NIB Connection

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 […]

This year, NIB associated nonprofit agency Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI)-Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, in Rochester, New York, is celebrating 30 years of working with 3M. Launched in 1990, the partnership was a first for an NIB associated agency and a private company. Interested in producing self-stick notes for sale to […]

Jeff Mittman always wanted to be the center of the attention, and as a U.S. Army Master Sergeant, he got what he wanted: Everything his soldiers did was up to him, from when they awoke, to how hard they trained. “The focus was on me, people spun around me, and I absolutely loved it,” Mittman […]

Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) reminds us of the value employees with disabilities bring to their communities and organizations. 2020 was a special year, marking both the 75th anniversary of NDEAM and the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. As we wrap up NDEAM, National Industries for […]

Being blind since birth, Rebecca Bridges always felt strongly that work experience would be critical to landing a job. By the time she graduated from college in Indiana, Bridges had completed three internships, including one in Washington D.C. “I fell for the D.C. area,” says Bridges, who recalls fending for herself on the transit system […]

NIB and its associated agencies have long known that given the right training and opportunities, there are few limits to what people who are blind can do. NIB’s Contract Management Support (CMS), Business Management Training (BMT), and Professional Mastery of Office Technology for Employment (ProMOTE) training programs prepare employees who are blind to reach their […]

Opening doors to greater independence and rewarding careers for people who are blind has been central to the AbilityOne Base Supply Center® (BSC) program since its beginning 25 years ago. As the program celebrates this milestone anniversary, NIB is spotlighting four BSC employees and the opportunities they found at BSCs. Kim Utley, Manager, Dover Air […]

In the mid-1990s – before 9/11 and the armed forces expansion that accompanied the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq – military bases were under pressure to cut costs. On-base stores that provided everything from office supplies to cleaning products for thousands of military personnel became prime targets. Once the stores closed, personnel began using newly […]

Nonprofit agencies associated with National Industries for the Blind (NIB) typically host in-person visits with policymakers at their facilities during the traditional August congressional recess. Given that nothing has been typical or traditional during the COVID-19 pandemic, NIB supported the agencies in creating a virtual Grassroots Advocacy Week to share with local, state, and federal […]

The first-ever NIB/NAEPB Virtual Training Conference and Expo, slated for October 13-14, is shaping up to be a “can’t miss” event. This year’s conference will combine the critical information and training attendees have come to expect, with networking opportunities and an exciting virtual expo where they can meet one-on-one with exhibitors to discuss business needs […]