COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED

www.abilityone.gov INSIDE: 

Learn how AbilityOne®

outfits our soldiers!
Highlights

See Page 20

See Page 26

AbilityOne® employees produce a variety of clothing and 

equipment for our Nation’s soldiers, including the Universal 

Camouflage Pattern uniforms being fabricated above and 

worn by the soldier on the front cover of this report.

Department of Defense 

Customer Spotlight Humanitarian Support

Following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, AbilityOne 

nonprofit agencies and their employees provided contact 

center support and supplies to aid in the relief effort.

Veterans Programs, Page 24 “Green” Solutions, Page 30

Mission:

Provide em loyment o ortunitie for eo le who are blind or

have other evere di abilitie in the manufacture and delivery

of roduct and ervice to the federal government.

Committee For pur hase From eople Who re Blind or everely isa led

1421 Jefferson Davis Hig way, JP2, uite 10800 ★ rlington, 22202-3259

ele one: 703-603-7740 ★ ax: 703-603-0655 ★ info@abilityone.gov 

www. bility ne.gov
Table of Contents

Letter from the Chairperson..................2

Historical Perspective ...........................4

Program History Timeline .....................4

Mission Accomplishments....................6

AbilityOne Program Structure ...............8

Committee Membership........................9

FY2010 Accomplishments ..................10

Employment Update............................12

From the Desk of the 

Executive Director...............................14

Sales Data ...........................................16

AbilityOne and Small Business............18

DoD Customer Spotlight.....................20

E.R. “Dick” Alley Career 

Achievement Award ............................23

Veterans Programs .............................24

Osborne A. “Oz” Day AbilityOne 

Awareness Award................................25

Humanitarian Support.........................26

Sustainability ......................................30

Strategic Partnerships.........................32

CEO Forums........................................33

AbilityOne Outreach ............................34

Stewardship and Compliance..............36

Small Giants........................................38

AbilityOne Network .............................40

AbilityOne Network Map......................44

AbilityOne Statistics by State ..............45

Introduction

In 1938, the idea that people who are 

blind or have other significant disabilities 

could contribute to or compete in the 

business world and that they should 

be afforded opportunities for gainful 

employment was a new and even 

radical concept. At the same time, the 

AbilityOne® Program founders believed 

in what many at that time viewed as an 

impossible mission. They believed that 

all individuals, regardless of disability, 

should have the opportunity to earn a 

living through meaningful employment 

and be valued members of society. By 

contrast, the founders saw this to be a 

Mission Possible and set about making 

that happen.

Now, 72 years later, in 2010, the 

Committee for Purchase From People Who 

Are Blind or Severely Disabled continued 

the transformation of the impossible 

into the possible for more than 47,000 

people who have such disabilities. This 

annual report features just a few of the 

individuals whose lives have been uplifted 

by the AbilityOne Program and whose 

dreams have been made possible through 

their own hard work and the combined 

efforts of the Committee and its AbilityOne 

Program partners.

The Committee is the independent 

Federal Agency that administers the 

AbilityOne Program, in partnership with 

two central nonprofit agencies (CNAs), 

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and 

NISH-Creating Employment Opportunities 

for People with Significant Disabilities. 

More than 600 nonprofit agencies (NPAs) 

associated with NIB or NISH produce 

and provide a wide array of products 

and services for the Federal Government 

under the AbilityOne Program.

In supporting Federal Government 

customers, people who are blind or have 

other significant disabilities and who are 

employed through the AbilityOne Program 

play a critical role in supporting some of 

our Nation’s most pressing challenges. 

These AbilityOne employees outfit U.S. 

soldiers currently deployed in Iraq and 

Afghanistan and other trouble spots 

around the world, contributing to the 

readiness of our Nation’s armed forces. 

AbilityOne employees rally to provide 

support during times of global crises, such 

as the devastating earthquake that took 

place in Haiti in January 2010. AbilityOne 

employees are also in the forefront of 

making environmental sustainability a 

reality by providing a variety of green 

products and services.

The AbilityOne Program makes possible 

the personal aspirations of its employees 

who, in turn, support AbilityOne Federal 

customers. Working together, we can 

confidently face some of the most 

challenging missions in our country today.

Front cover: American soldiers are supported on the 

battlefield by AbilityOne employees who produce many 

of the high–tech uniforms and accessories they need to 

succeed in their dangerous missions. Photo credit: DoD 

photo by Spc. Eric Cabral, U.S. Army.

Thomas Michael Raeburn II, Eggleston Services, Norfolk, Va.

1

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Letter from the Chairperson

I am especially proud of our 

program-wide focus on the 

Quality Work Environment (QWE) 

we seek to create and sustain 

for AbilityOne employees. The 

QWE Steering Group composed 

of nonprofit agency leaders and 

employment experts embraced the 

Committee’s guiding principles 

and, within one year, developed 

well-researched best practices 

and implementation guidance. By 

the year’s end, 114 of 602 agencies 

had signed on, putting us well on 

our way to our 25 percent early 

adoption goal.

Today’s AbilityOne Program 

employees ensure quality and 

value to our Federal customers. 

They provide high-tech products 

to our men and women in 

uniform and deliver equally 

high-tech services such as digital 

imaging and secure document 

destruction. They offer valuable 

contract closeout assistance to the 

Department of Defense, saving 

taxpayers millions of dollars. They 

even contribute to humanitarian 

assistance efforts in response 

to international emergencies 

such as the earthquake disaster 

experienced by the people of Haiti. 

In light of recent economic 

conditions, we have had to work 

harder at building the AbilityOne 

Program. But it is worth restating 

that when economic conditions 

negatively impact the general 

population, the effect is amplified

for people who are blind or 

who have other significant 

disabilities. It is they who face the 

most barriers to obtaining and 

maintaining employment, even 

amid booming economic times.

When given the opportunity, 

AbilityOne employees who are 

blind or who have other significant 

disabilities demonstrate an 

incomparable work ethic and are 

highly motivated in their desire 

to participate in the American 

dream. Employee turnover is 

minimal, and job satisfaction 

is among the highest found in 

any job sector. The genuine 

attitudes of our employees who 

have greeted me in my travels 

may be summed up by what 

one individual said to me while 

visiting an AbilityOne work site: 

“I may not be in the military, but 

I feel like I am... and I’m proud 

to serve our country in this way.” 

In this, my final year of service 

as both Committee chairperson 

and private citizen member, I am 

pleased to look back at our many 

accomplishments over the past 

few years, including: rebranding 

of the Program; improving 

stakeholder relations through 

outreach and listening sessions; 

ommittee hair er on

ndre . oughton

Photo at far left: Andrew D. Houghton (left) presents 

an award to Abram Claude, Jr. for his service on 

the Committee.

Photo at left: Andrew D. Houghton and Malia Thibado, 

a student at the Alabama School for the Blind, cut the 

cake at the first Open House hosted by the Committee in 

October 2010.

Dear Supporters 

of AbilityOne:

The Committee and the 

AbilityOne® Program have made 

tremendous strides toward 

accomplishing our mission in 

fiscal year (FY) 2010. We have 

established and maintained a 

culture of communication and 

collaboration throughout the 

AbilityOne family. Our interaction 

with those who truly make the 

AbilityOne mission their own was 

both inspirational and rewarding, 

and literally helped shape the 

direction of the program in 

many important areas, including 

employment, stewardship 

and business operations.

2
and providing guidance to our 

Base Supply Center Program, 

resulting in improved performance 

and increased employment. 

Equally important, I sincerely 

hope that my legacy will include 

the continuation of an invigorated, 

intensive effort to educate and 

provide technical assistance to 

Congress and the Administration 

about our enabling Act and the 

advantages of modernization. 

Doing so through a spirited, 

collaborative and transparent 

process allowed us to reach a 

wide audience of constituents 

and lawmakers while shedding 

light on the complexity of unifying 

diverse program stakeholders 

around a common policy agenda. 

I strongly urge a continued 

emphasis on aligning the 

AbilityOne Program with 

prevailing disability and 

procurement policies. The six 

new appointees I welcomed 

to the Committee in FY2010 

will surely contribute to the 

effectiveness of these efforts. 

Under their stewardship, 

the AbilityOne Program will 

continue to provide the highest 

quality products and services 

to the Federal Government, far 

into the 21st century. We have 

come a long way over the past 

eight years, and it has been 

a great privilege to be part of 

such monumental progress. 

It is bittersweet knowing that 

my term is coming to a close. 

It has been an honor to serve 

and a wonderful experience 

getting to know the hundreds of 

people around the country who 

are the heart of the AbilityOne 

Program. Without their dedication 

and passion, it would be 

virtually impossible to 

run such a program. 

I extend my personal 

thanks to everyone 

with whom I worked 

during my tenure with 

the Committee, and upon 

whose wisdom, counsel and 

knowledge I could always rely. 

I must especially thank Jim Omvig, 

who has served as an incredibly 

capable vice chairperson; all 

current and former Committee 

members alongside whom I 

have had the honor to serve; 

and Tina Ballard, our executive 

director, who has executed the 

program mission with enthusiasm 

and professionalism. I also thank 

the board chairpersons and CEOs 

of National Industries for the 

Blind and NISH, without whom 

the AbilityOne Program could 

not have achieved everything 

it has in the past eight years.

Finally, I want to say how 

profoundly thankful I am for 

having had the chance to help 

improve the lives of people 

who are blind or have other 

significant disabilities. 

Without a doubt, the AbilityOne 

Program is strong and well 

positioned for the future. The best 

is yet to come!

Sincerely, 

Andrew D. Houghton, Chairperson

Top photos: Committee members visit Winston-Salem 

Industries for the Blind, a member of the AbilityOne 

network in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Lower photo: From left to right, James H. Omvig, 

Committee vice chairperson; Kevin A. Lynch, NIB CEO; 

Andrew D. Houghton, Committee chairperson; and 

Robert Chamberlin, NISH CEO, cut the ribbon during 

dual conference room dedication ceremonies at the 

Open House.

3

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Program i tory:

1938

President Franklin D. 

Roosevelt signs into law 

the Wagner-O’Day 

Act to employ people 

who are blind.

1938

National Industries 

for the Blind (NIB) 

is incorporated.

The Committee 

publishes the first 

Procurement List.

Mr. Omvig is a longtime 

leader of the National 

Federation of the Blind 

and worked as an attorney 

for the National Labor 

Relations Board. Having 

lived through and helped 

precipitate a period of 

tremendous change in 

how people who are blind 

are perceived, educated 

and valued in society, we 

asked Jim to provide us with 

comments based on his 

own experiences, education 

and research.

In ancient Sparta, babies who 

were born blind were left outside 

the city’s walls to perish from 

exposure or to be devoured 

making brooms, mops, brushes 

and other such items routinely.

By 1938, as America emerged 

from the Great Depression, two 

members of the U.S. Congress 

named Wagner and O’Day 

sought to create more jobs for 

blind workers by proposing that 

the Federal Government itself 

purchase the brooms, mops and 

other tools it needed to clean 

Federal buildings from sheltered 

shops for the blind. Their 

proposed legislation resulted 

in the creation of the WagnerO’Day Program. That same year, 

Congress established “minimum 

wage” protections for American 

workers—a lofty goal—but 

excluded people who were blind 

since many believed that “blind 

workers couldn’t possibly be as 

productive as sighted workers”—a 

problematic decision ever since.

The National Federation of 

the Blind was organized just 

two years later, in 1940. The 

Federation argued that blind 

workers are as valuable as sighted 

workers and should receive the 

same wages and benefits. Further, 

blind production workers should 

be able to move into management 

by wild animals. In primitive 

societies, the blind were thought 

to be of no value whatsoever. 

Through the centuries, blindness 

was even commonly thought 

to be a punishment for sin.

Established in 1829, America’s 

first residential school for blind 

youngsters was the New England 

Asylum for the Blind. Now 

there’s an uplifting identifier! 

Ultimately, this demeaning and 

destructive name was changed 

to the Perkins School for the 

Blind. It exists to this day.

Other state residential schools 

followed with the primary 

purpose of teaching blind 

students occupational skills such 

as rug and basket weaving, broom 

making and chair caning—the 

so-called “blind trades” that 

would lead to employment. 

It didn’t work! The blind 

didn’t get jobs! 

In response to that sad reality, 

the first “sheltered shop” for 

the blind was established in 

New York City in 1850. Many 

others were soon established, 

and adult blind workers began 

1938

Congress establishes the Committee 

on Purchases of Blind-Made 

Products, providing jobs for people 

who are blind and requiring the 

Federal Government to purchase 

products made by nonprofit agencies; 

President Roosevelt appoints 

founding Committee members. 

