History & Mission
Lafayette Industries is a sheltered workshop, founded in 1976 by a caring group of parents seeking employment for their grown children with developmental disabilities who had finished the Special School District curriculum. This resourceful group opened a one-room facility in Valley Park with 16 employees doing hand-assembly and packaging for area businesses. Since jobs were so scarce for this population and the demand was so great, the operation grew quickly.
Lafayette’s Mission is to provide employment opportunities to persons with developmental disabilities and to persons with other disabilities who are 18 years or older.
Beginning in 2020, Lafayette began diversification by extending our knowledge and expertise to competitive employment training, launching the STEPUP Program. Partnering with Pioneer Bakery and Cafe, Wicked Chicken and Cool Beans, STEPUP is a long-term training program operating in both St. Louis County and Jefferson County. STEPUP is partially funded by grants from St. Louis’ Productive Living Board, The Developmental Disabilities Advocates and the Jefferson Foundation in Jefferson County.
In 2025 Lafayette is launching Lafayette Legacy, our DMH-funded and certified Day Habilitation Center.
MISSION
The mission of Lafayette Industries is to provide employment opportunities to persons with developmental disabilities and to persons with other disabilities who are 18 years or older.
GOALS
- To provide a meaningful and productive work experience to persons with disabilities
- To maintain a safe and pleasant work environment
- To teach and to train persons with disabilities to acquire better work habits
- To enhance self-worth and dignity through employment
- To provide high-quality business service through packaging, light assembly and commercial mailings
- To operate the center in a professional, fiscally responsible manner
- To provide fair wages and good benefits