NIB Supporting Power & Pride ADA Gala July 26, 2010

National Industries for the Blind is helping the Committee on Disability Power & Pride celebrate the 20th anniversary of the historic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with a Gala celebration on July 26, 2010 at the National Press Club (529 14th St., NW), 7 to 11 p.m.

"We are proud to support Disability Power & Pride, including its e-Commerce website, which helps to create jobs for people who are blind or have other significant disabilities," said NIB President and CEO Kevin A. Lynch. "This dovetails with NIB's mission to enhance opportunities for economic and personal independence primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment."

This event follows a White House ceremony commemorating the ADA's enactment. Disability community leaders, champions, advocates and supporters in government, business, the arts, service organizations, academia and the grassroots will join together to celebrate the past and reinvigorate a movement to change the future. This Gala is the capstone event for the anniversary day.

Tony Coelho, Power & Pride Chair, and former Congressman who authored the ADA, said in a news release, "The words in our name -- Disability Power & Pride -- distill decades of dreams and struggles, progress and challenges, and reflect the life work of countless leaders, legislators, advocates, and individuals of all ages, abilities and political affiliations. Difficult work lies ahead to deliver on the ADA's promise, but to succeed we must come together, celebrate who we are, and build our political power."

"Each of our nation's civil rights movements have celebrated and built on hard-won legislative victories by reclaiming its identity and the power of 'differentness.' The same holds true with the disability rights movement. Same Struggle. Different Difference. Power & Pride reflects a coming of age for the disability community," says Jonathan Young, Vice Chair of Power & Pride and Chairman of the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency that makes policy recommendations to the President and Congress.

Disability Power & Pride is a movement (more than a non-profit organization) that mobilizes all Americans with disabilities, their families, friends and allies, to speak (and sign) with one powerful voice. Information is available at www.mypowerandpride.org. Power & Pride's identity campaign, made possible through the support of National Industries for the Blind (NIB), is being launched in connection with the ADA 20th Anniversary. Visit www.mypowerandpride.com.

Power & Pride is grateful for generous support from its sponsors, led by AT&T. "We are pleased to support a leader in the disability community like Disability Power & Pride," said Cindy Brinkley, AT&T Senior Vice President, Talent Development & Chief Diversity Officer. "Throughout our history, AT&T has operated with the understanding that accessibility is more than a word; it is a commitment – to connecting all people with their worlds. That commitment drives innovation at AT&T; it reminds us to rethink possible — and it will continue to define our company and culture for decades to come."

Other Disability Power & Pride Gala sponsors include Esquire Bank, Unifund, NISH, Wounded Warrior Project, CSC, Bender Consulting, United Cerebral Palsy, Disability Opportunity Fund, Intel, The Arc of the United States, American Association of People with Disabilities and VSA.

Navy Exchange Service Command Signs Memorandum of Understanding with National Industries for the Blind

Photo caption: NIB President and CEO Kevin A. Lynch with Kimberly Zeich, deputy executive director, Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled and Rear Admiral Steven J. Romano, Supply Corps, U.S. Navy Commander, NEXCOM.

Alexandria, VA) National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) signed a memorandum of understanding June 21, 2010, with the intent to generate mutually beneficial business development initiatives through strategic sourcing of existing and new operational supplies, retail products, services, and contract management support.

“In just a few months we [NEXCOM and NIB] were able to come together to produce this memorandum of understand that will provide a strong framework for our partnership for collaboration and working together to identify opportunities for mutual success,” said Rear Admiral Steven J. Romano, Supply Corps, U.S. Navy, Commander, NEXCOM.

NIB President and CEO Kevin Lynch added: “NEXCOM is an important part of our military retail program. The Navy has always been a very strong supporter of the AbilityOne Program (JWOD) and this is a wonderful starting point for the future of our partnership.”

Next steps for both NIB and NEXCOM include site visits to some of NIB’s nonprofit agencies associated with the AbilityOne Program where thousands of people who are blind produce products that are sold through Navy Exchanges (NEX) and overseas NEX Depots.

About National Industries for the Blind
At NIB (www.NIB.org), our 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 88 associated agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program (Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program).

About Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM)
Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM), Virginia Beach, Va. NEXCOM is a non-appropriated organization employing 14,000 associates worldwide that provides management oversight for 104 Navy Exchanges, 42 Navy Lodges, 157 Navy Ship’s Stores, Military Sealift Command Ship’s Stores, Uniform Program Management Office, worldwide telecommunications services afloat and ashore, and the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility. Average annual revenue are $2.5 billion providing an estimated $450 million savings to Sailors and their families and $51.1 million in profit contribution to Navy’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation quality of life programs.

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Contact: Ken Murphy
Director of Communications
National Industries for the Blind
703-310-0500
kmurphy@nib.org

FEDERAL NEWS RADIO INTERVIEWS NIB CEO KEVIN LYNCH

Washington, DC, June 22, 2010
This week, host Larry Allen talks with Kevin Lynch, President and CEO, National Industries for the Blind. NIB’s mission is to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind.

Larry and Kevin discuss:
* An update on traditional NIB product offerings through the AbilityOne Program.
* How NIB is partnering with private sector partners
* Why NIB feels that they need to expand into services and what type of services they're exploring
* And federal contract support services being offered by NIB to the federal government and Department of Defense

Download or listen to Kevin Lynch’s interview with Larry Allen

Coalition for Government Procurement provides a voice for commercial service and product companies selling in the federal market. The Coalition has 29 years of working with decision makers in and out of government on acquisition rules and procurement issues and provides a unique perspective from their members that is shared whenever procurement policy is debated.

