Thought Leadership

For more than 80 years, NIB and its associated nonprofit agencies have embraced creativity and innovation to expand employment opportunities for people who are blind. Back when NIB was formed in 1938, society had a very limited view of what people who are blind could accomplish. Those who were able to find work were often […]

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) is honored to present the 2020 R.B. Irwin Award to Dr. A. Gidget Hopf. The Irwin Award, NIB’s highest honor, recognizes Dr. Hopf for her innovative work creating employment opportunities for people who are blind. Dr. Hopf recently retired as CEO of NIB associated nonprofit agency Association for the […]

Growth by its very nature requires change, and NIB has always been about growth. Not just growing the number of people who are blind employed in our associated nonprofit agencies but growing new opportunities for people who are blind to pursue careers in fields of their choosing. And as technological advances have changed our economy, […]

June 25 marks the 82nd anniversary of the Wagner-O’Day Act, the law that created what is today known as the AbilityOne® Program. When the Act was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, society had a very limited view of the capabilities of people who are blind. Passage of the Act and […]

The ongoing COVID-19 crisis continues to have tremendous impact on everyone, regardless of ability or disability. For people who are blind, assistive technology is now more critical than ever for staying connected to the world. As we all adjust to social distancing and teleworking, we’ve put together a few resources to help everyone navigate this […]

Welcome to the National Industries for the Blind blog! We look forward to sharing with you news and stories about our mission to enhance the independence of people who are blind and the incredible people working in our associated nonprofit agencies through posts on a variety of topics.