Historical Perspective

ice hair er on

J S . 

4
1940s

or supervisory positions, a rare 

occurrence in the forties. 

In 1971, the original program 

legislation was expanded to 

include people with other 

severe disabilities, and NISH—

the second of the two central 

nonprofit associations through 

which the Committee for 

Purchase administers the 

program—was created.

Fast forward to 2006, and the 

program formerly known as 

JWOD after its legislative founders 

was renamed AbilityOne®.

As for my personal story, I am 

blind. Born in 1935, I began to 

lose vision because of retinitis 

pigmentosa in 1945 and went 

off to attend the Iowa School 

for the Blind in 1950—during 

the second half of my freshman 

year of high school. This 

was my first encounter with 

1952

NIB launches the SKILCRAFT® brand 

for premier consumer products.

1960

NIB establishes a rehabilitation 

services division.

1950s

“the blindness system” and 

“blindness professionals.” 

My parents assumed that the 

workers at the School for the 

Blind would know what they 

were doing and would be able 

to help me—a lost soul. 

They were wrong! 

Several years later, I realized 

these “professionals” didn’t have 

a clue about blindness. They were 

as ashamed of it as I was and had 

absolutely no expectation that a 

blind person could take his or her 

place in society. They hadn’t seen 

fit to teach me Braille or how to 

get around using the long, white 

cane; but they did teach me how 

to weave rugs and baskets so I 

could get a job after graduation. 

I did graduate in 1953, but didn’t 

get a job. Instead, I returned home 

to live with my parents for the 

next eight years. Then, in 1958, 

a miracle happened. 

A blind man named 

Dr. Kenneth Jernigan 

came to Iowa to direct 

that state’s failed 

vocational rehabilitation 

agency for the blind. His 

dream was to create the 

best “orientation and adjustment 

center” for blind adults that would 

become the model for the entire 

country. He succeeded and soon 

became the Martin Luther King 

for blind people in America.

In 1961, at the age of 26, I went 

through Jernigan’s new adult 

training program and for the 

first time felt fully empowered. I 

went to college and became the 

first blind student ever to attend 

the Loyola University of Chicago 

School of Law, as well as the first 

blind attorney ever hired by the 

National Labor Relations Board; 

and I have served as an advocate 

for the welfare and rights of the 

blind for the past 49 years. 

We have come a 

long way...

In the overall scheme of things, it 

really doesn’t matter who claims 

credit for what has happened. 

What does matter to people 

who are blind or significantly 

disabled is that change, real 

change, has occurred. There 

now exists a strong sense of 

excitement and hope everywhere.

As Dr. Jernigan taught me, “It is 

respectable to be blind.” And, 

yes, the mission is possible!

—J.H. Omvig

Marc Maurer, president of the 

National Federation of the Blind; 

James H. Omvig, Committee vice 

chairperson; and Andrew D. Houghton, 

Committee chairperson.

5

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
1971

Senator Jacob Javits 

sponsors the Javits-WagnerO’Day (JWOD) Act to amend 

the Wagner-O’Day Act to 

include people with other 

severe disabilities and 

creates job opportunities in 

the services sector.

1991

The Committee 

changes its name 

to Committee 

for Purchase 

From People 

Who Are Blind or 

Severely Disabled.

1995, Base Supply Center

•	 Throughout World War II, 

employees who are blind 

manufacture the mops, brooms, 

pens and office supplies needed 

to support American forces 

in all theaters of operation.

•	 In 1948, National Industries 

for the Blind (NIB) and 

associated agencies support 

a post-war recovery plan to 

widen distribution outlets 

and broaden the market for 

its products through sales at 

military commissary stores. 

•	 The Korean War, 1950-

1953, changes Government 

procurement patterns 

and fosters new market 

opportunities, which increases 

demand for hundreds of 

products and quadruples 

the products sold to the 

Federal Government. 

•	 In 1955, after seven years of 

effort to overcome commercial 

distribution and marketing 

obstacles, the first military 

resale products reach 

commissary store shelves with 

the Committee’s approval.

•	 As a result of the Cuban 

Missile Crisis and throughout 

the 1960s, NIB provides more 

than one million sanitation 

kits for the Federal FallOut Shelter Program.

•	 In 1971, under the leadership 

of Senator Jacob Javits, 

Congress amends the original 

Wagner-O’Day Act to include 

people with severe disabilities 

and allows the program 

to also provide services to 

the Federal Government. 

Over the next two decades, 

the Javits-Wagner-O’Day 

(JWOD) Program provides 

jobs to 7,500 people, resulting 

in 3.8 million direct labor 

hours that pay $11.6 million 

in direct labor wages. 

•	 Throughout the 1980s, 

nonprofit agencies extend 

the array of JWOD Program 

services, such as: 

 First commissary shelf 

stocking project and first 

food service at Sheppard 

Air Force Base in Texas.

 Major expansion of custodial 

services with the GSA 

Public Buildings Service.

 First operation of a Postal 

Service Center for the Air 

Force, at Barksdale Air 

Force Base in Louisiana.

•	 During Operations Desert 

Shield and Desert Storm in 

1991, the JWOD Program 

provides millions of dollars 

in critically needed products 

to support our troops.

•	 The first military base supply 

center opens and establishes 

a new distribution channel for 

NIB’s expanded SKILCRAFT® 

product line in 1995.

•	 As we enter the 21st century, the 

products and services delivered 

by JWOD employees who are 

blind or significantly disabled 

contribute to a more flexible 

and efficient U.S. military.

•	 From 2001 to 2003, the JWOD 

Program provides “surge 

support” during stateside 

Operations Enduring Freedom 

and Iraqi Freedom.

•	 In 2005, NIB and NISH respond 

to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and 

Wilma with financial, technical 

and logistical assistance. NIB 

and its affiliated agencies 

donate more than $250,000 

that assist staff-in-need who 

are blind. NISH authorizes a 

$5 million aid fund and creates 

a Disaster Relief Bulletin 

Board on its website to connect 

Mission Accomplishments

1974

NISH is incorporated and 

begins operation.

1975

NISH adds its first product 

(Mechanic’s Creeper) to the 

Procurement List.

6

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
2001, Surge Support!

NPAs seeking help with 

those providing assistance.

•	 In 2006, the Committee 

achieves a major milestone by 

appointing a private citizen 

with a disability as chairperson, 

and a private citizen who is 

blind as vice chairperson. 

At the same time, the range 

of AbilityOne products and 

services grows to include 

non-traditional items such as 

medical-, dental-, and visionrelated products, along with 

total facility management, 

secure document destruction 

and contact center services.

•	 NIB is designated “lead agent” 

for contract close-out services 

in 2009 and a test pilot is 

launched. In less than one 

year, people who are blind 

or have other significant 

disabilities close out 3,000 

contracts, which leads to the 

de-obligation of more than 

$3.8 million (with another 

$1.8 million in the contracting 

officer approval queue) with 

a 99.99 percent accuracy 

rate. This initiative creates 

career-oriented positions for 

AbilityOne employees with 

potential for advancement. 

•	 In 2009, the Committee 

establishes the Quality Work 

Environment initiative whose 

three guiding principles state 

that AbilityOne employees 

should be provided competitive 

wages, a clear career path 

and ongoing training.

2010 and Beyond

“The best is yet to come.” 

–Andrew D. Houghton, 

Committee chairperson

2007, AbilityOne® identity launch

David “Brooklyn” McClain helps outfit our soldiers, 

Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind

2006

The Committee adopts 

the AbilityOne® brand.

7

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
AbilityOne Program Structure

The Committee for Purchase 

From People Who Are Blind or 

Severely Disabled (Committee) is 

the independent Federal Agency 

that administers the AbilityOne 

Program. Members of the Committee 

are appointed by the President 

of the United States and oversee 

the AbilityOne® Program in its 

mission to employ people who 

are blind or have other significant 

disabilities through the delivery 

of quality products and services 

to the Federal Government. 

The Committee is composed of 15 

members: 11 who represent Federal 

Agencies and four who are private 

citizens knowledgeable about the 

employment challenges faced 

by people who are blind or have 

other significant disabilities. For 

the first time in history, two people 

with disabilities currently hold 

both of the Committee’s leadership 

positions: Andrew D. Houghton as 

chairperson and James H. Omvig as 

vice chairperson. The Committee is 

supported by an Arlington, Va.-based 

full-time staff, led by Executive 

Director Tina Ballard, a career 

Senior Executive Service employee.

The Committee has designated two 

central nonprofit agencies (CNAs) to 

assist with program implementation: 

National Industries for the 

Blind (NIB) and NISH-Creating 

Employment Opportunities for 

People with Significant Disabilities. 

Together, the Committee, and 

the CNAs—along with a national 

network of more than 600 nonprofit 

agencies (NPAs)—help make 

possible the personal aspirations 

of more than 47,000 people who 

are blind or have other significant 

disabilities, and who are employed 

through the AbilityOne Program.

OC MM TI TEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY D SI ABLED

President of the United States

DOC

DoD

Air Force

Army

Navy

DOJ

DOL

ED

GSA

USDA

VA

Citizen

Citizen

Citizen

Citizen

Committee Members

Nonprofit Agencies

Employing People

Who Are Blind

Nonprofit Agencies

Employing People with 

Significant Disabilities

Federal Customers

Committee Staff

Committee for Purchase From People 

Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

Congress

(Legal Authority)

Key Terms 

and Acronyms

AbilityOne Employees—

People employed at nonprofit 

agencies working on 

Federal contracts under the 

AbilityOne® Program

BSC—Base Supply Center

CNA—Central Nonprofit Agency

Committee—Committee for 

Purchase From People Who Are 

Blind or Severely Disabled

DOC—U.S. Department 

of Commerce

DoD—U.S. Department of Defense

DOJ—U.S. Department of Justice

DOL—U.S. Department of Labor

ED—U.S. Department of Education

FTE—Full-time equivalent jobs 

for people who are blind or have 

other significant disabilities

GSA—U.S. General 

Services Administration

JWOD—Javits-Wagner-O’Day—

the name of the Congressional Act 

that governs the AbilityOne Program 

and the former name of the program

NIB—National Industries 

for the Blind

NISH—NISH-Creating Employment 

Opportunities for People with 

Significant Disabilities

NPA—Nonprofit Agency

PL—Procurement List

USDA—U.S. Department 

of Agriculture

VA—U.S. Department 

of Veterans Affairs

8

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Committee Membership

*Appointed during FY2010.

Andrew D. Houghton 

Chairperson 

Private Citizen, Representing 

Nonprofit Agency Employees 

with Other Severe Disabilities

James H. Omvig 

Vice Chairperson 

Private Citizen, Representing Nonprofit 

Agency Employees Who Are Blind

P. Edward Anthony 

Deputy Commissioner 

Rehabilitation Services Administration 

U.S. Department of Education 

Helen H. Hurcombe*

Director, Office of 

Acquisition Management 

U.S. Department of Commerce

Joseph Jeu*

Assistant Commissioner for General 

Supplies and Services for the Federal 

Acquisition Service 

U.S. General Services Administration

Robert T. Kelly, Jr. 

Private Citizen, Obstacles to Employment 

of Persons with Other Severe Disabilities

James M. Kesteloot*

Private Citizen, Obstacles to Employment 

of Persons Who Are Blind

Paul M. Laird 

Chief Operating Officer, 

Representing UNICOR 

Corporate Management 

Federal Prison Industries 

U.S. Department of Justice

Rear Admiral Michael J. Lyden*

Commander, Naval Supply Systems 

Command and Chief of Supply Corps 

U.S. Department of the Navy

Kathleen Martinez*

Assistant Secretary for Disability 

Employment Policy 

U.S. Department of Labor

J. Anthony Poleo 

Chief Financial Officer 

Defense Logistics Agency 

U.S. Department of Defense

Pamela C. Schwenke*

Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary 

for Contracting, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition 

U.S. Department of the Air Force

Pictured above: Front row, from left to 

right: R. Kelly, A. Houghton and J. Omvig. 

Back row, from left to right: E. Anthony, J. 

Kesteloot, P. Laird and A. Poleo.

Photos to the right, from top to bottom: 

M. Lyden, P. Schwenke, J. Jeu, K. Martinez 

and H. Hurcombe.

