National Industries for the Blind

On Wednesday, a group of recently hired NIB employees visited associated nonprofit agency Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) in Baltimore. They toured the facility and heard from BISM leadership about the organization’s history, product lines, and rehabilitation programs. NIB staff were able to examine books in the braille library, speak with an assistive technology instructor, and interact with students in BISM’s Independence Training and Rehabilitation program as they practiced cooking chicken and waffles in one of the agency kitchens. Thank you to BISM for hosting our team! Picture 1: NIB staff visit the BISM woodshop, which includes no adaptive technology for students in BISM's rehabilitation program to use as they create objects such as chess boards, knife blocks, desks, and more. Picture 2: Wall and desk calendars are among the many paper products BISM produces. Picture 3: BISM Director of Sales Minh Tri Dang shows off a frame developed by a BISM staff member that helps employees who are blind precisely place labels on bottles of hand sanitizer. Picture 4: Minh Tri Dang explains that the only accommodations for students in the kitchen are braille additions to the stove and microwave. BISM's Independence Training and Rehabilitation program requires students who are blind to prepare both a small meal for four to five people, as well as a buffet-style meal for about 30, from start to finish. NIB employees pose for a group photo following the BISM tour. Picture 5: NIB employees pose for a group photo following the BISM tour. #NationalIndustriesfortheBlind #BISM

During last month's NIB/NEAPB Training Conference and Expo, attendees could earn points toward winning prizes, including a pair of free Envision glasses, by visiting different sessions and exhibits, or by scanning QR codes placed at tables during the Expo, which featured nearly 100 exhibitors. The winner with the most points – 4,450 – was Brandi Meitzler, a Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year nominee from LCI in Durham, North Carolina, and the lucky recipient of the Envision glasses! "I want to thank NIB for the glasses," Meitzler said in an email. So far, she has used the glasses both at work and while shopping at the grocery store. "I have been learning to use them over the past week, and I love them." #NationalIndustriesfortheBlind #Envision #LCI

National Industries for the Blind remains disappointed and dismayed by the continued focus the National Council on Disability (NCD) places on eliminating the AbilityOne Program; a program that provides employment for nearly 37,000 individuals who are blind or significantly disabled, meets federal laws and regulations, and provides a variety of career opportunities that align with people’s desires and expectations.?? In "National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, 2024," instead of learning more about the work of NIB and others, NCD relied on anecdotal, antiquated, and inaccurate data about the AbilityOne Program. AbilityOne associated nonprofit agencies provide safe, secure, and welcoming work environments where accommodation is not seen as a requirement, but as a normal course of business—ensuring individuals who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired work in inclusive and supportive workplaces. ?? NIB has worked closely with the U.S. AbilityOne Commission to update and improve the AbilityOne Program and has implemented past NCD recommendations. We believe that this collaboration with the federal government should continue to ensure we continually modernize and improve the program. People who are blind or have significant disabilities deserve to benefit from a community of organizations that focus on identifying all options for securing employment that provides good wages, excellent benefits, and an environment in which to achieve success. It is disconcerting that NCD would want to take this away. ? It is NIB’s hope that, instead of advocating to scrap the AbilityOne Program, NCD would instead embrace a spirit of cooperation to provide the freedom of informed choice, opportunity, and fulfillment of the American Dream in order to, one day, significantly reduce unemployment in our community.

?? Agency Spotlight: Lighthouse Louisiana at NIB’s Accessible Technology Showcase! Lighthouse Louisiana was an exhibitor at AccessTech, a smart office and accessible technology showcase event held as part of the annual NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo in October. More than 900 attendees had the chance to learn about the latest assistive technologies on the market and meet directly with the vendors who provide them. Lighthouse Louisiana is one of NIB's nearly 100 associated nonprofit agencies across the country dedicated to empowering people who are blind and ensuring they have the opportunity to succeed. At its locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Lighthouse Louisiana provides vital services for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, d/Deaf, or have other disabilities, helping people gain independence and confidence every day. It also offers a wide variety of accessibility tools, from smart glasses and on-the-go video magnifiers to braille Uno cards. #EmpoweringIndependence #DisabilityAdvocacy #LighthouseLouisiana #AccessibleTechnology #NIB

Base Supply Center (BSC) Excellence Award: The Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington, DC, operated by IFB Solutions. Since opening in May 2001, the DOE BSC has set a high standard for exceptional customer service and quality office supplies, proudly serving the DOE community. What truly sets the DOE BSC apart is its unwavering commitment to inclusivity and impact. The store employs between two and four talented individuals who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired. Plus, more than 60% of its inventory features AbilityOne items, ensuring an Essentially the Same (ETS) product-free environment. Under the dedicated leadership of manager Shawn Blanks, the DOE BSC team continues to elevate the customer experience. DOE leadership recognizes the critical value of having an AbilityOne BSC onsite, fostering job opportunities for people who are blind while supporting the DOE's mission. From left: DOE BSC clerks Debbie Adjei (left) and Yvette Lyles (center) with Store Manager Shawn Blanks. #NationalIndustriesfortheBlind #BSC #DOE #AbilityOne #InclusiveEmployment #CustomerService #CommunityImpact

