Associated Agency

For NIB associated nonprofit agency Bestwork Industries for the Blind, 2023 is full of promise. Bestwork is diversifying from a successful textile manufacturing facility making uniform apparel for the U.S. military into a multi-faceted operation pursuing new lines of business and initiating rehabilitation services.  Founded in 1981 by WWII veteran Jim Varsaci, who lost his […]

Longtime advocate Lauren Branch is passionate about the need for organizations serving people who are blind to come together and find common ground to advance their interests. As president and CEO of NIB associated nonprofit agency NewView Oklahoma, a member of the NIB board of directors, and chair of the VisionServe Alliance executive committee, she […]

For nearly 90 years, NIB associated nonprofit agency Lighthouse for the Blind, St. Louis, has provided employment opportunities as well as educational and support services for people who are blind. The agency distinguishes itself by directing most of its community outreach efforts — and proceeds from its manufacturing activities — toward serving school-age children and […]

To say Jennifer Holladay keeps busy as manager of information and volunteer services at the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) is an understatement. Her role involves leading four staff members and hundreds of volunteers who help the agency throughout the year with special events, mailings, audio information services, and more. “My […]

For Warren Walker, the 2022 Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year Award winner from Bestwork Industries for the Blind in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, being nominated by his co-workers as the agency’s employee of the year was particularly meaningful. Being selected by NIB as the national winner of the Salmon award is something he […]

When Blind and Vision Rehabilitation Services (BVRS) of Pittsburgh opened its doors as a manufacturer in 1910, no one could have imagined the opportunities it would present to people who are blind or visually impaired in 2022. Over the years, the NIB associated nonprofit agency has pursued cutting-edge employment opportunities and training while never forgetting […]

Headquartered in Baltimore, NIB associated nonprofit agency Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM), has been providing employment opportunities and life skills training programs to people who are blind or have low vision since 1908. Its multifaceted manufacturing operations employ nearly 500 people at three Maryland locations — Baltimore, Federalsburg, and Salisbury — and in […]

Reynaldo Villareal’s rise at NIB associated nonprofit agency Valley Center for the Blind (VCB) in Fresno, California, has been meteoric, and for good reason. “His ability to connect with people and support them through challenges has made him invaluable at the agency,” says VCB Executive Director Shellena Heber. “Reynaldo is a wonderful leader, a caring […]

NIB associated nonprofit agency Bosma Enterprises packages and ships more than half a billion exam and surgical gloves a year, so the need for speed and accuracy is critical. The agency got both in Emily Kanis, the 2021 national Peter J. Salmon Award winner. The award, which honors employees who excel in their positions at […]

Since 1906, The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired has been one of the nation’s most comprehensive organizations serving people who are blind, visually impaired, and disabled, including veterans. While the Chicago Lighthouse has seen its share of history – including two World Wars and global pandemics –it’s made history of […]