In FY2010, the Committee held 

meetings on the following dates:

October 22 

January 14 

March 11 

June 10 

July 15 

September 9

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Mission Possible: FY2010 Accomplishments 

AbilityOne Expands 

Through New 

Service Contracts

•	 The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) opened a 

new base supply store, operated 

by Winston-Salem Industries 

for the Blind, Winston-Salem, 

N.C., under its “Paperclips Etc.” 

brand. Two full-time equivalent 

(FTE) jobs were created in the 

store for people who are blind, 

and the sale of AbilityOne®

products through the store 

will support hundreds of 

other jobs for people who are 

blind or have other significant 

disabilities employed 

by NPAs manufacturing 

AbilityOne products.

•	 The Department of the Army 

awarded NIB an indefinite 

delivery/indefinite quantity 

contract for provision of 

contract management support 

(CMS) contract closeout 

services for the Department of 

Defense. CMS creates careeroriented job opportunities for 

people who are blind or have 

significant disabilities. This 

service created more than 

36 FTEs at multiple NPAs.

•	 Joint Base LewisMcChord initiated 

dining facility 

attendant and cook 

support services 

provided by Lakeview 

Center, Pensacola, Fla. 

The project created 

more than 131 FTEs.

•	 Naval Medical Center 

Portsmouth commenced 

consolidated facilities 

maintenance services 

with the Program. There 

are more than 103 FTE 

positions for people with 

significant disabilities 

being employed by 

Professional Contract 

Services, Inc., Austin, Texas, 

as the prime contractor, and 

two additional NPAs working 

as subcontractors: Didlake, 

Inc., Manassas, Va., and 

Portco, Inc., Portsmouth, Va.

•	 The Defense Distribution 

Center in Warner Robins, 

Ga. launched package 

reclamation services provided 

by Georgia Industries for 

the Blind. This service 

project created five FTEs.

•	 The U.S. Army Research, 

Development, and Engineering 

Command awarded a contract 

to The Chimes, Baltimore, 

Md., for custodial services at 

Aberdeen Proving Ground, 

Md. The project created 

more than 55 FTEs.

•	 The Department of the Army 

awarded a contract to Allied 

Healthcare Services, Scranton, 

Pa., for custodial service at 

Tobyhanna Army Depot. The 

project created 67 FTEs.

New Products Contracts 

Create More Jobs

•	 The Federal Bureau of 

Prisons (BOP) standardized 

a set of cleaning products for 

routine daily housekeeping 

cleaning requirements. The 

project, which was added to 

the Procurement List (PL) in 

FY2010, is estimated to create 

four FTE jobs for people who 

are blind who are employed 

by Susquehanna for the Blind 

and Vision Impaired, Lancaster, 

Pa. This enables BOP to 

standardize a set of cleaning 

products for consistency across 

the agency and support the 

USDA’s BioPreferred initiative 

to procure biobased products.

Williemae Lee, Professional 

Contract Services, Inc.

Chad Ennis, Georgia Industries for the Blind, 

provides package reclamation services.

10

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
•	 Monochrome laser printer 

cartridges were added to the 

PL, providing an estimated 

26 FTE jobs for people who 

are blind who are employed 

by Alabama Industries for the 

Blind, Talladega, Ala. The new 

cartridges are produced using 

37 percent post-consumer 

recycled materials and are 

100 percent recyclable.

•	 Federal Prison Industries 

awarded contracts to WinstonSalem Industries for the 

Blind, Winston-Salem, N.C.; 

RLCB, Raleigh, N.C.; and Blind 

Industries and Services of 

Maryland, Baltimore, Md., to 

provide pre-cut fabric kits. The 

project is providing 56 FTEs.

•	 The Army awarded contracts to 

AbilityOne for the production 

of uniform caps, shirts 

and trousers in multiple 

camouflage patterns that 

created more than 383 FTE 

jobs for people who are blind 

or have other significant 

disabilities employed by 

multiple NPAs. (See Page 20.) 

The uniform items are being 

manufactured in support of 

the Armed Forces serving 

in Iraq and Afghanistan.

•	 The U.S. Coast Guard awarded 

a contract to the Arkansas 

Lighthouse for the Blind, 

Little Rock, Ark.; San Antonio 

Lighthouse for the Blind; 

and the Association for the 

Blind and Visually ImpairedGoodwill, Rochester, N.Y. for 

the manufacture of physical 

fitness and running suits. This 

contract created 15 FTEs.

Raising Awareness 

and Adding Value

•	 The AbilityOne Program 

celebrated the 15th Anniversary 

of its base supply centers 

with 66 events nationwide.

•	 The Committee hosted its 

first Open House, at which 

approximately 200 participants 

witnessed the most Committee 

members ever sworn into office 

at one time. During the event, 

the Committee also unveiled 

its new AbilityOne History 

Wall exhibit and AbilityOne 

Gallery, highlighting the efforts 

of NPA employees and staff.

•	 The Secretary of the Air Force 

Office of Small Business 

Programs invited AbilityOne 

to participate in its Fall 

Training Conference, leading 

to improved communication 

and understanding of the 

greater Air Force community 

with the Air Force Strategic 

Sourcing Commodity Councils.

•	 The USDA is co-marketing an 

expanded line of SKILCRAFT® 

BioWrite® writing instruments. 

SKILCRAFT® BioWrite® 

is the Nation’s first line of 

writing instruments made 

from sustainable biobased 

materials and compostable at 

the end of the product’s life.

•	 114 NPAs signed on as early 

adopters of the Quality Work 

Environment initiative.

After being sworn in by Committee Chairperson Andrew 

D. Houghton (far right), four new Committee members 

pose with one of the official appointment documents 

each will receive, signed by President Barack Obama 

and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. They 

are, from left to right: James Kesteloot, private citizen; 

Joseph Jeu, GSA; Helen Hurcombe, DOC; and Kathy 

Martinez, DOL. 

Monochrome laser cartridges were added to the PL.

11

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Highlighted points represent the lowest, middle and highest amounts between FY2000 and FY2010. 

Employment Update

374 AbilityOne 

employees were 

promoted into 

supervisory positions, 

a new record for the 

AbilityOne Program.

Data Synopsis

Fiscal year 2010 was marked 

by growth in four key areas 

for the AbilityOne® Program: 

employment, direct labor hours, 

wages and average hourly wage.

•	 EMPLOYMENT: The number 

of people who are blind or 

have other severe disabilities 

employed through the 

AbilityOne Program increased 

3.25 percent from 2009 to 

47,427, very near the record 

high of 47,635 set in 2006. 

•	 DIRECT LABOR HOURS:

The direct labor hours worked 

by AbilityOne employees 

increased for the third year 

in a row, up 5.26 percent 

from 2009 to a total of more 

than 48 million hours—the 

highest in Program history. 

•	 WAGES: AbilityOne 

employee wages increased 

by 6.97 percent to more 

than $528 million. 

•	 AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE:

The average hourly wage 

reached $11, an increase 

from $10.82 in 2009. 

The future of the AbilityOne 

Program looks very promising 

as we enter FY2011. That means 

more job opportunities for 

more people who are blind or 

have other severe disabilities.

50

40

30

20

10

0

Fiscal Year

Number of Employees

(In Thousands)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

36,308

47,635

43,388

47,427

Highest number of 

people employed 

since 2006!

bility ne mployees

12

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
P

S P

:

verage 

ourly 

age

irect 

abor 

ours

irect 

abor 

ages

60

50

40

30

20

100

Fiscal Year

Direct Labor Hours

(In Millons)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

$12

$10

$8

$6

$4

$20

Fiscal Year

Average Hourly Wage

(In Dollars)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

$600

$500

$400

$300

$200

$1000

Fiscal Year

Direct Labor Wages

(In Millions of Dollars)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010 $11

$528.3

$366.2 $9.51

$7.56 $226.4 

48.0

29.9

43.8

60

50

40

30

20

100

Fiscal Year

Direct Labor Hours

(In Millons)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

$8

$6

$4

$20

Fiscal Year

Average Hourly W

(In Dollars)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

$600

$500

$400

$300

$200

$1000

Fiscal Year

Direct Labor Wages

(In Millions of Dollars)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010 

$528.3

$366.2 

$226.4 

48.0

29.9

43.8

50

40

30

20

100

Fiscal Year

Number of Employees

(In Thousands)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

60

50

urs

$12

$10

$8

$6

$4

$20

Fiscal Year

Average Hourly Wage

(In Dollars)

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

$11.00 

$9.51

$7.56 

36,308

47,635

43,388

47,427 48.0

43.8

Catherine White

Position:

Supervisor, Veterans Affairs Medical 

Center Switchboard

Nonprofit Agency:

Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI), Atlanta, Ga.

AbilityOne Program Employee since 2003

Career Highlights:

Completed BDI’s office essentials class; 

hired as a part-time operator on the Atlanta 

VA Medical Center contract; six months 

later offered a full-time position; promoted 

to supervisor in 2006; ensures switchboard 

at the Atlanta VA Medical Center has 

24-hour coverage. 

Personal Achievements:

Fulfilled her personal goal by purchasing 

a home four years ago; uses the 

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority 

to get around; saving to purchase her 

own vehicle; currently looking into driving 

lessons; completed medical billing 

insurance course. 

Overheard Saying:

“When I tried to seek employment before, 

I wasn’t even given a chance to finish an 

interview... I just don’t think I could say 

enough about [BDI]. I just really appreciate 

the opportunity they’ve given me to show 

my abilities... I couldn’t have done it 

without the support of my daughter and 

my family.” 

Kudos:

“Catherine enhances the workplace with 

her attitude and her spirit, inspires staff 

members, and helps empower them as 

well,” said Sylvie Cox, supervisor. 

13
xecutive irector

ina allard

Candidly, I am an avid Star 

Trek fan with a growing 

interest in history. It is the 

combination and comparison 

of the visionary with the 

historical that I find so 

compelling and which I 

believe allows us to clearly 

see the difference having 

“vision” makes for all of us. 

Throughout history, 

individuals who possessed 

such vision have changed 

the course of the Nation: 

Washington crossing 

the Delaware; Lincoln’s 

Gettysburg Address; and 

Martin Luther King, Jr. 

on the Capitol steps. 

Vision Becomes 

Reality

First broadcast in 

the 1960s, Star 

Trek possessed an 

expansive vision 

of the future. 

Things seemingly 

impossible then 

are now commonplace: 

Fantastic, “flip-top 

communicators” are the 

ubiquitous cell phones of 

2010... “On screen” shipto-ship communication 

accurately anticipated global 

video teleconferencing in 

the 21st century... Doors 

that “automatically” glided 

open and closed are today 

a reality in every shopping 

mall thanks to sensoractivated sliding doors... 

And computers speak to 

those who cannot see 

thanks to JAWS software. 

Despite the naysayers 

and existing technological 

limitations, the visionaries 

of Star Trek saw possibilities, 

retained their vision 

and helped bring about 

major societal change. 

Equally, the founders of 

our AbilityOne® Program 

had a vision. They foresaw 

a world where people with 

significant disabilities 

earned a living wage through 

gainful employment; led 

active, fulfilling lives; 

and were contributing 

members of society. 

Pioneers and 

Possibilities

In 1938, in the midst of 

terrible times—an impending 

world war and an economic 

depression—when many

believed people with 

disabilities were unable 

to work, the legislators of 

our extraordinary program 

turned the impossible 

into the possible. 

More recently, everyday 

citizens with uncommon 

vision became the driving 

force in achieving equal 

opportunity and civil rights 

for people with disabilities, 

ultimately leading to the 

passage of the Americans 

with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

People such as longtime 

leader of the National 

Federation of the Blind, 

Kenneth Jernigan; our 

very own Committee Vice 

Chairperson Jim Omvig; 

the legendary Helen Keller; 

activist Ed Roberts, often 

called “the father of the 

disability rights movement;” 

ADA advocate Justin Dart and 

others envisioned a future of 

promise and possibilities for 

people with disabilities. They 

worked diligently to shift 

paradigms and prejudices 

that cast the shadow of 

impossibility on people with 

disabilities, but persisted until 

their vision was achieved.

Today, thanks to the efforts 

of these pioneers, changes 

in public perception and 

advances in technology, 

there are more employment 

opportunities than ever for 

working-age people with 

A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

14
You make employment possible for 

our population when you:

•	 Buy products and services 

from AbilityOne. 

•	 Tell colleagues about the quality of 

AbilityOne goods and services.

•	 Encourage others to work 

with AbilityOne.

