Garten Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Salem, Oregon, serving the Willamette Valley. Founded in 1970 by Sally Gearhart to serve children with disabilities and their families, the organisation has operated for more than 50 years with a stated purpose of helping people with disabilities build skills, pursue employment, achieve independence and take part in community life.
Rather than a single service line, Garten runs a portfolio of mission-driven businesses that provide both revenue and employment and training opportunities. These include commercial custodial services, landscaping and grounds maintenance, secure document destruction, electronics recycling, print and mail services, and IT asset disposition. Technical work spans IT asset disposition and electronics recycling alongside document destruction and print and mail operations, and roles are situated in an environment where service delivery is tied to hiring and training people with disabilities.
Alongside its businesses, Garten operates programmes including DayBreak, community events, and a no-cost landscape training programme for people with disabilities. The organisation works with businesses, schools, government agencies and residents across Salem and the Willamette Valley, and describes inclusion, career skill development and independence as its core values.
