History

On Our Own Services, Inc. was founded in 1991 with a simple but powerful mission: to create meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with differing abilities. That mission is deeply personal to us. Our President was inspired by his twin brother, Ian, who was born with a disability. As Ian grew older and aged out of the school system, he worked several jobs—but none truly fit his abilities or allowed him to thrive. That experience became the driving force behind building something better.

We began with just 17 part-time employees, including our current President and secretary treasurer, united by the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to work, contribute, and succeed.

Later that year, in November 1991, we were awarded our first contracts: janitorial services at the TxDOT Houston District Office and grounds maintenance and janitorial services at the Baytown County Safety Rest Area.

In April 1992, we took a major step forward when we launched Texas Department of Transportation litter operations across Harris, Galveston, and Brazoria counties. In a single day, our team grew from 53 to 157, a moment that marked both rapid growth and a deepening commitment to our mission.

That momentum continued and by May 1992, we expanded into janitorial and custodial services in Dallas and surrounding areas. Just a few months later, in July, we began providing janitorial and landscaping services across multiple Texas Department of Transportation districts.

Since 1994, we have proudly maintained a litter pickup contract with the City of Houston. What started as a single crew has grown into six dedicated crews, now employing more than 55 individuals with disabilities in that program alone.

In 1996 we expanded our operations with multiple TxDOT safety rest areas in the San Antionio District. In 2006 we were awarded a fifteen-month full maintenance contract for the Guadalupe County Safety Rest Area. This was a partnership between TxDOT and On Our Own Services to give us the opportunity to demonstrate that individuals with disabilities could perform the services. Today we provide services to 26 rest area sites and every Rest Area in Texas is maintained and staffed by nonprofits participating in the WorksWonders  Program.

Today, On Our Own Services, Inc. operates across Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, employing more than 200 individuals with disabilities throughout the state of Texas. While we’ve grown significantly over the years, our purpose remains the same: to ensure that people like Ian—and so many others—have access to meaningful work, dignity, and opportunity.