NIB Connection

The COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions on personal interactions compelled many NIB associated nonprofit agencies to develop creative ways to restructure their in-person community programs to online formats. The results have been a virtual success. Alphapointe, an NIB associated agency headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, recently launched Infopointe, an online learning platform that offers presentations […]

The COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions on personal interactions have been difficult for everyone, but they can be particularly difficult for people who are blind, who often rely on their sense of touch to interact with the world. To help ease the feeling of isolation caused by pandemic restrictions, NIB associated nonprofit agencies have developed creative ways to restructure their in-person community programs to continue delivering services that are critical to their clients’ […]

Surveying the efforts of NIB and associated agency employees during the coronavirus pandemic, new Board Chair Paul M. Healy, Ph.D., is inspired. “I am very proud that NIB and its associated agencies have been part of a team to support our nation during the pandemic,” he says. “That speaks volumes for the organization, its integrity, […]

As society strives to recognize the talents of all people, employers are coming to understand the positive impact a varied workforce can have on innovation and productivity. People who are blind are an often-overlooked segment of society that have proven to be highly talented and capable employees yet face a staggeringly high unemployment rate: Nearly […]

Fiscal year 2020 was a challenging one all over the world, and an extraordinary moment in NIB’s 82-year history. Not only did NIB rise to the demands of a once-in-a-century pandemic, it also made significant progress in its mission to grow employment for Americans who are blind. NIB created 378 new employment opportunities for people […]

The AbilityOne contract management support (CMS) program has grown quickly over the past decade, creating many professional career opportunities who are blind or visually impaired. NIB continues working to expand CMS to more federal agencies, explains Billy Parker, NIB program director for employment support service. “Once federal employers see a CMS team in action, they’re […]

For more than a decade, the AbilityOne Contract Management Support (CMS) program has been providing people who are blind the opportunity to build professional career paths with real potential for advancement. But perhaps the program’s most valuable achievement is giving people who are blind a sense of independence again. Many CMS employees were employed before […]

In 2020, the AbilityOne Contract Management Support (CMS) program celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Today, it continues to thrive and expand, offering professional employment to people who are blind or have significant disabilities, all while saving taxpayers’ money by providing an invaluable service to the Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies. The program’s roots […]

For many, the long pandemic of 2020 has resulted in significant Zoom, social media, Netflix, and other remote technology fatigue. For avid readers who are blind or visually impaired, however, the nationwide shutdowns are providing time to rediscover the value of remote access to tens of thousands of best-selling braille and talking books and magazines. […]

In 1992, the United Nations declared December 3 the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD), a day dedicated to appreciation, celebration, and advancement of the more than 1 billion people around the world living with disabilities. National Industries for the Blind (NIB) is proud to support IDPWD and to work with institutions spanning a […]