NIB AD in Washington Examiner GI Film Festival Guide

NIB is building awareness for SKILCRAFT® and the AbilityOne Program by supporting the GI Film Festival with an ad in the special insert of today’s Washington Examiner (distributed on the metro) and in a special Sunday edition that will be distributed at the GI Film Festival.

View our ad in the special Washington Examiner insert online (page two):

NIB has a similar ad in the official program. The Festival runs May 11-16. We have a shared booth with the Examiner on Saturday May 15 (Armed Forces Day and the largest film day of the Festival) and Sunday, May 16. We are also providing SKILCRAFT government pens in the VIP gift bags. About 4,000 attendees are expected.

Hollywood stars conducting seminars include: Glenn Close, Gary Sinese (CSI and Forest Gump fame), Ricky Schroeder. The event also features VIP receptions with Members of Congress, the Administration and Department of Defense, along with film makers.

The GI film festival will have significant media coverage and has an impressive list of sponsors (see them online – link below).

GI Film Festival site

Tim Sanders Keynote Speaker at Opportunity Forum June 14, 2010

Tim Sanders believes that social responsibility and sustainability are hotbeds for business innovation. Companies that focus on these areas will attract new customers as well as boost the morale of employees and partners. Along the way, they’ll save money too!

Tim has deep experience in cutting-edge businesses and marketing. He’s weathered the quality movement as well as the dotcom crash and emerged with precious insight. He was the Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo! and later its Leadership Coach. Prior to his senior positions at Yahoo!, Tim created and led the Yahoo! ValueLab, an in-house “think tank” that delivered futuristic insight on technology and human behavior.

View/listen to one of Tim's speeches.

Tim Sanders: Mojo Rising Keynote from Tim Sanders on Vimeo.

2010 NIB/NAEPB Opportunity Forum
June 13-15, 2010
Westin Kierland
Scottsdale, Arizona

Join us at the 2010 NIB/NAEPB Opportunity Forum in Arizona! Focused on the theme, “A New Decade: Get Ready to Engage,” the event will provide excellent networking opportunities among NIB associated agencies, customers, suppliers and contractors with the goal of increasing business that creates more jobs for people who are blind.

The forum will include a spacious indoor supplier exhibit area, informative and motivational speakers including: Susan Brita, Deputy Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and Rear Admiral Mark F. Heinrich, Supply Corps, United States Navy Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers, and practical skill-development sessions from Tom Cross, University of Virginia Darden School of Business faculty.

Click on the following links for more information:
View the draft agenda
Register for the Opportunity Forum
Make hotel reservations

Note: NIB’s conference rate expires May 21 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time -- so make your reservation now!

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) is a Central Nonprofit Agency (CNA)authorized under the Javits Wagner O’Day Act (JWOD) – now called AbilityOne by The Committee For Purchase from People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled. NISH is another CNA that operates under the AbilityOne Program. SKILCRAFT products are produced and sold through the AbilityOne Program by people who are blind or severely disabled.

U.S. Census Using Bags Made by Industries for the Blind Milwaukee

Read the entire story online: American Chronicle – 05/02/2010
By Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On Saturday, May 2, some 635,000 census takers in Wisconsin and across the nation will begin the task of going door to door to contact around 48 million households that did not return 2010 census forms.

"The bag serves multiple purposes," said Chuck Lange, president of the Industries for the Blind [Milwaukee]. "The census takers keep their papers, pens and pencils in there. And the bag identifies the census takers."

The organization also produced the binders that census takers will use. Those binders were manufactured in West Allis and in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Contact: U.S. Census Bureau

Industries for the Blind in Milwaukee and Kalamazoo, Michigan are members of the National Industries for the Blind. They produce SKILCRAFT and other products sold to the U.S. Federal Government and Department of Defense through the AbilityOne Program.

SKILCRAFT U.S. Government Pens Features in Washington Post Story

The 41-year-old National Industries for the Blind SKILCRAFT U.S. Government Pen is being called an “American icon” in a feature story that ran on the front page of the Washington Post on April 18, 2010. Washington Post reporter Ylan Mui became interested in the “ubiquitous” pen after finding dozens of them around her house. An excerpt from her story, which has also been syndicated nationally, is below:

Excerpt: For more than 40 years, standard black pens have cluttered the desks of thousands of federal employees, hung on a chain at post offices across the country and slipped into the pockets of countless military personnel. Yet few have realized that this government-issue pen has a history to rival that of any monument.

Blind workers assemble the pens in factories in Wisconsin and North Carolina under the brand name SKILCRAFT as part of a 72-year-old legislative mandate. The original 16-page specifications for the pen are still in force: It must be able to write continuously for a mile and in temperatures up to 160 degrees and down to 40 degrees below zero.

It has been used in war zones and gas stations, and was designed to fit undetected into U.S. military uniforms. According to company lore, the pen can stand in for a two-inch fuse and comes in handy during emergency tracheotomies.

"It's the Coca-Cola of ink pens," said Richard Oliver, operations manager for Industries of the Blind in North Carolina. "Everybody recognizes this pen. It's amazing."

Read the full story, “Low-Tech SKILCRAFT Pens Endure in a High-Tech World,” in the Washington Post online. Don’t forget to read the comments by readers from around the country! Registration may be required (it’s free). Read the related story in the Herald-Tribune.com. SKILCRAFT products and services are sold to the federal government and U.S. military through the AbilityOne Program.

For more information, contact Ken Murphy at 703-310-0500 kmurphy@nib.org