National Industries for the Blind Recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month

NIB Associated Agency Employee of the Year Nominees Honored at National Conference

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This October, National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation's largest employment resource for people who are blind, is recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and the significant impact that people who are blind make in the workforce. Observed annually, NDEAM celebrates the contributions of employees with disabilities both past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. The U.S. Department of Labor named the 2022 NDEAM theme as "Disability: Part of the Equity Equation," recognizing the vital role people with disabilities play in making the nation's workforce diverse and inclusive.

This year, 74 NIB associated agency employees who are blind were nominated for two NIB national awards for their professional achievements and value they bring to their organizations and customers. The nominees will be recognized at the NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo in Arlington, Virginia, on October 3–7, 2022.

NIB is proud to highlight these employees that are making a difference through their professional skills and dedication to their careers. From coast-to-coast, the nominees represent a broad range of industries from manufacturing to highly technical services that showcase the unlimited capabilities of people who are blind.

One example is nominee Khadija Bari is a college careers program manager at VISIONS/Service for the Blind and Visually Impaired, an NIB associated agency located in in New York City. She helps identify potential worksites and prepare adult clients for employment. Outside of work, she serves as an advocate for young women, particularly women of color who have disabilities.

"We recognize the vital workplace contributions and accomplishments of people who are blind and visually impaired every day. NDEAM is reminder of the vital role people who are blind play in their organizations and the American workforce," said NIB President and CEO Kevin Lynch.

Throughout October, NIB will share resources for employees who are blind, tips for employers seeking to hire people who are blind, and stories from people who are blind working at NIB associated agencies. Follow NIB on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook and visit https://NIB.org to learn more.

Since 1938, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has focused on enhancing the opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining, and improving employment. NIB and its network of associated nonprofit agencies are the nation's largest employer of people who are blind through the manufacture and provision of SKILCRAFT® and other products and services of the AbilityOne® Program. For more information about NIB, visit NIB.org. 

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SOURCE National Industries for the Blind