NPA visit

Malia Thibado

disabilities. Equally 

important today’s children 

with significant disabilities 

can expect—will expect—

even greater promise and 

possibilities in the years 

ahead. As one of the most 

successful employment 

programs in the country, 

the AbilityOne Program 

undoubtedly plays a key 

role in this new paradigm.

Expanding the 

AbilityOne Program

Finding a job in a struggling 

economy is difficult, but for 

those with a disability, the 

search for employment 

is a monumental task. At 

times of economic stress, 

employers are less willing 

to accommodate the needs 

of people with disabilities, 

and the unemployment rate 

climbs higher. The pressing 

need to build upon the 

success of the AbilityOne 

Program is all too clear 

when the total number of 

unemployed adults with 

disabilities remains in 

the tens of millions.

Today, our program has 

a mere sliver of Federal 

business, and we’ve barely 

scratched the surface of the 

commercial market. The 

truth is the possibilities for 

expanding the AbilityOne 

Program are nearly endless!

On my desk is a photo of 

five-year-old Malia Thibado, 

a student at the Alabama 

School for the Blind. Singing 

the National Anthem, Malia 

recently inspired about 

200 guests attending the 

swearing-in ceremonies 

of four newly appointed 

Committee members. She is 

an ever-present reminder of 

the possible—a reminder that 

our efforts will help shape 

the future of all children 

with significant disabilities. 

For some, despite the proven 

success of the AbilityOne 

Program, it may still be 

impossible to grasp what this 

enabled workforce can do 

when given the chance; what 

Malia and other children 

with disabilities will be able 

to accomplish in the future. 

Building the Future

Nevertheless, we must 

continue our work toward a 

future where the promise of 

employment and expanding 

job possibilities for workingage adults and children 

with disabilities is a reality 

in every way. History shows 

that by working together, we 

can make the seemingly 

impossible happen. 

I hope you will embrace this 

vision and help us make it so. 

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely, 

Tina Ballard

15
AbilityOne Sales

Fiscal Year

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

Sales In Millions

Products

Services

$1600

$1400

$1200

$1000

$800

$600

$400

$200

0

$510.1

$599.2

$905.5

$1,084.5

$1,284.5

$1,555.1

2000

1500

1000

500

0

Fiscal Year

Number of Years

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

1,865.49

1179.20

599.53

Data Synopsis

The AbilityOne® Program 

operates at 1,000 locations 

nationally, representing 

40 Government Agencies, 

and has a presence at nearly 

every U.S. military installation. 

AbilityOne has supported 

Department of Defense and 

civilian Federal customers 

with a variety of products and 

services for more than 70 years. 

Service sales have increased 

every year for more than a 

quarter century. The trend 

continued in FY2010 with a 

7.68 percent increase from 

2009 to $1.56 billion. 

Products sales steadily increased 

in the first half of the last decade, 

dipped in 2006 and 2007, and 

increased again both years since 

the upturn in 2008. Product sales 

achieved a new program record in 

FY2010—$1.28 billion, an increase 

of 4.48 percent from 2009.

Combined, AbilityOne 

product and service sales 

totaled $2.8 billion in FY2010, 

representing an increase of 

6.39 percent from FY2009.

Overall, 2010 saw continued 

growth and positive indicators 

for future growth of the 

AbilityOne Program.

of Products and Services

bility ne Sales

to the Procurement ist

umber of ork ears reated from dditions

Proven 

Success

16

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Defense Commissary 

Agency 3.88%

Other Distribution 

Channels 4.1% 

Veterans Affairs 4.09%

Agriculture 2.27%

Treasury 1.8%

Homeland Security 2.15%

Other agencies, 

each less than 

1 percent

Other 1.4%

DoD other than DLA 1.19%

State 1.06%

Justice 1.04%

Acronym Key

GSA-FAS

General Services 

Administration-Federal 

Acquisition Service

GSA-PBS

General Services Administration 

Public Buildings Service

Defense Logistics 

Agency (DLA)

21.82%

Army

14.06%

Navy

10.87% Air Force

9.71%

GSA-PBS

7.29%

GSA-FAS

8.28%

2010

P S P :

Spirit of 

Goodwill Band

Position:

71 percent of band members work on 

a variety of AbilityOne contracts

Nonprofit Agency:

Goodwill Industries of South Florida, 

Miami, Fla.

Highlights:

This unique assembly of vocalists and 

musicians shares the common qualities 

of music and friendship. 

The band members work 

in different positions 

at Goodwill and have 

overcome many barriers to 

personal development and 

accomplishment. The band 

has become a harmonious group, and the 

members are now accomplished musicians 

and singers. Their love of music and being 

part of something larger than themselves 

enables them to perform music that 

captivates and inspires audiences.

Achievements:

For Once in My Life is a film documentary 

about this exceptional band of singers and 

musicians who take part in an incredible 

journey of personal growth and achievement. 

Through their music, band members show 

the rest of the world the greatness that 

lies within each person. The film explores 

individual struggles and triumphs, and the 

healing power of music, as band members’ 

innate talents are nurtured to extraordinary 

levels that challenge common public 

perceptions and misconceptions about 

people with significant disabilities. As one 

watches the story unfold and the music 

plays—and as their disabilities become 

inconsequential—it is hard to remember 

that prior to being hired by Goodwill through 

an AbilityOne contract, most of the band 

members had no formal musical training. 

In addition to the film winning multiple 

festival awards and accolades, the band 

has performed live at the U.S. Conference 

of Mayors and the South by Southwest 

Film Festival. Several band members also 

visited the White House to celebrate the 

20th Anniversary of the Americans with 

Disabilities Act.

To watch the film trailer and learn more about 

the band, visit www.goodwillsouthflorida.org.

op overnment gency

bility ne Sales Percentages

17

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
AbilityOne and Small Business

Small Business 

Partnerships Yield 

Big Results 

When AbilityOne® NPAs 

partner with small businesses, 

everyone comes out a winner. 

These valuable partnerships 

create jobs for people who are 

blind or have other significant 

disabilities, while supporting 

the small business community.

Small Businesses Provide 

Supplies to NPAs

One way AbilityOne NPAs 

support small businesses is by 

purchasing products they need 

from them. For example, Ocean 

Janitorial Supply, a New York Citybased small business, provides 

Fedcap Rehabilitation Services, 

Inc., the supplies, training and 

advice it needs to fulfill its 

AbilityOne custodial contract.

Like Fedcap, Central 

Association for the Blind and 

Visually Impaired (CABVI) in 

Utica, N.Y., relies on a small 

business—Alliance Rubber 

Company—to supply the rubber 

bands that CABVI packages 

and ships to customers.

Other AbilityOne NPAs 

rely on partnerships with 

small businesses as well. 

Duro Textiles is a major supplier 

of military fabrics and Team 

Wendy is the sole supplier of pads 

used in the suspension system 

for the Army Combat Helmet 

and the Marine Lightweight 

Combat Helmet. Because of their 

efforts, both businesses were 

awarded the NIB Supplier AwardTextile Business Line for 2010.

NPAs Subcontract 

to Small Businesses

NPAs also subcontract work 

to small businesses to provide 

part of the required services. 

Last year alone, the AbilityOne 

Program awarded more than 

$200 million in subcontracts to 

the small business community.

For example, when Challenge 

Unlimited, Inc. of Alton, Ill. was 

selected for a base-wide grounds 

maintenance and pest control 

contract for the Great Lakes 

Pictured, top left: NIB Chief Operating 

Officer Scottie Knott presents the 

Supplier Award—Textile Business Line to 

Tom Prodouz, president, Team Wendy.

Pictured, left: Anne and Bob Martin 

(left), owners of The Meeting Place 

restaurant in Washington, N.C., look on 

as Micky Gazaway, NISH South Region 

executive director, prepares to deliver 

the NISH Small Business Partnership 

Award at The Meeting Place. The Meeting 

Place was honored for hiring people with 

disabilities from AbilityOne NPA Beaufort 

County Developmental Center, also of 

Washington. Photo credit: Washington Daily 

News, Christ Prokos.

Pictured, right: NIB Chief Operating Officer 

Scottie Knott presents the Supplier Award—

Textile Business Line to Dan Pezold, senior 

vice president, Military and Government 

Fabrics, Duro Textiles.

18

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
P S P :

Ron Braxton

Position:

Shipping/Receiving Clerk, IRS mailroom, 

Oxon Hill, Md.

Nonprofit Agency:

Melwood, Upper Marlboro, Md.

Career Highlights:

Completed Melwood’s training program; 

hired as custodian, his first full-time, regular 

position; hired as general clerk at the Internal 

Revenue Service mailroom, where he sorted 

mail, signed for packages and logged 

shipments; promoted to shipping/receiving 

clerk in August 2010; responsible for daily 

mailroom operations and maintaining 

excellent customer relationships.

Personal Achievements:

Overcame obstacles due to a speech disorder 

and learning disability; bolstered his self 

confidence; rented his first apartment in 

Washington, D.C., in 2002. Will marry his 

fiancée, Maria, in January 2011.

Overheard Saying:

“I had a difficult time getting regular [fulltime] work... [Employers] thought I didn’t 

know things because I couldn’t always get 

my thoughts out clearly.”

Kudos:

“Ron has always made sure the job 

site runs smoothly and provides lots 

of input on making it run well,” said 

Denise Young, Melwood senior quality 

assurance inspector. “Ron’s work has 

taken him to a whole other level of 

self-confidence, and I’m very proud of 

him—I can see him going much higher.”

Naval Training Station at Great 

Lakes, Ill., the NPA partnered 

with two small businesses—

Joppa Maintenance, Inc., a small 

business based in Hamstead, 

N.C., and Smithereen, a veteranowned small business based in 

Chicago, Ill. Joppa Maintenance, 

Inc. provides site-specific 

technical expertise and guidance 

for the grounds maintenance, 

and Smithereen is responsible 

for pest control. The prime 

contract to Challenge Unlimited 

provides 21 job opportunities 

for people with disabilities.

“The small business alliance 

that we’ve developed brings 

resources and capabilities into 

the AbilityOne Program and 

allows us to be more aggressive 

in the business that we acquire,” 

said John Gilliland, chief 

operations officer, Challenge 

Unlimited. “We are very good 

at employing people with 

disabilities, and it was very nice 

to see that mission embraced by 

the small business community.”

When the U.S. Army decided to 

replace the uniforms of soldiers 

in Afghanistan with the Operation 

Enduring Freedom Camouflage 

Pattern (OCP) so soldiers would 

better blend into the Afghan 

terrain, the Army turned to 

AbilityOne to produce the new 

uniforms. When the uniforms 

were complete, AbilityOne 

subcontracted the application 

of a safe and tested insecticide 

treatment, permethrin, to the 

garments to a small business, 

Warmkraft, Inc. See Page 20 for 

more details on the OCP uniforms.

Small Businesses 

Distribute AbilityOne 

Products

The small business community 

and AbilityOne also work 

together through the Authorized 

Distributor Program, which 

authorizes commercial firms, 

including more than 450 small 

businesses, to distribute 

AbilityOne products to Federal 

customers. Customers purchase 

AbilityOne products from 

authorized distributors through 

DoD E-Mall, GSA Advantage, 

www.AbilityOne.com or the 

distributors’ e-commerce sites. 

Roughly 90 percent of AbilityOne 

distributors are small businesses.

The main lawn at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, where Challenge Unlimited partners with two small 

businesses for its base-wide grounds maintenance and pest control contract.

19
DoD Customer Spotlight

Producing OCP Uniforms 

and Accessories

•	 Goodwill Industries of South Florida, Miami 

•	 Industries of the Blind, Greensboro, N.C.

•	 Lions Volunteer Blind Industries, 

Morristown, Tenn.

•	 New York City Industries for the Blind

•	 ReadyOne Industries, El Paso, Texas

photo credit: 

PEO Soldier

quipping merica’s Soldiers

•	 San Antonio 

Lighthouse for 

the Blind

•	 Southeastern 

Kentucky 

Rehabilitation 

Industries, Corbin, Ky.

•	 Winston-Salem 

Industries for the 

Blind, N.C.

bility ne Partners

AbilityOne Delivers 

State-of-the-Art Gear to 

America’s Soldiers 

The cover image of this report 

depicts just some of the 

items produced through the 

AbilityOne® Program—uniforms 

and accessories that enable 

our soldiers to best meet the 

challenges of the battlefield. 

Outfitting troops with clothing 

and equipment nearly from head 

to toe, AbilityOne employees 

(also pictured on the cover) 

produce helmets, hats, shirts, 

coats, trousers, first-aid kits, 

load-carrying systems and other 

items essential to mission success. 

