In 1980, an employee at Northwest Center, who had a background in janitorial services recognized that there we were serving clients who had an interest in and an ability to perform custodial work. His proposal to the management team that a training program be established for these clients was enthusiastically endorsed. Feeling that training conducted at an actual work site would be the most effective, Northwest Center buildings became the first customer. The clients participating in the program were responsible for the cleanliness of the work areas, offices, and rest rooms exactly as if they were an outside firm that had contracted to do the work for the Center. This program turned out to be very successful and led to a decision to market our services in the commercial sector. A perfect opportunity arose in 1981 when Federal Center South (a GSA facility) sought a new custodial services vendor in open market, competitive commercial bidding. NWC entered the winning bid and we’ve had the contract ever since. NWC continued to enter bids and other major buildings followed – the INS in Seattle, GSA complex in Auburn, the U.S. Court House, Federal Office Building and Jackson Building in Seattle to name a few. This business now generates jobs for persons with disabilities and funds to support other programs of training and work opportunities at Northwest Center.