Portland-based social enterprise nonprofit DePaul Industries has rebranded as The DPI Group. A few of the companies under its umbrella are taking on new identities, and it is launching others. For nearly 50 years, the organization has been making a significant impact on employing people with disabilities. Now, as The DPI Group, it has expanded its mission: to identify and create job opportunities for individuals with employment barriers.
“We’re making a big impact in our community but are often confused with other organizations,” according to Travis Pearson, The DPI Group’s President & CEO. “Taking on a new brand and identity will allow us to become better known and to continue to grow our impact.”
The new name was chosen to pay homage to the organization’s roots – it was founded in 1971 with seed funding from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and has operated as DePaul Industries for nearly 20 years. Its tagline, “Business Results With Social Impact,” recognizes that at DPI, business and social good are inextricably linked.
The DPI Group’s subsidiaries are:
- DPI Staffing (previously DePaul Staffing): provider of temporary and temp-to-hire staffing services with seven locations in six states
- DPI Security (previously DePaul Security): comprehensive security provider with locations in Portland, Salem and Eugene, Oregon
- Meadowlark Employment Services: empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other barriers to gain employment through natural, individualized supports
- Fort Rock Tactical: provider of combat knives and tactical tools to the government that employs veterans and people with disabilities
- Cascadia Nutrition: The DPI Group is an investor in Cascadia Nutrition, a manufacturer of powdered nutritional products available worldwide
- Community Services Network: a group of Portland nonprofits who want to collectively improve the wraparound services offered to people in need in our community
The DPI Group’s Diverse Subsidiaries Share Common Mission, Focus on Results
The DPI Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and while its subsidiaries vary in structure (some are nonprofit and some for-profit) and services, all share the goal of creating job opportunities for individuals with employment barriers. These barriers to employment may include a disability, the experience of homelessness, a criminal record or age.
“So many people in our communities are in need of work, but face significant barriers to finding it,” said Pearson. “Our unique structure was created in order to maximize our business operations, and hence the number of people we can employ.”
In its most recent fiscal year, The DPI Group earned nearly $27 million in revenue, and it is 99.9% self-funded. It has 52 core staff employees, including around 40 at its Portland headquarters on the corner of NE MLK Jr. Boulevard and NE Alberta Street.