These products are developed 

and designed by the Army and 

prototyped by selected AbilityOne 

NPAs such as Peckham Vocational 

Industries, Inc. of Lansing, Mich.; 

ReadyOne Industries of El Paso, 

Texas; San Antonio Lighthouse 

for the Blind; and WinstonSalem Industries for the Blind 

of Winston, Salem, N.C. They 

are then manufactured to strict 

military specifications by NPAs 

across the country, incorporating 

innovations and advanced 

materials that are integral 

to equipping and protecting 

the 21st century soldier.

New Camouflage 

Pattern Results in 

an Urgent Order for 

50,000 Uniforms

Newly designed uniforms 

made by AbilityOne 

employees represent a 

milestone in the evolution 

of the U.S. Army Combat Uniform 

(ACU). Following months of 

evaluations of alternative 

camouflage pattern colors, the 

Army selected the Operation 

Enduring Freedom Camouflage 

Pattern (OCP) uniforms to 

issue to all soldiers deploying to 

Afghanistan. The OCP uniform 

shown on this page will replace 

the Universal Camouflage 

Pattern uniform shown on the 

cover for use in Afghanistan 

only. Once standardization of 

OCP was decided, the Army 

urgently needed AbilityOne 

to deliver 50,000 uniforms to 

soldiers in Afghanistan within 

just a few months rather than 

the standard year or more. 

Through intense coordination 

of numerous NPAs nationwide, 

the uniforms were delivered 

on time to troops deploying to 

Afghanistan in late summer 2010. 

ACU products include sunhats, 

patrol caps, coats, advanced 

combat shirts, trousers and 

first aid kits. This single 

AbilityOne product family 

created a total of 750 jobs for 

people who are blind or have 

other significant disabilities. 

Advanced Combat 

Shirt (ACS)

Benefits of products like the 

advanced combat shirt (ACS) 

include reduced weight and bulk, 

improved fire resistance and sweat 

“wick away” capability. In FY2010 

alone, employees of AbilityOne 

NPAs produced one million ACS 

shirts, valued at $38 million, 

and placed 480 people who are 

20

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
blind or have other significant 

disabilities in jobs. This massive 

effort involved the following NPAs: 

San Antonio Lighthouse for the 

Blind; Winston-Salem Industries 

for the Blind, Winston-Salem, 

N.C.; Southeastern Kentucky 

Rehabilitation, Industries, Inc. 

(SEKRI), Corbin, Ky.; Goodwill 

Industries of South Florida, Inc., 

Miami; and Mt. Rogers Community 

Services Board, Wytheville, Va. 

MOLLE

A modular, lightweight, loadcarrying system, or MOLLE, 

that features a quick-release 

mechanism relieves soldiers 

from having to hand-carry 

equipment. Instead, essential 

equipment is attached to a 

Fighting Load Carrier vest, 

enabling soldiers to easily drop 

all other gear while keeping the 

vest and its critical items in place. 

Components for the MOLLEs 

are produced by AbilityOne 

employees of several NPAs such 

as Mississippi Industries for the 

Blind in Jackson, Miss., which 

produces the bandoleer pouch; 

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. 

in Seattle, which manufactures 

the hydration bladder, tube 

and valve; and The Resource 

Center in Jamestown, N.Y., which 

produces numerous pouches 

(pockets) and other accessories.

Advanced Combat 

Helmet (ACH)

Topping off today’s soldier is 

the Army’s advanced combat 

helmet (ACH). The ACH provides 

improved protection and greater 

comfort thanks to thick padding 

on the inside. Susquehanna 

Association for the Blind and 

Vision Impaired, Lancaster, Pa., 

and Winston-Salem Industries 

for the Blind, Winston-Salem, 

N.C., cut and assemble the 

helmet pads. ACH covers in 

the OCP pattern are sewn by 

AbilityOne NPAs such as Lions 

Volunteer Blind Industries Inc., 

Morristown, Tenn. and Mt. Rogers 

Community Services Board.

CMS Services Added to 

Procurement List (PL)

In 2009, the Army awarded a 

pilot contract to NIB through 

continued...

P S P :

Annamarie Parker

Position:

Contract Closeout Specialist/Team Leader

Nonprofit Agency:

Susquehanna Association for the Blind 

 and Vision Impaired, Lancaster, Pa.

AbilityOne Program Employee since 2009

Career Highlights:

Recognized as a Contract Management 

Support (CMS) Program Outstanding 

Participant at NIB’s annual conference in 

October 2010; responsible for reviewing 

contract documents, writing modifications 

to de-obligate funds and destroying or 

returning them to the military facility; 

promoted to team leader and responsible 

for training her peers and reviewing their 

work; plans to enroll in the local community 

college in order to advance her career.

Personal Achievements:

At church, sings in the choir, assembles 

welcome baskets and participates on the 

women’s committee. 

Overheard Saying:

“Every contract is different... You can’t get 

bored with it. I like to learn new things... 

In any job, you have to like it to do well.”

Kudos:

“She’s very proactive in her approach 

to work, and she’s determined not 

to let anything hold her back,” said 

Shelley Sanders, Contract Management 

Support, Susquehanna Association for 

the Blind and Vision Impaired. “Anna’s 

a great example of success in the 

AbilityOne Program.”

Geraldine Hester, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, 

Baltimore, works on the fabric spreader machine to make Army 

Combat Uniforms in the Universal Camouflage Pattern.

Virginia Neely and Opal Tuttle, SEKRI Industries of Corbin, Ky., 

work on the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage 

Pattern Advanced Combat Shirts.

21
DoD, continued...

the AbilityOne Program 

for contract management 

support (CMS) services. 

By the end of May 2010, AbilityOne 

employees presented more than 

3,000 ready-to-close contracts 

to Government contracting 

officers with a remarkable 

99 percent quality rate. 

Using assistive technology, 

employees identified excess 

obligations on the contracts 

and produced documentation 

allowing Government contracting 

officers to recoup $3.8 million 

in de-obligations from the 

closed contracts, with another 

$1.8 million in the contracting 

officer approval queue.

The pilot’s success resulted 

in CMS services being added 

to the AbilityOne PL in June 

2010, establishing a national 

indefinite delivery/indefinite 

quantity contract vehicle 

accessible by all military 

services and DoD agencies.

Jobs supporting Federal 

contracting activities provide 

Seated at table, left to right: Dale Williams, Army contracting officer; John Qua, NIB vice president of services. 

(Standing, left to right) Bob Chamberlin, president and CEO, NISH; Kevin Lynch, president and CEO, NIB; Scottie 

Knott, chief operating officer, NIB; Brig. Gen. Stephen Leisenring, commander of the Mission and Installation 

Command, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas; Shay Assad, director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, 

U.S. Department of Defense; Tina Ballard, executive director, Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or 

Severely Disabled; Carol Lowman, deputy director, U.S. Army Contracting Command.

highly sought after careergrowth opportunities through the 

AbilityOne Program. The positions 

pay well and enable employees 

to develop valuable skills. 

Among work performed, CMS 

employees digitize documents, 

prepare contract files for closeout 

and de-obligation of funds, and 

provide file-destruction services 

for sensitive documents.

New Navy Contract 

Expands Opportunities for 

AbilityOne Employees 

In September 2010, AbilityOne 

signed a contract with the 

Navy to provide expanded 

CMS services. Rear Adm. Mark 

Heinrich, commander, 

Fleet and Industrial Supply 

Centers, approved the 

task order assisting the 

Navy in reducing a backlog 

of contracts requiring 

closeout, and facilitating 

the return of unused but 

obligated contract funds 

to the Government. 

Combined, the Army and 

Navy contracts created 18 

positions with upward mobility 

potential at the following locations:

•	 Susquehanna Association for 

the Blind and Vision Impaired, 

Philadelphia satellite (Army)

•	 Joint Contracting CommandIraq/Afghanistan center in 

San Antonio through the 

San Antonio Lighthouse 

for the Blind (Army)

•	 San Antonio Lighthouse 

for the Blind, Fort Sam 

Houston, Texas (Army)

•	 Seattle Lighthouse for the 

Blind in Seattle (Navy)

Providing CMS services to DoD 

is a tremendous opportunity for 

the AbilityOne Program and its 

employees. Faced with a serious 

shortage of contract specialists, 

this work is especially valuable to 

the Federal Government. It allows 

Government contracting personnel 

to devote more time to market 

analysis, negotiations and other 

pressing contract management 

activities. Such AbilityOne 

successes clearly pave the way 

to vastly improved job prospects 

for people who are blind or have 

other significant disabilities. ★

Pictured, below: Jaime Cameron of the Susquehanna 

Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired provides 

contract management support services.

22

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
E.R. “Dick” Alley Award

P S P :

Ramon & Cesar Agron

Position:

Product Packers 

Nonprofit Agency:

New York City Industries for the Blind (NYCIB), 

New York, N.Y.

Career Highlights:

Ramon and Cesar are twins who are 

known for their versatility at NYCIB, where 

they have worked since 2003. As product 

packers, Cesar works in the brush 

and broom department; Ramon, in the 

plastics department. They readily take on 

additional responsibilities and assist in 

other departments.

Personal Achievements:

Live independently in their shared 

apartment; enjoy traveling and exploring 

new areas throughout the city and 

surrounding areas.

Overheard Saying:

Ramon: “I understand how difficult it is to 

find a job especially if you are legally blind. 

NYCIB gives me an opportunity to have 

a full-time job and support myself, and I 

enjoy coming to work every day.”

Cesar: “I am very thankful to have an 

opportunity to work here [NYCIB]. It gives 

me a chance to be productive and to help 

others as well.”

Kudos:

“The Agrons help some of the employees 

who are totally blind to order lunch and 

will even pick up lunch for them, and try 

to teach them more about the area so 

that people can travel more easily,” said 

Supervisor John Perez. 

Career-Long 

Supporter Receives 

AbilityOne’s 

Highest Award

Michael McCall, director of the Defense 

Supply Center Philadelphia’s Small 

Business Office since 2001, has 28 years 

of contracting, policy and small business 

knowledge and uses this expertise 

to support the AbilityOne Program’s 

employment mission. Through his efforts, 

AbilityOne employees are able to participate 

in supporting the Nation’s troops by 

packaging or producing the food, clothing 

and textiles, medical and industrial supplies 

they need to accomplish their oftendangerous missions.

In May 2010, McCall was presented with 

the prestigious 2010 E.R. “Dick” Alley 

Career Achievement Award for his efforts 

in supporting the AbilityOne Program. 

Committee Chairperson Andrew D. Houghton 

presented the award to McCall, calling it 

the highest honor the AbilityOne Program 

can bestow on a Federal employee. 

Gilbert Montoya, deputy commander, 

Plans and Operations, Defense Supply 

Center Philadelphia co-presented the award. 

The E.R. “Dick” Alley Career Achievement 

Award was established in 1998 in honor and 

recognition of Dick Alley, who provided more 

than 25 years of dedicated service to the 

AbilityOne Program as the deputy executive 

director of the Committee. The award 

recognizes individuals who have provided 

extraordinary achievement and sustained 

effort in utilizing the Federal procurement 

system to create AbilityOne employment and 

training opportunities for people who are 

blind or have other significant disabilities. 

McCall’s influence and impact is reflected in 

recent AbilityOne sales data that shows the 

Defense Supply Center Philadelphia is the 

largest single AbilityOne Program customer, 

accounting for 20 percent of AbilityOne total 

sales in FY2009.

Gilbert Montoya (left), deputy commander, Plans and Operations, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, and 

Andrew D. Houghton (right), Committee chairperson, present the E.R. “Dick” Alley Award to Michael McCall, director, 

DSCP Small Business Office.

23
AbilityOne Provides LifeChanging Opportunities 

for Returning Veterans

The sacrifices made by America’s 

brave fighting men and women 

often involve serious injuries. 

Veterans with newly acquired 

disabilities may face enormous 

psychological and economic 

challenges upon re-entering 

civilian life. These challenges 

are often compounded by 

the misperceptions held by 

some potential employers 

and members of the public.

Change happened for David 

Kendrick, who participated in the 

Warrior SALUTE Program, offered 

by Continuing Developmental 

Services (CDS), an AbilityOne®

NPA in Webster, N.Y. He was 

on the verge of being homeless 

due to his unemployment and 

service-connected disability 

when he joined CDS. Expressing 

his gratitude, he explained, “The 

CDS program gave me a second 

chance because I thought nobody 

cared about soldiers out there. It 

was really hard, and I searched 

everywhere, and nobody wanted 

to give me a hand. Without 

the CDS program, I would be 

out there on the street.” 

