Our History

COR Enterprises was legally chartered as a nonprofit corporation in Billings, Montana in October of 1970. Originally called The Billings Sheltered Workshop, the organization opened its doors in January of 1971 at the corner of Division Street and Montana Avenue. The corporation was started with a $50,000 grant from the Montana State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency and started out serving five clients with a staff of five. The purpose of the corporation was to provide training and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The operation later moved to 3116 1st Avenue North and 3407 Montana Avenue. In 1981 COR purchased the Forsythe Heating and Cooling building at 200 South 24th Street and continues its main operation at this location. The organization has operated a number of enterprises in its 35-year history in order to train and employ persons with disabilities. These include a woodworking operation, full mailing service, car detailing business, laser printer cartridge remanufacturing operation, janitorial service, and a bookbinding business.

Today, COR’s woodworking operation continues to provide engineers and contractors with stakes, hubs, lath, and other construction products and does custom jobs for various businesses. Sales in this department total over $100,000 annually. The janitorial service, which began operation in 1975, has grown to over $400,000 in annual revenues and now includes five mobile crews and an enclave at the James F. Batten Federal Building. COR also continues to operate Document Management Services, which prepares mass mailings for local businesses and organizations, as well as provide confidential document shredding and other contract labor. Revenues in this department total approximately $150,000 per year. COR Enterprises is proud of its contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to make all of the pup tent ropes used by our country's armed services.

Among the other services COR provides is comprehensive community assistance for persons with disabilities through the Career Guidance Center located at 2040 Rosebud Drive Billings, Montana. Services include supported living, community employment, and vocational evaluation. The Career Guidance Center develops an average of 80 community jobs per year for persons with disabilities.

COR provided its services primarily in Yellowstone County until its services were expanded in 1996 to include Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wheatland, Musselshell, Big Horn, Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin and Petroleum counties. Rosebud County was added to the communities we serve in 2001, and Gallatin County was added in 2005. We offer services in each county geared to requirements and available resources. Services by County

COR currently serves approximately 400 persons with disabilities per year and the annual budget has grown from $50,000 in 1970 to nearly $2.6 million today. Our staff has grown from its original five to 48 full-time equivalency positions, and at any given time an average of about 100 persons with disabilities on the payroll, working in various in-house production positions, on community crews, and at community jobsites. COR's annual payroll, including wages and benefits, is over $2 million.

Dedication to community involvement is another aspect of COR's mission. A member of the Billings Area Chamber of Commerce since the mid-1970s, our staff and clients participate in various volunteer and community events in order to make important societal contributions and to increase community integration of persons with disabilities. COR staff are heavily involved in disability-related organizations such as the Montana Association for Rehabilitation and the Brain Injury Association of Montana to help ensure a positive impact on disability policy.

In its history, COR Enterprises has assisted thousands of people with disabilities achieve their goals of employment and greater independence. COR staff have extremely high job longevity and are dedicated to the mission of promoting the dignity, independence and success of persons with disabilities.