Associated Agency

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 […]

Employees at NIB associated nonprofit agencies take great pride in the work they do, particularly on behalf of the military and veterans. But their pride — and interests — don’t stop when the workday ends. For many, employment at NIB associated agencies empowers them to not only live more independent lives, but to make meaningful […]

Employees at NIB associated nonprofit agencies take great pride in the work they do, particularly providing SKILCRAFT® products and services to the military and veterans. But their pride — and interests — don’t stop when the workday ends. For many, employment at NIB associated agencies empowers them to not only live more independent lives, but […]

Cynthia Watson would take exception to Thomas Wolfe’s assertion that you can’t  go home again. The Texas native is indeed back home as president and CEO of the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, where she is making history herself as both the first female president and CEO and the first president […]

Launched in June 2010, the Quality Work Environment (QWE) program is an initiative of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission® that focuses on skill development and upward career mobility for employees who are blind. Recognizing that dynamic work environments require a flexible and continuous approach to improvement, the AbilityOne Commission developed the QWE program to help NIB […]

Each year, NIB recognizes associated nonprofit agencies for outstanding efforts to carry out our mission in three categories: Overall achievement, the Quality Work Environment initiative, and AbilityOne Base Supply Centers®. Overall Achievement NIB recognizes three associated agencies that achieve excellence in compliance, contract performance, and efforts to retain or increase employment for people who are […]

“Being blind doesn’t stop me from serving my country,” says Scott Smith, U.S. Navy veteran, 2020 Employee of the Year from NIB associated agency IFB Solutions, and an outspoken advocate for people who are blind. Smith followed two generations of his family into the Navy, serving for four years as a boiler technician in the […]