In 1955, a group of parents were concerned that their adult children with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy could not find a place in the job market.
The parents decided to do something about it. They met inside their homes, and a plan for what would become Eggleston was hatched.
That August, a board of directors was chosen for Tidewater Vocational Center, a not-for-profit organized to provide subcontract work for area industries.
That apprenticeship program opened with eight employees at 621 Botetourt St. near downtown Norfolk.
“In a few years, the program outgrew the building,” said Paul Atkinson, who is CEO of the center that is now known as Eggleston.
A program that started with eight employees now serves more than 1,000.
By 1965, the center had moved to a larger location, and training activities included gardening, printing and – according to egglestonservices.org – “a foray into running a laundromat.” There were 80 employees as the center celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The center started accepting individuals with physical impairments in 1968. Atkinson was named CEO in 1969.
During the 1970s, Tidewater Vocational Center began a food service and service station training program. The center moved to three locations on Colley Avenue.
Louise W. Eggleston, a local philanthropist, offered the use of a much larger building, at 20th and Colley, with the center only paying a small stipend for its use until she passed away.
Six months later, in 1978, Eggleston died, and the building became the property of Tidewater Vocational Center.
To honor her, the program was renamed the Louise W. Eggleston Center. Over time, the name was shortened to Eggleston.
In 2010, Eggleston purchased and renovated a large facility at 3525 Military Hwy. in Norfolk., where the business fulfillment center and automotive center now reside.
Eggleston’s annual budget is $24 million. A significant amount of funds for day programs and residential expenses arrive via Medicaid. Eggleston also receives funds from the Department of Aging.
And while some in society think about what people with special needs can’t do, Eggleston does the opposite.
“We try to focus on their ability rather than focus on their disability,” Atkinson said.
The company has provided food service at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth since 1990.
Employees also take care of 6 million pounds of laundry per year. Most of that is for the federal government, some for the hospital.
And employees make higher than minimum wage, with benefits on top of that.
Eggleston offers job placement, a day program, a summer camp, seniors’ programs and a children’s learning center.
Sometimes, the company is involved with “supported” employment.
For example, if a person is employed by a grocery store, Eggleston will check in on the employee once a month to see how things are going.
Eggleston personnel provide – among other things – grounds maintenance, gardening, pet care, embroidery, document storage and shredding services.
“We are very diverse in the way people can use our services,” said Tom Redmond, vice president of marketing and development.