West Valley View Newspaper Publishes NIB Editorial: Remember Blind Employees

The following Letter to the Editor was published by West Valley View Newspaper on September 7, 2010 following the 15th Anniversary Celebration of Focusworks AbilityOne Base Supply Center at Luke Air Force Base, Glendale, Arizona.

Editor:
As we approach Labor Day, I want to recognize the blind employees, military veterans and other staff who serve America at Luke AFB in Glendale, Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson and Yuma Marine Corp Air Station through the Arizona Industries for the Blind.
On Aug. 31, Focusworks will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center program at its Luke AFB facility, where blind employees manage mission critical supply stores and outfit service men and women for deployment throughout the world 24/7 365 days a year. They also support local federal agencies including the Army National Guard, the Veteran's Administration, 161st Refueling, ROTC, the U.S Marshals and Homeland Security.

Unemployment runs nearly 70 percent nationwide for people who are blind. Having a good paying job with benefits provides Focusworks' blind employees access to the American dream of economic and personal freedom for themselves and their families in the West Valley communities of Avondale, Goodyear, Glendale and Phoenix.

Labor Day is a fitting time to recognize the contribution Americans who are blind make to our country.

Kevin A. Lynch
President and CEO
National Industries for the Blind

Arizona Industries for the Blind operates the Focusworks BSC, which is one of 140 AbilityOne Base Supply Centers that employ 300 people who are blind. These stores also provide jobs for a workforce of more than 40,000 people who are blind or severely disabled who make SKILCRAFT products and provide services through AbilityOne Program contracts with the federal government and Department of Defense.

National Industries for the Blind is one of two Central Non-Profit Agency (CNA) under the Javits Wagner O'Day Act. NIB's mission is to create personal and economic employment opportunities for people who are blind. NISH also a CNA whose mission is to create employment opportunities for people who are blind or severely disabled. AbilityOne is a government program administered by the Committee For Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. AbilityOne is the program name for the Javits Wagner O'Day (JWOD) Act.

Blind Employees Serve America’s Military at Luke AFB Base Supply Center

Luke AFB Honor Guard Prepares to Open Celebration Anniversary of the Focusworks AbilityOne BSC Program. Foreground: Col. McCutchen, Vice Commander 944th with Bernie Richardson, Focusworks Store manager.

Glendale, AZ – For the past 13 years, five blind and five sighted employees at Focusworks Base Supply Center (BSC) on Luke Air Force Base have been providing on-base mission critical support and outfitting servicemen and women for deployment throughout the world. Today, these employees, and the Arizona Industries for the Blind (AIB), reached out to thank the community at Luke AFB for their support and to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center program.

Focusworks, operated by the Arizona Industries for the Blind, also locally supports the Army National Guard, the 161st Air Refueling Wing of the Arizona National Guard, the U.S. Air Force ROTC, as the Veteran’s Administration, the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Homeland Security.

There are 140 AbilityOne BSC facilities located at federal and military installations throughout the United States that provide employment to 300 Americans who are blind or severely disabled. More than 40,000 blind or disabled people are employed through the sale of products and services through the AbilityOne Program.

U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) praised the work of the AbilityOne Program and the Focusworks BSC in a letter of recognition presented during a program at Luke AFB.

“It is a great pleasure to offer my congratulations and thanks for your long standing service at Luke Air Force Base and to those who have helped make the AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program the success it is today.”

“Today’s celebration demonstrates how the America dream is available to people who are blind through business opportunities, followed by hard work, innovation and quality service,” said Kevin A. Lynch, president and CEO, National Industries for the Blind (pictured left).

The 100 attendees included service men and women from Luke AFB; Arizona Department of Economic Security Director Neal Young, Glendale Vice Mayor Steven Frate, Goodyear Vice Mayor Georgia Lord, Avondale Vice Mayor Jim McDonald and James Omvig, Vice Chair, Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled.

Goodyear, AZ Vice Mayor Georgia Lord with her husband Col. Lord (Ret) talks with Dan Martinez and April Lange both with Arizona Industries for the Blind during a tour of the Focusworks BSC Store.

Colonel Robert K. McCutchen, Jr., Vice Commander of the 944th Fighter Wing unit at Luke AFB, said: “Everybody wants to do the same thing – be productive, raise their family and contribute to our community. The staff [at Focusworks] does that every day and you are serving your country well.”

