By Wilson Cherry

As tax season approaches, many businesses and individuals find themselves getting snowed under by a blizzard of old bank statements, invoices and utility bills as well as personal and confidential records.

Rowan Vocational Opportunities is providing low-cost, flexible document shredding, destruction and disposal for area businesses and individuals.

“We all understand the devastating effects of confidential and sensitive information falling into the hands of criminals, business competitors and telemarketers. Throwing this information in the trash only provides an invitation for those who commit fraud and identity theft to continue their criminal enterprises,” said Glenn McDonald, sales and marketing director.

Gary Yelton, executive director said, “At some point, every business, individual and family has some information that requires secure destruction of confidential information. Customer lists, credit card and sales receipts, tax records, personnel and payroll information, account numbers, social security numbers, medical or legal information and anything that has a signature are just some of the many documents that need to be shredded.

Recently enacted laws mandating document destruction and protection of certain types of information also help ensure compliance with state and federal guidelines such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Sarbanes-Oxley Financial Responsibility Act,” Yelton said.

In addition to the actual shredding, Rowan Vocational Opportunities is offering several services to make the experience more convenient and efficient, such as:

• Facility-based walk in (50 cents per pound).

• Materials can be securely picked up from your business, home or storage facility and transported for destruction. Your documents are handled with integrity and professionalism.

• A locked secure container can be left at your site and picked up on a weekly or monthly basis as needed.

Identity theft and fraud can be eliminated as documents are shredded into tiny, illegible bits to ensure security with our new HIPAA compliant cross-cut industrial shredder.

Rowan Vocational Opportunities provides individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities the opportunity to receive vocational and life skills training in an effort to maintain gainful employment.

Ted Oglesby, who runs the shredding department at RVO said, “We see this as a community service, and it also provides a significant amount of work for many of our consumers who might not be able to function in a competitive work environment given this tight economy.”

Shredding will be offered at a discounted rate to individuals 55 years and older (25 cents per pound) who bring their documents by Rowan Vocational Opportunities, located at 2728 Old Concord Road in Salisbury.

For additional information, contact Oglesby at (704) 633-6223.

Cherry is director of community affairs at Rowan Vocational Opportunities Inc., a nonprofit that provides work and life skills to people with developmental disabilities.