NIB Celebrates 85 Years of Creating Employment Opportunities for People Who Are Blind

In 1938, the United States was nearly a decade into the Great Depression. The unemployment rate was up, and production rates were down. The world had a very limited idea of what people who were blind could do, making employment even harder to obtain. However, there was hope on the horizon. President Franklin D. Roosevelt […]

An American Classic Turns 55

In 1967, the General Services Administration (GSA) had a problem. The standard-issue U.S. government pen had been redesigned to stringent new specifications, which the private company making the pen couldn’t meet. Instead, they delivered 13 million defective pens to GSA. Looking for a new supplier, GSA Commissioner Heinz Abersfeller asked National Industries for the Blind […]

The Rehabilitation Act Turns 50

This year marks an important holiday in the history of our nation: The 50th anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. While most people are familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which will be 33 years old on July 26, fewer are familiar with the Rehabilitation Act. But the Rehab […]

Empowering Employment for 85 Years

Sunday, June 25, marks the 85th anniversary of the Wagner-O’Day Act, the legislation that led to the creation of National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and ultimately, the AbilityOne® Program. The act, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, directed government agencies to give priority to suppliers employing people who are blind […]

Study Illustrates Cost, Impact of Workplace Accommodations

As the labor market remains strong, employers looking to retain valued employees are renewing efforts to provide workplace accommodations. A recent study from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers good news – a majority of workplace accommodations cost less than $500 to implement, with nearly half having no cost at all. From January 1, 2019, […]

Read the NIB Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report 

The NIB annual report for fiscal year 2022 is now available on the NIB.org website. The 2022 annual report, Focus Forward, spotlights NIB’s significant achievements in 2022 and new initiatives aimed at growing employment opportunities for people who are blind, including public policy advocacy, partnerships with leaders in information technology to provide job training, and […]

Happy Holidays!

As 2022 draws to a close, NIB and its nationwide network of associated nonprofit agencies wish you and yours a pleasant holiday season and a healthy and prosperous 2023. The NIB Connection will return on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.

Happy Thanksgiving

As families and friends gather, NIB and its nationwide network of associated nonprofit agencies wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving and joyous holiday season.

Supporting Veterans Throughout the Year

As Veterans Day approaches, NIB and its associated nonprofit agencies are proud to recognize the vital role veterans of the U.S. armed forces play in today’s workforce. As an organization, we’re honored to count more than 500 veterans as employees in our nationwide network of associated agencies. Together with our associated agencies and our talent […]

NIB Celebrates 2022 Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award Winner Jennifer Holladay

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 […]