Our History
The Green Abilities program started in 2010, when Julie Rizzo realized her granite recycling processes were very repetitive. She knew there had to be a solution and was determined to find it.
Our partnerships include: TradeWinds, Paladin, Opportunity Enterprises, Vocational Rehabilitation and several area high schools to further advance training processes.
Green Abilities Certification
In 2010, Julie volunteered for a year with TAP (Transition To Adulthood) students between the ages of 18-21 at two local high schools in Northwest Indiana. By giving over 50 students a chance to showcase their abilities, she was able to develop procedures that would help them identify color specifications, packaging formulations, sorting techniques and a host of additional technical manufacturing processes to recycle materials such as granite, wood and other reclaimed waste streams.
Award Winning Achievements
The Green Abilities innovation process been recognized in the U.S. Congressional Record twice. Julie was honored as a Fellow in the prestigious Society of Innovators and has won many awards including: Working Woman of the Year, Indiana Commission for Women Torchbearer, Green Light Hall of Fame and many more.
"My goal is to grow the Green Abilities program across the country. By giving people a chance to prove their abilities we can create hundreds of jobs with materials that are being sent to landfills." Julie Rizzo - Green Abilities Founder