In addition to providing 

vocational assessments, 

employment training and 

placement assistance, CDS 

provides individual, family 

and group counseling; fully 

accessible fitness centers and an 

aquatic center for therapeutic 

recreation, art and music 

therapy; temporary housing; and a 

variety of family-support services. 

AbilityOne Makes 

Concerted Efforts 

to Support 

Wounded Warriors

The Committee, NIB and NISH are 

dedicated to a variety of programs 

that reach out to veterans with 

disabilities and connect them with 

local NPAs and other resources. 

NIB collaborates with the 

Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA) and connects veterans with 

job training, job placement and 

other career development services 

offered through its associated 

NPAs across the country. NIB’s 

Wounded Warrior Program offers 

critical training in areas such as 

contract management support, 

business management training, 

leadership training and fellowship 

programs. NIB also participates 

in job fairs, special events and 

conventions on a national scale. 

The NISH Institute for Economic 

Empowerment is conducting 

a two-year research project 

with the National Organization 

on Disability that involves 

interviewing veterans with 

Veterans Programs

disabilities, employers and 

family members to establish 

employment interests and 

skill levels. Additionally, NISH 

partners with Military Wounded 

Warrior Programs, VA and other 

organizations to assist veterans.

PCSI: A Leader in Hiring 

Veterans with Disabilities

Professional Contract Services 

(PCSI) of Austin, Texas employs 

294 veterans among its total 

AbilityOne work force of 1,120 

people. PCSI coordinates with 

veterans programs to recruit 

veterans with disabilities for 

its AbilityOne contracts. It 

participates in the VA Wounded 

Warrior Program, the Army 

Career and Alumni Program job 

fairs and other veteran-related 

community activities. PCSI 

provides training programs and 

opportunities for advancement 

and assists in relocating veterans 

with disabilities and their families.

“Many of these veterans 

performed the same or a 

similar job during their military 

careers as those offered by the 

AbilityOne Program,” said Ace 

Burt, PCSI president and CEO.

Participants of CDS’ Warrior SALUTE Program get hands-on 

experience working on CDS’ AbilityOne contract, packaging, 

fulfilling and shipping spices. Kyle Sill, Warrior SALUTE Program 

participant, fills spice bottles.

Staff Sgt. George Lewis, Air Force (Ret.), operates a saw to cut paper for industrial wipes at Horizon 24 Industries/East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind in Tyler, Texas. Lewis is a Vietnam veteran.

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Project HIRED 

Collaborates with 

Businesses to 

Employ Veterans 

Like PCSI, Project HIRED, San 

Jose, Calif., also recruits veterans 

to work on its AbilityOne contact 

center contracts. Additionally, 

through its Wounded Warrior 

Workforce Program, Project 

HIRED helps businesses leverage 

the unique advantages of veterans 

with disabilities in the workforce. 

The NPA’s endeavors have led 

to substantial collaboration with 

organizations such as Yahoo!, 

Lockheed-Martin, NASA and 

Cisco to leverage the unique 

advantages of veterans with 

disabilities in the work force. 

Project HIRED’s success stories 

are commonplace, and the success 

of the program has caught the 

attention of both ABC and NBC. 

Additionally, Project HIRED 

partners with K9 Coach Plus for 

its Service Dog Program to match 

veterans with disabilities with 

command-trained service animals.

NPA Task Force 

Collaborates with 

Veterans Affairs

In other developments, a 

task force of NIB-affiliated 

NPAs, rehabilitation providers 

and VA representatives 

convened in June 2010 to 

discuss outreach strategies 

to help veterans who are 

blind locate job opportunities. 

Participants included NIB, 

St. Louis Lighthouse, St. Louis 

Society for the Blind and 

Visually Impaired, Envision, 

AlphaPointe Association for 

the Blind and the VA. The task 

force plans a variety of actions to 

raise public awareness of NPAs 

and rehabilitation providers that 

support wounded veterans. 

Master Sgt. Jeffrey Mittman is a hero in 

every sense of the word. He has traveled the 

world for the U.S. Army, conducted hundreds 

of combat missions and served in Operations 

Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Enduring 

Freedom. But when an improvised explosive 

device left him blind and severely injured, he 

began a journey that would include more 

than 40 operations and four years of 

recovery. Since then, he travels the 

country sharing his story and serves 

as a symbol of inspiration, bravery 

and strength to people who are blind 

throughout the world.

In October 2010, Mittman was 

presented with the prestigious Osborne 

A. “Oz” Day AbilityOne Awareness 

Award for his efforts in advocating and 

promoting the AbilityOne® Program.

“I decided long ago—I can both own my 

experiences and learn from them, or I 

can let them own me. I chose the former,” 

said Mittman. “I am humbled and proud 

to receive this honor, and I am eager to 

continue to be an example to our wounded 

warriors and other individuals with 

disabilities, showing them what is possible.”

Andrew D. Houghton, Committee chairperson, 

presented the award to Mittman at the 

Committee’s Open House and called it 

a “richly deserved honor.” Mittman’s 

active support of AbilityOne has included 

a variety of speaking engagements and 

increasing participation in annual disability 

awareness events.

The award is named in honor of Osborne 

A. “Oz” Day, who served as a private citizen 

member of the Committee from 2005 to 

2008. Day provided critical leadership in 

communicating the AbilityOne message to 

Federal customers and the general public.

Day’s widow, Ester “Tess” Day, helped 

present the award to Mittman, who said he 

wished he could have had the opportunity to 

meet Day and share their experiences about 

serving in the military. 

Army Hero Receives “Oz” Day AbilityOne Awareness Award

Spc. Alvin Ramlu, U.S. Army (Ret.), works on 

Project HIRED’s AbilityOne contact center contract. 

25

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Humanitarian Support

AbilityOne Employees 

Help Others in Need

Through hundreds of NPAs, the 

AbilityOne® Program offers 

employment opportunities to 

tens of thousands of people 

who are blind or have other 

significant disabilities in the 

United States, making it possible 

for them to support themselves 

and their families. They even 

manage to help thousands of 

other people when they need 

it most by providing valuable 

assistance at times of crisis 

and catastrophe, within our 

own borders and beyond.

Pictured, left top: Tammy Bodenhamer works at 

Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, one of the 

NPAs that provided Haiti relief effort support.

Pictured, left bottom: The Lighthouse for the Blind 

of Fort Worth team put together 100,000 personal 

hygiene kits in less than 10 days.

Angela Smith, Peckham Inc., Lansing, Mich., 

provides contact center services.

Most recently, AbilityOne 

employees helped the people 

of the island Nation of Haiti 

following a devastating 

earthquake and worked to 

offset the growing food-bank 

food shortage brought on 

by the economic recession 

in the United States.

Peckham, Inc. Sets up Call 

Center Fast to Support 

Haitian Relief Effort

After the earthquake struck 

Haiti in January 2010, the 

U.S. Department of State was 

inundated with calls from 

individuals frantically searching 

for information about their loved 

ones. State Department officials 

turned to Peckham, Inc. of 

Lansing, Mich., a member of the 

AbilityOne network of NPAs, to 

provide contact center services.

Thanks to Peckham’s existing 

relationship with the State 

Department, the NPA could 

move quickly. Within 36 hours, 

Peckham had a functioning 

call center staffed with 

60 employees tirelessly 

answering calls, recording family 

information and following 

up with distraught callers.

“The most important aspect of 

this effort... was to ease people’s 

concerns and reassure them 

we were diligently working 

to find their loved ones,” said 

Matt June, director of Business 

Services, Peckham, Inc.

In recognition of their 

outstanding work, Peckham’s 

Haiti call center employees 

received certificates of 

appreciation from Janice Jacobs, 

assistant secretary, Bureau of 

Consular Affairs. Peckham also 

received a letter of appreciation 

from Secretary of State Hillary 

Rodham Clinton for its ongoing 

call center support of the State 

Department’s National Passport 

Information Center, which has 

also been performed through 

AbilityOne since February 2009.

26

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
AbilityOne NPAs Donate 

Money and Provide 

Supplies for Haitian 

Relief Effort

With Peckham employees busy 

staffing the call center, other 

AbilityOne NPAs donated 

money and provided supplies to 

support the Haitian relief effort.

Upon hearing about the 

devastation in Haiti, AbilityOne 

employees at Winston-Salem 

Industries for the Blind (WSIFB), 

Winston-Salem, N.C., took action, 

donating $1,500 to Doctors 

Without Borders, an international 

medical humanitarian 

organization also supporting the 

relief effort. As sole manufacturer 

of poncho liners for the U.S. Army, 

WSIFB also donated 1,000 poncho 

liners to the Haitian Community 

Hospital, managed by the Haitian 

Health and Education Foundation. 

Jeanne Wilkinson, vice president, 

Business Strategies, WSIFB, is 

continuously inspired by their 

employees. “It’s wonderful that 

people who face challenges in 

their own lives continue to work 

to help others every day,” she said. 

The WSIFB base supply center 

(BSC) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 

served as a critical supply point 

for items used in the Haiti relief 

effort. Following the earthquake, 

and realizing there would be an 

increased demand for supplies, 

WSIFB dramatically increased 

inventory levels at Guantanamo 

Bay. Due to its proximity to 

Haiti, the supply center became 

the logical destination for U.S. 

ships to replenish food and 

supplies. AbilityOne products 

accounted for approximately 

55 percent of items purchased 

from the BSC during this time.

“Sometimes you just have to 

do something knowing what’s 

going to be needed. That really 

paid off because we jumped on 

it right away without waiting,” 

said Jerry O’Hagan, director of 

base supply centers, WSIFB. 

Like WSIFB, Lighthouse for the 

Blind of Fort Worth (LFW), Texas, 

also increased its inventory of 

supplies. After receiving an 

order from the U.S. General 

Services Administration, LFW 

put together 100,000 personal 

hygiene kits in less than 

10 days—an effort that normally 

takes more than a month. 

“It was a massive job done by 

a lot of energized employees 

who really wanted to get it 

continued...

Sara Gordier, Peckham, Inc., Lansing, 

Mich., provides contact center services.

First aid kits supplied by Cooperative 

Workshops, Inc., Sedalia, Mo.

27

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Humanitarian, continued...

done for the Haitian people. 

They did the job with a smile 

on their face,” said Charlie 

Wood, vice president, Sales 

and Marketing, LFW. 

Goodwill Industries of South 

Florida (GISFL), Miami, also 

ramped up efforts on its 

AbilityOne contract at Homestead 

Air Reserve Base in Florida. 

The NPA provided 24/7 support, 

cleaning and maintaining 

Immigration & Naturalization 

Service transition sites and 

providing porter services. 

Additionally, GISFL raised 

money and wired it directly to its 

employees' families in Haiti who 

were impacted by the earthquake 

and, using fabric and thread 

donated by commercial firms, 

sewed blankets for Haiti relief. 

Additionally, GISFL collected 

mobility device donations from 

other Goodwill organizations and 

coordinated with the University of 

Miami to replace the wheels with 

ones that would handle unpaved 

and uneven ground in Haiti. 

Relief assistance was also 

provided by Industries of the 

Blind in Greensboro, N.C.; ORC 

Industries, LaCrosse, Wis.; and 

Cooperative Workshops, Inc. 

(CWI), Sedalia, Mo. Industries 

for the Blind shipped 100 tarps, 

valued at $3,100, to help fight 

cholera, and ORC donated 1,400 

wet weather ponchos. Meanwhile, 

CWI partnered with a nonprofit 

Christian ministry to develop and 

supply a new line of emergency 

first aid kits specifically to serve 

the needs of those in Haiti. 

AbilityOne Employees 

Help Put Milk on the Table

While several AbilityOne NPAs 

supported the Haitian relief 

effort, others worked to help 

feed low-income individuals 

and families here at home. 

Since March 2001, AbilityOne 

has manufactured and packaged 

instantized nonfat dry milk 

for the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) domestic 

feeding program. From July 2009–

August 2010, AbilityOne produced 

40 million pounds of instantized 

nonfat dry milk, marking its 

highest single-year of production. 

The food product is delivered 

to state-operated and USDA 

centralized warehouses, and then 

distributed to food banks and 

other charitable organizations.