This year, NIB and our nearly 100 associated nonprofit agencies nationwide united behind a powerful public policy goal: securing Congressional adoption of a 1% AbilityOne Program utilization goal for the United States Department of Defense. Danny Kelly is the president and CEO of NIB associated nonprofit agency IFB Solutions in Winston-Salem, NC. He lost his vision to retinitis pigmentosa and has been at the forefront of this effort. In this video, Danny explains how the 1% goal could make a huge impact in creating employment opportunities for people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired. “People who are blind face an extremely high unemployment rate, and we need to put those people to work. And this is a way that you can do it, at virtually no cost to the taxpayer,” Kelly explains. “A 1% goal may sound small, but in the context of a $900-billion-dollar defense budget, 1% can make a huge impact.” Learn more about this important mission and how you can help #ChampionEmploymentGrowth: https://lnkd.in/eSQJKuB5

As we honor and celebrate Veterans and Military families this month, we’re excited to share that NIB has been selected as a Military Spouse Employment Partnership--MSEP Small Business partner! ?? This recognition from the United States Department of Defense highlights our commitment to supporting military spouses by offering flexible job opportunities, telework, and more. As an MSEP SB partner, we’re proud to create meaningful employment pathways and help close the wage gap for military families. Additionally, NIB is honored to have earned the Disabled American Veteran (DAV) Patriot Employer and Virginia, Values, Veterans (V3) Certified Employer designations, further demonstrating our dedication to hiring veterans, military members, and their families. We look forward to working with MSEP to connect military spouses with great career opportunities and continue supporting those who serve our nation. Read more: https://bit.ly/3YXaIMz #NIB #MSEP #MilitarySpouseEmployment #DAVPatriotEmployer #HiringHeroes #SupportOurTroops #MilitaryFamilies #InclusiveEmployment #Veterans #NIBproud #WorkplaceFlexibility

This year, we were thrilled to open our AccessTech event with a special screening of the Oscar-nominated short film "Feeling Through" - the story of how a late-night encounter on a New York City street led to a profound connection between a teen in need and a DeafBlind man. Written and directed by Doug Roland, "Feeling Through" is the first film to feature a DeafBlind actor in a lead role. After sharing the film with audiences around the world, Roland and NIB associated nonprofit agency Helen Keller Services continued their collaboration alongside the DeafBlind community to build “Feeling Through Studio,” a learning platform where disabled presenters teach users about disability through an entertaining, video-based approach. Currently featuring 30+ DeafBlind presenters, “Feeling Through Studio” is utilized by institutions as a fun and engaging tool to create systemic change in the perception of and collaboration with people with disabilities. We were also honored to host a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Hoby Wedler, host of NIB’s Heard & Empowered podcast, featuring Doug Roland, writer and director of "Feeling Through"; Susan Ruzenski, CEO of Helen Keller Services and producer of "Feeling Through'"; Roberto Cabrera, director of the Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf STEM Academy; and David D’Arcangelo, president and CEO of Arc Angel Communications and member of the NIB Board of Directors. To learn more and watch this powerful story, visit: https://bit.ly/4hQbgva #FeelingThrough #AccessTech2024 #InclusionMatters #HelenKellerServices

On October 31, NIB President and CEO Soraya Correa was one of 11 speakers who helped celebrate the grand opening of the brand-new Envision, Inc. Dallas Farmer’s Branch facility. Soraya and the other guests toured the new building, which consolidates all of its operations under one roof. During the tour, she met with a number of Envision employees and found a familiar face in Keela Alonzo, Envision's 2024 Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year, who recently attended the NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo. Picture 1: Soraya Correa (left), NIB president and CEO, with Keela Alonzo, Envision's 2024 Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year. Picture 2: Soraya Correa (right) with Michael Monteferrante (left), Envision president and CEO, and Michael Gallops, IOM, TDM (center), president/CEO of the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce. Pictures 3-4: A large crowd gathered for the grand opening celebration. Pictures 5-6: NIB President and CEO Soraya Correa was one of 11 speakers at the event. #NationalIndustriesfortheBlind #Envision

Registration is now open for NIB’s 2024 Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Forum, which will be held December 11-12 at Horizon Industries in Tyler, Texas. The 2024 forum is cohosted by Horizon Industries, a division of East Texas Lighthouse for The Blind. With the theme “Enhancing the Network for Continuous Improvement,” this event provides an opportunity for NIB associated nonprofit agency personnel to network, receive training, and expand their CPI programs. Learn more and register now: https://ow.ly/WzVq50U5Hi8 #NationalIndustriesfortheBlind #CPI #HorizonIndustries #EastTexasLighthousefortheBlind