Left - Carlos Paraskeva, Arizona Industries for the Blind; James Omvig, Vice Chair, Committee for Purchase - center; Jerry Eastham, Focusworks employee - 15th Anniversary Celebration of AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program, Luke AFB.

“I know our employees at Focusworks – who live in Phoenix, Glendale, Avondale and Goodyear – sincerely appreciate Luke Air Force Base’s mission and their support of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center program,” said Dick Monaco, General Manager, AIB.

About National Industries for the Blind
NIB’s (www.NIB.org) mission is to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and 89 associated agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program, established by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act.

Focusworks AbilityOne Base Supply Store in Thunderbolt, Luke AFB Paper

Focusworks (pictured left), the AbilityOne Base Supply Center operated by Arizona Industries for the Blind at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, AZ is featured in a story in the August 27 edition of "Thunderbolt" the base newspaper http://www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb/pdf/

The story previews the August 31 Celebration Focusworks is hosting to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the AbilityOne BSC program. Dignitaries attending the celebration include:

• Kevin Lynch, President & CEO, National Industries for the Blind
  
• James Omvig, Vice Chair, Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
  
• Neal Young, Director for the Arizona Department of Economic Security
  
• Sandra S. Ledy, Military Affairs Specialist from U.S. Senator Jon Kyl’s Office
  
• Steven Frate, Vice Mayor of Glendale
  
• Georgia Lord, Vice Mayor of Goodyear(invited)
  
• Jim McDonald, Vice Mayor of Avondale
  
• Luke AFB Base Command Representative
  
• Carlos Paraskevas, Employee of Arizona Industries for the Blind
  

Read the story from this Google search:
Focusworks celebrates program's service
Aug 27, 2010 ... Focusworks BSC is operated by Arizona Industries for the Blind, a nonprofit agency, which is part of the Arizona Department of Economic ...
www.luke.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123219551
For more information: April Lange, Focusworks/Arizona Industries for the Blind

Arizona Industries for Blind AbilityOne BSC Celebration Luke Air Force Base

Focusworks AbilityOne Base Supply Center at Luke Air Force Base (pictured left)

Arizona Industries for Blind Celebrates 15 years of Service at Luke Air Force Base: 10:00 AM, Tuesday, August 31, 2010

GLENDALE —Focusworks AbilityOne Base Supply Center, operated by Arizona Industries for the Blind, will host a “Community Appreciation Day” at Luke Air Force Base, Tuesday, August 31, 2010 to celebrate 15 years of providing support to America’s servicemen and women and jobs for people who are blind or disabled.

The program will begin at 11:00 AM at Luke AFB. Please use the South Gate to enter the facilities. Because of security considerations, please plan to arrive no later than 10:15 AM.

For press credentials clearance, and maps showing how to reach the event, please contact Rob Vernon – 703-741-7536.**

WHAT: Celebrating 15th Anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center program’s service to the U.S. Military and federal government

WHO:
* Luke AFB Base Representatives
* DES Director Neal Young
* Glendale Vice Mayor Steven Frate
* Goodyear Vice Mayor Georgia Lord
* Avondale Vice Mayor Jim McDonald
* Representative from U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl
* Kevin Lynch, President & CEO, National Industries for the Blind
* James Omvig, Vice Chair, Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

WHEN: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
* Program begins at 11:00 AM
** NOTE: Media wishing to attend the event should arrive no later than 10:15 AM

WHERE: Luke AFB. Visitors must use the South Gate.

About Arizona Industries for the Blind: Focusworks BSC Stores
Focusworks supplies Luke AFB, Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson and the Yuma Marine Air Corps Station with uniform equipment, office supplies, furniture and other basic supplies at base stores that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Arizona Industries for the Blind, which is part of the Arizona Department of Economic Security, employs 75 legally blind individuals. The National Industries for the Blind and its 89 non-profit associated agencies employ 6,000 people who are blind through the AbilityOne Program. A total of 45,000 people who are blind or severely disabled are employed in producing products and services sold to the federal government and U.S. Military through the AbilityOne Program.

For Immediate Release Contact: Rob Vernon
August 24, 2010