From left to right: Jamie Owen, Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS), Brevard, N.C.; Hilda Soto and 

Alex Negron, CW Resources, Inc., New Britain, Conn.; and Jody Harris, TVS, support the AbilityOne contract for 

manufacturing and packaging instantized nonfat dry milk, a critical staple for domestic feeding programs.

28

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
P S P :

Charles Warren

Position:

Laundry Utility Worker

Nonprofit Agency:

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, 

Milwaukee, Wis.

AbilityOne Program Employee since 2008

Career Highlights:

Responsible for sorting, coding and cleaning 

linens; notably increased his sorting speed 

and related production activities; and now 

helps train colleagues. Served in the U.S. 

Navy, August 1971–May 1973; worked as a 

cook on an aircraft carrier and supervised a 

team of 30 cooks; received a combat medal 

for participation in the Vietnam War zone, a 

medal for good conduct and an award for 

being a sharp shooter.

Personal Achievements:

Achieved financial stability, rents an 

apartment, owns a car and saved money 

for a “rainy day;” works out at the gym and 

plays baseball.

Overheard Saying:

“My employment through the AbilityOne 

Program has made me... a more 

productive citizen in society... I have 

been really happy that my family is proud 

of me because it makes me proud of 

myself to be successful in my employment 

at Goodwill.”

Kudos:

“He is a wonderful person who has 

overcome so many barriers. He is always 

smiling and friendly with everyone,” 

said Chandra Henderson, workforce 

development supervisor, 

James O. Wright Center.

The instantized nonfat dry milk is 

produced by three members of the 

AbilityOne network: Transylvania 

Vocational Services, Inc. (TVS), 

Brevard, N.C.; Knox County 

Association for Retarded Citizens 

(KCARC), Inc., Vincennes, Ind.; 

and CW Resources, Inc., 

New Britain, Conn. 

“The packaging of instant 

nonfat milk, in accordance with 

demanding USDA specifications, 

further highlights the production 

capabilities and skills of persons 

with disabilities. This project 

fosters a sense of pride among 

our employees knowing they 

are helping to feed those in 

need,” said Alix Capsalors, senior 

vice president, Manufacturing, 

CW Resources, Inc.

AbilityOne’s participation in 

this USDA program is critical. 

According to a November 2010 

report released by the USDA 

Economic Research Service, 

in 2009, nearly 15 percent 

of households were “food 

insecure,” meaning thousands 

of families had difficulty putting 

food on the table at times during 

the year. This is the highest 

percentage level recorded 

since USDA began tracking 

food security levels in 1995.

As we move into economic 

recovery, the demand for this 

product will likely continue, 

making AbilityOne’s participation 

more important than ever.

Through the work of dedicated 

NPA employees and staff, the 

AbilityOne Program makes 

the personal aspirations and 

contributions of its employees 

possible, while working with 

partners and customers to 

tackle some of the toughest 

missions facing our country 

and our neighbors today. ★

Michael Cook works at TVS, manufacturing and packaging instantized nonfat dry milk.

29
“Green” Solutions for 

the Environment 

AbilityOne® is at the forefront of 

delivering innovative products 

and services to help Federal 

agencies meet Government 

requirements for sustainability 

and to make environmental 

initiatives possible. Office products, 

biobased chemical cleaners, 

recycled content-paper and 

packaging materials, soy-based 

products, and environmentally 

friendly custodial and vehicle 

washing services are just 

some of the green solutions 

provided and used by AbilityOne 

NPAs and their employees.

In a recent example, the Federal 

Bureau of Prisons (BOP) 

approached NIB to standardize 

cleaning products throughout 

BOP and comply with the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture’s 

BioPreferred initiative to procure 

biobased products. NIB worked 

with Susquehanna Association 

for the Blind and Vision 

Impaired (SABVI), an AbilityOne 

NPA based in Lancaster, Pa., to 

develop a custom line of biobased 

cleaning products and packaging 

specifically for BOP. The project 

was added to the AbilityOne 

Procurement List in FY2010 and 

is expected to create four jobs for 

people who are blind at SABVI.

Although BOP is the first 

Federal Agency to standardize 

biobased cleaning products 

through AbilityOne, the program 

is certainly not new to Federal 

greening initiatives. Federal 

Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 

23.703 states that “agencies 

must implement cost-effective 

contracting preference programs 

promoting energy efficiency, 

water conservation, and the 

acquisition of environmentally 

preferable products and services.”

Although one of the important 

requirements today involves 

the use of at least 30 percent 

post-consumer recycled content 

in paper products, AbilityOne 

began delivering these products 

20 years ago. AbilityOne also 

stays ahead of the curve by 

developing new green products 

as well as redesigning older 

products to meet evolving 

environmental requirements.

SKILCRAFT® Bio-Write® pens, 

for example, are up to 60 percent 

biobased and compostable; 

contain up to 48 percent 

recycled materials; and the 

pen packaging contains 

100 percent recycled content,

with 35 percent post-consumer 

waste. The refillable pens 

feature barrels made from corn 

starch and are certified by the 

Biodegradable Products Institute 

(BPI) to meet stringent standards. 

Many SKILCRAFT® products 

are specifically designed to 

meet BPI standards, helping 

customers make smart choices.

SKILCRAFT® soy candles 

further illustrate how focusing 

on sustainability helps the 

environment while delivering 

benefits for consumers. Made 

from biobased soybean wax, soy 

candles burn cleanly, are nontoxic and last 30 to 50 percent 

longer than paraffin candles. 

People who are blind employed 

by Industries of the Blind in West 

Allis, Wis. use technology to pour 

the wax and center the wicks 

on the candles. The candles are 

sold in military commissaries 

and other outlets worldwide.

Sustainability

Biobased cleaning products

Rosemary Roberts, PRIDE Industries, Roseville, Calif., 

performs green custodial services.

SKILCRAFT® Bio-Write pen

30

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
AbilityOne Leads the Way 

with Green Services 

AbilityOne NPAs provide green 

custodial services to Federal 

customers across the Nation, 

including the Department of 

Defense, the General Services 

Administration (GSA) and 

the Department of Homeland 

Security. In a 2007 study 

conducted by GSA, AbilityOne 

outranked competing commercial 

custodial services in seven out of 

seven industry-recognized green 

cleaning practices benchmarks.

AbilityOne’s Clean and Green 

program helps customers meet 

their goals for sustainability 

while receiving great value 

and cleaning performance.

Healthcare environmental 

services provided by AbilityOne 

NPAs include the use of 

green cleaning products that 

help prevent the spread of 

infection and are safe for use 

in areas where patients with 

respiratory and other sensitive 

conditions are being treated.

In FY2010, AbilityOne 

launched consolidated facilities 

maintenance services at the 

Naval Medical Center 

Portsmouth (NMCP) in 

Virginia. Professional 

Contract Services, Inc., 

Austin, Texas, is the 

prime contractor 

and two additional 

NPAs work as 

subcontractors—

Didlake, Manassas, 

Va., and Portco, Inc., 

Portsmouth, Va. The 

AbilityOne team quickly made 

a “green” impact, significantly 

reducing the zinc in NMCP 

wastewater. “By using this 

environmentally friendly 

product and approach, we 

reduced the amount of zinc 

being sent to the sanitary waste 

system and maintained the high 

standard the hospital has for 

cleanliness,” said Lt. Cmdr. Kreg 

R. Everleth, Base Operations 

Medical Installations—Facilities 

Department head, NMCP.

AbilityOne also offers a unique 

mobile vehicle washing service. 

With as little as one cup of water, 

the mobile washing system 

utilizes the power of steam and 

pressure to soften and remove 

dirt. This service preserves water 

and meets Occupational Safety 

and Health Administration, and

Environmental Protection 

Agency standards. AbilityOne 

provides mobile vehicle washing 

for GSA and U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection.

In Washington, D.C., AbilityOne 

NPA Melwood designed, installed 

and maintains a roof-top 

garden at the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture Jamie L. Whitten 

Building. The green roof adds 

aesthetic value to the building, 

reduces storm water runoff and provides insulation, 

resulting in improved energy 

efficiency and savings.

The Federal Government’s 

commitment to sustainability not 

only helps the environment and 

increases employment 

opportunities 

for people with 

disabilities; it also 

delivers a return 

on investment to 

taxpayers while 

meeting energy, 

water and waste 

reduction targets. 

Alexis Salgado Colón of The Corporate Source steam 

washes a vehicle in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Industries for the Blind, West Allis, Wis., employee Earl 

McHenry pours wax for soy candles.

Melwood employees (from left to right) 

Tulio Sigaran, Jessie Wedge and Rupert 

Jordan perform seasonal maintenance 

for the roof-top garden at the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture.

31
Strategic Partnerships

AbilityOne Establishes 

Strategic Partnerships 

with Boeing and 

Northrop Grumman 

The AbilityOne® Program 

reached a major milestone 

recently by developing strategic 

partnerships with two respected 

giants of private industry. 

AbilityOne and Boeing 

Company—the largest 

manufacturer of commercial 

jetliners and military 

aircraft combined—signed a 

Memorandum of Agreement 

(MOA) in May 2010 at the NISH 

National Training & Achievement 

Conference. The groundbreaking 

partnership marks the first MOA 

between AbilityOne stakeholders 

and a private entity designed to 

support the AbilityOne mission 

of increasing opportunities for 

individuals who are blind or who 

have other significant disabilities.

Boeing has had a formal small 

business and supplier diversity 

program since 1951. 

The company also 

has an established 

history working 

with AbilityOneparticipating NPAs 

such as the Lighthouse 

for the Blind in 

Seattle, Wash. and 

Center Industries in Wichita, 

Kan. The MOA provides a 

structured opportunity to 

expand this engagement across 

the AbilityOne Program, and 

to make the capabilities of 

NPAs available to Boeing and 

its first tier subcontractors. 

In the spring of 2010, American 

aerospace and defense technology 

company Northrop Grumman 

agreed to develop an MOU with 

AbilityOne. Later, on Aug. 30, 

2010, Northrop Grumman and 

MVLE, an AbilityOne NPA in 

Springfield, Va., signed a DoD 

mentor/protégé agreement. The 

partnership is designed to help 

create new jobs for people with 

significant disabilities in the 

Washington, D.C. area. MVLE 

provides custodial services for 

GSA at multiple Federal buildings 

in Northern Virginia and the 

District of Columbia. MVLE also 

provides food service, outbound 

mail, digital mail and secure 

document management services. 

The Northrop Grumman-MVLE 

agreement is the first for an 

AbilityOne NPA. For two years, 

Northrop Grumman will assist 

MVLE in the development of 

Federal contracting opportunities 

and the necessary infrastructure 

to create more jobs for people 

with disabilities. Northrop 

Grumman will provide 

engineering and technical 

training to MVLE, including 

formal training at Northrop 

Grumman facilities in partnership 

with the George Mason 

Technical Assistance Center.

From left to right: Nancy Myrick, director, Policy 

and Programs, Committee; Kimberly Zeich, deputy 

executive director, Committee; Dennis Fields, COO, 

NISH; Susan Cote, corporate vice president, Contracts, 

Pricing, Supply Chain, Northrop Grumman Corporation; 

April Pinch Keeler, president, MVLE; Elaine Howell, 

division chief, Mentor/Protégé Program, DCMA Small 

Business Operations Center; Tizoc Loza, corporate 

program manager, Mentor/Protege Programs, 

Northrop Grumman Corporation; Gloria Pualani, 

corporate director, SEBP Government Relations, 

Northrop Grumman Corporation; and Ken Rush, vice 

president, Contracts and Business Development, MVLE.

Representatives from Boeing, Committee, NIB and NISH sign the 

MOA at the NISH National Training & Achievement Conference in 

May 2010. 32

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
To help ensure that our 

Government is transparent, 

participatory and collaborative, 

President Obama directed all 

Federal Agencies to be creative 

in soliciting public input in 

fulfilling the agency missions. 

In this spirit, the Committee, 

NIB and NISH organized three 

NPA Chief Executive Officer 

(CEO) Forums in FY2010. In 

June 2010, CEOs representing 

a diverse array of AbilityOne®

NPAs were invited to participate 

in the Forums that would 

research and identify promising 

business concepts for the 

AbilityOne Program. They would 

focus on key issues impacting 

the future of the Program as 

identified during NPA visits and 

conversations the previous year. 

The Forums are organized as:

1. Definition Implementation 

Forum

2. Business Rules Forum

3. AbilityOne Enterprise Forum

Stated Objectives

Definition Implementation 

Forum: To research and identify 

processes and best practices

to ensure that individuals 

identified as having a significant 

disability do, in fact, have 

a significant disability for 

purposes of employment in 

the AbilityOne Program. 

