic tasks.”
Why TVS? “I had gone through VISION Transylvania in 2015 and toured the facility. I heard about the mission and saw the operation. It was the first place I looked at for employment in 2018 after retiring from elections.”

Career goals? “I plan to keep working towards using my full potential for the company because I have so much more to give. I just don’t know where that will take me yet.”
Previous Work Experience: 25 year career at the local election center working as an election clerk and moving up to the election director.
Favorite part about working at TVS? “The mission first and then the people I get to work with.”
Favorite TVS memory? “A lot. But thinking back, I would have to say that watching INTERACT participants perform a song in sign language at the Transylvania County jail was one of the best experiences. It was heart-warming to watch the reactions from the inmates.”
What makes TVS different? “It is all about working together on a large scale. Each department works independently, together to reach the overall goals.”

TVS continues to surge with INDM production for 297 foodbanks across the U.S.

Jul 29, 2021 | News

Reflecting back on the last year and a half, TVS has packaged and shipped over 35 million household bags of Instant Nonfat Dry Milk (INDM) to 297 food pantries across the U.S., Guam, and Puerto Rico. This has been in response to the USDA’s fight to help combat rising food insecurities worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is because of TVS’s dedicated workforce that this local nonprofit organization has been able to meet the growing demands of the USDA’s programs and deliver to individuals in need across the country.

“Our employees have been integral in allowing us TVS to meet the unusually high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said TVS CEO Jamie Brandenburg. “Our employees readily adjusted schedules and their lives to accommodate additional production requirements which included an extended period of overtime and disruptions in their families.”

It is because of their efforts that we have been able to rise to the occasion and supply the desperately needed INDM to food pantries, while also responding to emerging requests from the USDA to expedite orders for pantries that were critically low.”

As the pandemic essentially shut down the U.S. in early 2020, TVS began receiving surge order requests of INDM from the USDA. In 2020 alone, TVS shipped enough INDM to make almost 20 million gallons of fresh fluid milk for households across the US.

Now, TVS has shipped 35 million bags of INDM between 2020-2021 with the possibility of more orders before the end of the year. This will make around 35 million gallons of fluid milk for domestic households when rehydrated.

This breaks down to a total of 937 truckloads of INDM that have been shipped or are scheduled to be shipped to food pantries across the U.S. This is over 14 thousand tons of powdered milk.

“This surge in foodbank demand has been unprecedented for TVS. Overall it has risen 60-70% over these last two years, and we are very appreciative to be able to participate in these nationwide food relief efforts,” said TVS VP of Business Development and Marketing Beth Rich.

Prior to the pandemic, America had the lowest food insecurity rate in the last 20 years. However, since the pandemic began, the number of people living with food insecurities jumped by 10 million people to an estimated 45 million, with 15 million being children. This is 22-38 percent of U.S. households.

“We are very fortunate with the federal government’s response to this situation,” said Rich. “Not all countries have had this same outcome, and their projections for food insecurity are actually going up and not down.’’

Currently, the USDA and the U.S. government continue to invest in lowering the affects of food insecurities. TVS is proud of our legenDAIRY employees that dedicate their work hours to continue packaging and shipping INDM for food aid.

Jamie Owen — Production Associate

Jul 9, 2021 | Employee Profiles

“TVS is a good job. It has changed my life ever since I came here.”

Production Associate, in a nutshell: performs production tasks including (but not limited to) palletizing, case packing, and hand assembly.
Previous Work Experience: Previously worked as a Supported Employment client at a local grocery store as a bagger
What brought you to TVS? “I liked TVS better because they welcomed me and offered new stuff to do.”
How long have you been at TVS? 20 years!
Areas of work? Jamie works on AbilityOne contracts helping package products including SuperCereal Plus and Bakery Mix. The products are used to feed U.S. Military Troops and for supplying food for food insecurities, domestic and international with the USAID and the USDA.
Favorite part about working at TVS? “I look forward to the company picnics with bounce houses and food.”
After work? Jamie can be found dancing, singing country and bluegrass music, bowling, and talking about the Special Olympics.

Dedication of Avery’s Place

Jun 24, 2021 | News

Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) is honored to have dedicated its new modular classroom on behalf of past program participant and dear friend Avery McKeller. Avery was both a participant and employee at TVS since 2016, and she was an integral member of the TVS family.

Her smile and energy still leave a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.

It was, Derrick, a program participant who suggested that the classroom be named after Avery. “It was a no brainer,” said INTERACT Program Supervisor Jeanette Wayne. “Every time we say, ‘I’ll see you over at Avery’s Place,’ we’re remembering Avery, so we want to dedicate this wonderful building to sparkle, sunshine, joy and laughter because that is who Avery was.”

At the dedication, TVS participants, employees, and friends gathered with some Avery’s family to honor and remember her time at TVS. The dedication began with Wayne talking to the audience about Avery and her impact at TVS.

“We want to have this to be a place where sparkly, beautiful, shiny, happy things happen. And our staff and TVS, as a company, we’re dedicated to doing that as a company,” Wayne said.

The floor was opened up for individuals to speak about their time with Avery. Several participants and a few DSPs spoke of memories and good times while also thanking the McKeller family for sharing Avery with us, at TVS.

The memories left the audience with giggles, smiles, and loving tears.

The McKeller’s had also prepared a heartfelt speech that reminded everyone of their importance to Avery. She always said, “Thank you SO much. And on behalf of Mack and the rest of our family by naming this place Avery’s Place, thank you for choosing to continue to call her name and remember her.”

After friends and family had spoken, the ‘No Limits’ artists performed a sign language rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and gifted the McKeller’s a hydrangea bush, along with a video and book both filled with images and sweet thoughts.

The dedication ended with a family tour of the building and cookies baked by the culinary team in INTERACT.

Avery’s Place was added to TVS in early 2020 to offer more office spaces and additional room for program participants. Avery’s friends will continue to remember her each and every day as they enter their classroom and pass underneath the beautiful overhead plaque honoring the unforgettable life of such an amazing human being.

We invite you to read more about the dedication from the Transylvania Times.