Lafayette Industries

The year 2015 has been a year of awards and recognition for Lafayette Work Center, Inc. Lafayette was founded in 1976 by the Session of St. Mark Presbyterian and Reverend Dr Howard Gleason as "Community Mark Workshop".  It merged with another group in order to obtain State of Missouri recognition to become Lafayette Work Center, Inc.  Lafayette opened its doors September 13, 1976 with 16 disabled adults and one staff in a rented garage in Valley Park.  Today, Lafayette employs 379 disabled workers and 43 staff in two manufacturing plants in Manchester and Berkeley, where an addition is currently underway to accommodate another 80 workers.

At the 2015 Special School District's Awards Banquet, Lafayette received the SSD Ambassadors Award, the highest recognition given to honor those who demonstrate "Extraordinary Commitment to Students and Staff" of the district.  Ken McLuen, a St. Mark member and one of the original 16 members in 1976 was one of the 500 people at the Banquet.

In March, Lafayette receive a Grant Award in a Facebook campaign from Monsanto for creative thinking to assist disabled workers.

In April, Lafayette was recognized at the ARCUS Awards from the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce for "Achievement in Inclusion and Talent Attraction."

In June, the Ladue News Charity Award was given to Lafayette and four other missions in St. Louis for filling a need in the community.

Lafayette just keeps growing and being recognized as the largest employer of disabled adults in the State of Missouri