National Industries for the Blind (NIB) remains disappointed and dismayed by the continued focus the National Council on Disability (NCD) places on eliminating the AbilityOne Program; a program that provides employment for nearly 37,000 individuals who are blind or significantly disabled, meets federal laws and regulations, and provides a variety of career opportunities that align with people’s desires and expectations.
In its report, instead of learning more about the work of NIB and others, NCD relied on anecdotal, antiquated, and inaccurate data about the AbilityOne Program. AbilityOne associated nonprofit agencies provide safe, secure, and welcoming work environments where accommodation is not seen as a requirement, but as a normal course of business—ensuring individuals who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired work in inclusive and supportive workplaces.
NIB has worked closely with the U.S. AbilityOne Commission to update and improve the AbilityOne Program and has implemented past NCD recommendations. We believe that this collaboration with the federal government should continue to ensure we continually modernize and improve the program.
People who are blind or have significant disabilities deserve to benefit from a community of organizations that focus on identifying all options for securing employment that provides good wages, excellent benefits, and an environment in which to achieve success. It is disconcerting that NCD would want to take this away.
It is NIB’s hope that, instead of advocating to scrap the AbilityOne Program, NCD would instead embrace a spirit of cooperation to provide the freedom of informed choice, opportunity, and fulfillment of the American Dream in order to, one day, significantly reduce unemployment in our community.