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National Industries for the Blind (NIB)

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) seeks to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB operates under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program, a mandatory Federal purchasing program, enabling people who are blind to work and provide products and services to federal and commercial customers. It is one of the two (NISH being the other) central nonprofit agencies designated by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled under the JWOD Program.

By harnessing the demand and purchasing power of the Federal government, NIB and its associated agencies supply Federal markets with a selection of products and services under the trade name SKILCRAFT®. These are manufactured and provided by people who are blind at more than 83 associated agencies, operating 123 industries in 44 States.

NIB supports its associated agencies with business development; product and service research and development; program management; distribution channel development and support; marketing; sales; and contract administration.

NIB-associated agencies must generate at least seventy-five percent of their direct labor hours by persons who are blind under the JWOD program. NIB works with agencies to recommend workplace accommodations and adaptive technologies, manufacturing processes, job reengineering, feasibility studies, quality control and training. This enables associated agencies to modify jobs, equipment, processes and workflow to establish employment opportunities and to train employees with visual and other disabilities.

In addition to employment opportunities, NIB-associated agencies provide people who are blind with rehabilitative services, which may include early childhood intervention, adult literacy, low vision examinations and aids, Braille literacy, nutritional/health services, occupational/physical therapy, personal and career counseling, recreation, transportation, mobility, daily living skills, employment training and more

NIB Structure

The NIB organization consists of two principal offices--its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and a Technical Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The headquarters is responsible for overall administration, including Government and commercial business, military resale, financial management, rehabilitation services, sales, marketing and corporate communications, as well as nonprofit agencies' compliance with JWOD regulations. Headquarters staff also works with contracting activities and nonprofit agencies to identify potential JWOD products and services and guide them through the JWOD addition process, and perform other contract administration tasks and program development.

The Technical Center is a major source of engineering support for NIB-associated agencies, and on occasion, for contracting activities. Specialists with diversified expertise research state-of-the-art manufacturing methods and provide technical, pre-production, manufacturing, and quality engineering support. Engineers also develop special fixture and workstation modifications that enable people who are blind to participate in the provision of products or services.

Contact Information

National Industries for the Blind (NIB)
1901 North Beauregard Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, Virginia 22311-1727

Telephone: 703-998-0770
FAX: 703-998-8268

Email: info@nib.org

Source

Information for this topic was drawn from the website of the National Industries for the Blind at:
http://www.nib.org/

See Also:

Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program (JWOD)

NISH

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