Cottonwood marks milestone
Lawrence nonprofit business expanding to meet growing needs
After stitching together their 2,000,000th military cargo strap Thursday afternoon, officials and other employees at Cottonwood Inc. now can look forward to their next milestone: expanding the business.
Cottonwood, a not-for-profit organization that employs people with disabilities, is preparing to add 16,000 square feet of warehouse and production space to its complex at 2801 W. 31st St.
The addition will allow the organization to keep up its growing production schedule, which already includes a five-year, $50 million deal to make straps for the U.S. military and another contract to assemble 1.5 million starter kits a year for animal shelters across the country.
The expansion also will allow Cottonwood to end its lease for an 8,000-square-foot building down the street that’s not air-conditioned. Cottonwood has used the place for the past 18 years, and officials are looking forward to stretching out in a place they can call their own.
“This will meet our growing needs for work and warehouse space for the people we serve with disabilities,” said J.R. Condra, the organization’s director of work services. “We’re trying to keep up. I started here in 1974, and we had 8,000 square feet. Here it is 31 years later, and we’re over 50,000 square feet. We’ve grown a lot.”
A big part of the production has come through work for the military: sewing, labeling, packaging and shipping nylon cargo straps.
During Cottonwood’s first five-year contract, which ended a year ago, the organization sold the military 1.8 million straps for about $20 million.
The latest contract, for another five years, holds the potential to be worth $50 million.
“But the most important thing is for the employees,” Condra said, speaking of the 20 to 35 people who work on the strap contract, depending on demand. “In this day and age, it becomes increasingly more difficult to find good, quality work for people with disabilities. This job, being a five-year contract – our second five-year contract – is a guarantee of 10 years of steady employment. That doesn’t come along very often.”
Employees celebrated their latest accomplishment Thursday afternoon, sporting T-shirts emblazoned with “2 Million Sewn!” across the front. They kept at their tasks throughout the day, knowing that their efforts are paying off where it counts the most.
“It’s a good feeling knowing that this item is going out to support our troops in their war effort,” Condra said. “We can’t get out there on the front lines, but knowing that we’re supplying a good, quality product that’s being used by the soldiers is gratifying.”
Cottonwood has about 135 people, including about 100 with disabilities, in its work program.