News & Updates

Owner/President and CEO Joe Raccuia

CAMBRIDGE – For decades, New York State government agencies have been able to purchase essential products – including tissue and paper towels  — from companies that provide jobs for people with disabilities, thanks to the Preferred Source Program run by the non-profit New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID).

Last summer, the Preferred Source tissue and towel product lines were in danger of being wiped away by the sudden closure of the Essity paper mill in South Glens Falls. NYSID member-agency Community Work & Independence (CWI), which supplies those products to NYSID, was left without a manufacturing partner and its Essity workers were displaced.

Enter family-owned Morcon Tissue of Cambridge in Washington County.

When the Essity mill closed, NYSID, its Montgomery County-based product distribution partner Hill & Markes, and CWI turned immediately to Morcon. After all, it was Morcon President Joe Raccuia who first brought the Essity mill into the Preferred Source program 25 years earlier when it was owned by Encore Paper and he was the company’s president.

Working with CWI’s Supported Employment program, there are now five people with disabilities fully integrated and working at Morcon Tissue – and government agencies can continue to buy bathroom tissue and paper towel products through NYSID.

“Morcon is a family owned, community-minded business and everyone here is very proud of our new partnership with NYSID and CWI,” said Mr. Raccuia. “To provide employment opportunities for disabled individuals and help them grow as people and play an active role in our community really means a lot to us. We are honored to be a part of such a progressive initiative.”

“The Preferred Source Program is so impactful and strong that it can achieve its goals despite actions as dramatic as corporate shutdowns,” said Maureen O’Brien, NYSID President and CEO.

“When our previous tissue supplier closed, the biggest concern was the loss of jobs – particularly for those with disabilities – and our need to develop a new source for the product,” Ms. O’Brien added. “We owe a big thank you to our fantastic partners, Hill & Markes, CWI, and Morcon Tissue. Now, Morcon is producing all of the tissue products we need, and they are doing so with an employee pool that is fully integrated with individuals with disabilities.”

“Working with the NYSID team over the past few years has been an eye-opening and humbling experience. When we learned that the Essity plant was abruptly closing, and individuals with disabilities would be losing jobs, we asked how we could help,” said Chris Traver, Director of Business Development at Hill & Markes. “We had a strong relationship with Morcon Tissue for over a decade. When we approached Morcon, they immediately asked, ‘How can we help and get this done quickly?’”

“I am pleased that Morcon now manufactures all Preferred Source tissue products for NYSID while integrating CWI employees with their workforce,” Mr. Traver said.  “Morcon has ramped up production, invested in new equipment and reconfigured production lines to accommodate this large undertaking. I am proud to say that individuals with disabilities did not miss a single day of work during this transition.”

April Boucher, CWI’s COO/VP, said, “CWI has been supporting people with disabilities in Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties for more than 60 years and we’re delighted to share in the announcement of our new corporate partnership with Morcon Tissue through the Preferred Source program facilitated by NYSID. CWI has been a NYSID member for over 20 years, creating jobs and selling a variety of commodities to New York State agencies, most of which have been commercial paper products. When there was a sudden need to pivot away from our previous manufacturing partner in August of last year, it was all hands-on deck and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.”

# # #

About New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID)

NYSID is a 501(c)(3) with the mission of “advancing employment and other opportunities for individuals with disabilities.” Established in 1975, NYSID facilitates employment opportunities for nearly 5,000 New Yorkers with disabilities annually through New York’s Preferred Source Program and in the private sector. NYSID’s community rehabilitation member agencies and corporate partners are located throughout the state, providing jobs in the community and in production facilities. For more information, visit www.nysid.org.

About CWI

Community, Work & Independence, Inc. (CWI) offers supports and services in Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga Counties; empowering people with differing abilities and needs to discover their potential and pursue the lives they envision. Since 1963, CWI has created jobs for people in our community supporting productivity, integration and engagement with the local economy.

About Hill & Markes, Inc.

Since 1906, Hill & Markes has been dedicated to providing solutions to businesses across New York State that help them save time, money, and improve health at their facilities. Their mission is more than moving product off a shelf, it’s a commitment to safety and well-being.