Centenarian Charles Baker built successful business based on his love for family

MALVERN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Paid Sponsor Partnership: Philadelphia Corporation for Aging

Charles Baker celebrated his 100th birthday last month at Baker Industries in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

"It turned out to be a huge crowd," says Baker. "And it was fun."

He is still active on the board of the nonprofit he founded in 1980 with his late wife, Weezie.

"Our youngest son has severe epilepsy and was having a really tough time finding work that he could do," he says.

He sold his chemical business and founded Baker Industries.

"We kept one product called Nonequal Furniture Polish," he says. "And set it up in the garage, and Justin, our son, and one other guy worked on that."

It grew from there and the now 45-year-old business continues to help people with disabilities thrive.

"The mission of Baker Industries is to provide employment and bridges to long-term employment for people that are barred from the workforce for various reasons," says Nicholas Watson, President of Baker Industries.

"The people who came to work at Baker Industries would learn skills which would be transferable to the regular workplace," says Baker.

"We really always want it to be a good business and a supportive organization," says Watson.

Employees work with a variety of clients doing light manufacturing, like box building.

"It's boxes that are made and then we have to fold them and package them in some particular way," he says. "We do what's called repackaging, so we work for Tastykake all the time."

Watson adds that items sent to Baker Industries for repackaging are then put into larger-sized packaging for stores like Costco.

Marcus "Chill" Miller has worked here for 19 years.

"They hired me when a lot of people wouldn't," says Miller, an employee at Baker Industries. "Because of my disability, no one would hire me."

He says the job also helped him out a lot, both financially and getting out of the house and feeling productive. He often does jobs that involve handwriting since he has nice penmanship.

"Everybody's family around here to me," he says.

There's also a Job Readiness Program for people struggling with trauma or going through a transition.

Watson says those circumstances can be situations like "returning from prison or recovering from addiction."

"And we limit that program to a year," he says. "In addition to working and getting paid for being part of our production lines, they take classes where they're encouraged and supported in having a job search outside."

Through the years, Baker Industries has helped an estimated 12,000 people through its programs.

"We're the only employer that hopes you get a new, better job as soon as possible and that you're ready to be successful in that," says Watson.

"That's success as far as we're concerned," says Baker.

For more information: visit: BakerIndustries.org
Baker Industries
184 Pennsylvania Avenue
Malvern, PA 19355