Business Rules Forum: 

To create employment through 

fair and equitable, transparent 

and efficient, Governmentcustomer friendly processes 

and best practices for the 

distribution of product and 

service opportunities among the 

CNAs and participating NPAs.

AbilityOne Enterprise Forum: 

To identify and pursue execution 

of businesslike strategies that 

increase employment across 

the entire AbilityOne Program, 

and provide the best practices to 

establish an “enterprise culture” 

that is adopted, recognized and 

valued by all stakeholders. 

Effectiveness

While Forum results will not be 

reported until 2011, preliminary 

feedback from the participants has 

identified the sharing of expertise 

and best practices as well as the 

opportunity to build relationships 

across the AbilityOne Program as 

positive outcomes. As one Forum 

member stated, “Simply put, the 

work of the CEO Forums will 

make significant contributions to 

the AbilityOne Program and lead 

directly to increased employment 

opportunities for the AbilityOne 

workforce.” More to follow in 2011!

CEO Forums

Pictured, top: Members of the CEO Enterprise 

Forum, Committee staff and PCSI management 

tour the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth 

(NMCP)—a facility with 1.1 million square 

feet of space—where PCSI of Austin, Texas 

provides custodial services through the 

AbilityOne Program. Photo provided courtesy, 

Riza Caparros, U.S. Navy photojournalist.

Pictured, bottom: The CEO Business Rules 

Forum meets off-site at Peckham Inc., Lansing, 

Mich., where members share the camaraderie, 

collaboration and teamwork that are key 

characteristics of the AbilityOne Program.

CEO Forums Vision

An AbilityOne leadership culture of 

collaboration where the good of the 

AbilityOne® Program is the first priority. 

33
AbilityOne Outreach

“Thank you for such a lovely 

ceremony. The conference 

room is impressive. Oz would 

have loved it. Oz spent a 

lot of time with AbilityOne 

and enjoyed every minute. It 

certainly was the highlight 

of his second career.”

–Tess Day

Committee members visit Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind.

During the Committee’s first Open House, Committee Chairperson Andrew D. Houghton 

and Ester “Tess” Day, widow of Committee member Osborne A. “Oz” Day together cut 

the ribbon to dedicate a conference room named in his honor. Oz Day served on the 

Committee for three years representing the interests of people who are blind.

Carla Fay Morris, Chesapeake Service Systems, Portsmouth, Va. 

Photo taken during Committee visit to the NPA.

1

oneA Detector Dog’s

Best Friend

Putting Milk

on the Table

Back from the 

Brink-A Veteran’s 

ability Perspective

a bilityOne Program Magazine

abilityone.org 2010-2011

Mission Critical, 

Mission 

Accomplished

AbilityOne manufactures 

and delivers 50,000 new 

uniforms for Army troops 

page 36

AbilityOne® Program publishes its first magazine.

34

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind Inc. in North Carolina opens a new base 

supply center store at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

Left to right: AbilityOne employees Nicholas Moreno, Louis Miller and Keith Tyson pose with their 

Defense Department excellent performance awards following the AbilityOne National Disability 

Employment Awareness Month award ceremony at the Pentagon. DoD photo by Gerry J. Gilmore.

A tree planting at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md., commemorates 

15th Anniversary of AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program.

AbilityOne exhibits at a variety of events 

nationwide, including the GSA Expo (pictured 

here), military trade shows and National Disability 

Employment Awareness Month celebrations.

The Committee participates in the DoD Procurement 

Conference (shown here) through exhibits and 

classroom training sessions to educate Federal 

procurement officials about the AbilityOne Program.

35

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Stewardship and Compliance

Committee Makes 

Mission Possible through 

Good Stewardship

The AbilityOne® Program mission to create 

job opportunities for people who are 

blind or have other significant disabilities 

is possible only if the Committee and its 

program partners act as good stewards of 

taxpayer dollars. Thus, one of the primary 

ways the Committee fulfills its role as 

administrator of the AbilityOne Program is 

through the process of verifying compliance 

of participating agencies. This consists 

of more than just visiting the NPAs and 

determining whether the agencies are 

adhering to regulatory requirements; it also 

includes information sharing, training and 

providing technical, on-site assistance to its 

participating nonprofits.

The Committee places a high priority on 

compliance as evidenced by the fact that, 

in FY2010, 98.3 percent of NPAs were 

in compliance with the program ratio 

requirement that at least 75 percent or 

more of their direct labor hours performed 

under AbilityOne or other contracts were 

completed by individuals who are blind 

or have other severe disabilities. The 

Committee and its program partners have 

also achieved and sustained an upward 

trend in direct labor ratio compliance 

for more than a decade. The graphs and 

charts show how the Committee and the 

NPAs themselves fared in fulfilling their 

roles and responsibilities as required 

under AbilityOne Program regulations 

during FY2010.

The purpose in conducting site visits and 

audits by Committee compliance staff is 

clearly viewed as an ideal opportunity to 

educate and train NPA leaders so that their 

agencies may become compliant in the areas 

required, rather than a punitive function.

Compliance Visit Results FY2010

Areas reviewed during a compliance visit include Medical 

Documentation of blindness or severe disability; Competitive 

Employability Evaluations; Placement Program; Direct Labor 

Ratios; Service Contract Act (SCA) requirements, Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration, and Contract Clause 

Requirements (Affirmative Action Plan, EEO-1, Contractor 

Code of Business Ethics, etc.). More than 90 percent of the 

agencies visited in FY2010 were in compliance for medical 

documentation, placement programs, contract clauses and 

overall AbilityOne direct labor ratios. 

FY2010 was the first year that the Committee staff provided 

an expanded rating for the NPAs’ Medical Documentation

and Competitive Evaluations on a scale of unacceptable, 

acceptable, superior and outstanding. As a result, there is no 

previous data with this level of detail for comparison.

Compliance Visit Methodology

Based on a five-year cycle, compliance specialists review a 

sampling of specific documentation that every participating 

NPA is required to maintain. NPAs are selected for 

compliance visits based on multiple criteria, such as number 

of employees, program sales and risk assessment factors. 

These factors include length of time since the last visit, 

performance at the time of the last visit and annual report 

of direct labor information.

Committee Increases Compliance Visits 

Committee compliance visits increased by 55 percent from 

47 visits in FY2009 to 73 visits in FY2010—the highest 

number since FY2000. The Committee has a strategic 

objective to conduct an on-site compliance visit at each of 

its 600-plus participating NPAs over a five-year period. 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

1,000

500

0

Fiscal Year

Number of Agencies

19841986198819901992199419961998200020022004200620082010

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

1,000

500

0

Fiscal Year

Number of Agencies

125

100

75

50

25

0

Fiscal Year

Number of Agencies

36

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Competitive Employment Evaluation Ratings

Forty-two NPAs (57.5 percent) were rated outstanding or superior for 

Competitive Employment Evaluations.

Medical Documentation Ratings

Fifty-two NPAs (72.2 percent) were rated outstanding or superior for 

Medical Documentation.

The Path Ahead: Poised for Continued Improvement 

and Program Stewardship

The Committee will add an additional compliance specialist and 

plans to conduct more than 120 compliance visits in 2011. In addition, 

the Committee will provide increased training to NPAs both during 

compliance visits and at other times throughout the year. Through its 

continuing efforts to improve its stewardship and NPA compliance 

rates, the Committee and its partnering NPAs are in position to help 

grow the AbilityOne Program for many years to come.

P S P :

Sam Rodriguez

Position:

Assistant Director of Business Services

Nonprofit Agency:

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually 

Impaired, San Francisco, Calif.

Career Highlights:

Secured permanent position shortly 

after being hired as a temporary 

employee; promoted to operations and 

maintenance specialist; completed NIB’s 

Fellowship for Leadership Development 

program and returned to LightHouse as 

assistant director for business services. 

Oversees day-to-day operations of the 

manufacturing facility; leads LightHouse 

efforts to obtain ISO 9001 certification. 

AbilityOne Program employee since 2004.

Personal Achievements:

Bilingual; learned to speak, read and write 

English after relocating with his parents 

from El Salvador to the United States in 

1991 at the age of 14; graduated from 

San Jose State University in 2004 with 

a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical 

Engineering. Together with his spouse, 

they enjoy their young son, Samuel, Jr.

Overheard Saying:

“There is no other program that I know of 

that can give you such vast experience in 

so short a period of time.” 

Kudos:

“Sam is a rock-solid asset to the 

LightHouse’s administrative team,” 

said Brian Bashin, LightHouse CEO.

37.0%

26.0%

16.4%

20.5%

52.8%

20.8%

19.4%

6.9%

Outstanding

Superior

Acceptable

Unacceptable

Outstandi

Superior

Acceptabl

Unaccept

52.8%

20.8%

19.4%

6.9%

ding

r

ble

ptable

Outstanding

Superior

Acceptable

Unacceptable

37
Small Giants

at NEXCOM. Business Manager 

Debra Loudermilk adds, “The 

benefits of the NEXCOM contract 

are two-fold: we proudly serve 

the military heroes who serve 

our country while providing 

employment for people with 

disabilities. Everyone wins.”

Grand Traverse Industries

Founded in 1974, Grand Traverse 

Industries (GTI), Traverse 

City, Mich., provides plastic 

bag manufacturing, vending 

sales and services, custodial 

services, industrial assembly and 

packaging. Since 2001, GTI has 

partnered with Michigan-based 

Plascon, Inc. They partner to 

produce plastic bags, including 

trash can liners, bio-hazardous 

bags, laundry bags, highway 

pickup bags, packaging bags 

and custom bags. GTI also has 

an AbilityOne custodial service 

contract at the Veterans Affairs 

Medical Center in Traverse City.

Some of the biggest 

success stories come 

from some of the 

smallest AbilityOne®

participating NPAs. 

Usually with 50 or fewer 

AbilityOne employees, 

they may seem small, but 

to the people they employ 

and the communities they 

serve, these NPAs have 

the impact of a giant. 

James M. Kesteloot, 

Committee member and 

private citizen, explains: 

“Our smaller NPAs, or 

‘small giants,’ collectively 

add up to a lot of jobs 

for people who are blind or 

have significant disabilities and 

contribute greatly to the 

AbilityOne Program mission.”

Sara’s Mentoring Center

Sara Carroll has always had a 

passion for helping others. In 

2003, 65-year-old Sara and her 

son William founded Sara’s 

Mentoring Center, Virginia Beach, 

Va. The Center provides training 

and rehabilitative services 

that empower individuals with 

disabilities through jobs in 

custodial services, shelf stocking, 

warehouse management, grounds 

maintenance and food services.

In its first year, Sara’s Mentoring 

Center secured an AbilityOne 

contract with the Navy Exchange 

Service Command (NEXCOM) 

to provide custodial services for 

the stores at Oceana and Dam 

Neck. The Center now provides 

nine full-time equivalent jobs 

Chun Yin Yeung, Opportunities and 

Resources, Inc., Wahiawa, Hawaii, cleans 

floors at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.

Judy Murphy, Sara’s Mentoring Center, 

cleans mirrors at the Oceana Navy 

Exchange in Virginia Beach, Va.

Steve Perdue, CEO of GTI, also 

serves on the NISH board of 

directors and is a member of 

the Quality Work Environment 

(QWE) steering group. His 

participation and leadership with 

those groups is a prime example 

of the contributions small NPAs 

make at the national level.

Opportunities and 

Resources, Inc.

In 1980, current President and 

CEO Susanna F. Cheung, together 

with a group of concerned 

individuals and parents of 

adult men and women with 

developmental disabilities, 

launched Opportunities 

and Resources, Inc. (ORI), 

Wahiawa, Hawaii. Once just a 

dream, Helemano Plantation 

provides real-world training 

and employment opportunities 

in its work centers that 

include a restaurant, gift shop, 

bakery, farm and garden.

38

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
To add to and partially because 

of its well-earned reputation, 

ORI enjoys a Secret facility level 

clearance—a designation held by 

few members of the AbilityOne 

network—and a requirement of 

ORI’s AbilityOne contract at Camp 

H.M. Smith, where employees 

provide custodial services for 

the Nimitz-MacArthur Pacific 

Command Center. ORI also 

provides custodial services 

at Hickam Air Force Base 

(AFB) as well as food services 

at Fort Shafter and Schofield 

Barracks through AbilityOne.

Reflecting on 30 years of success, 

Cheung adds, “It’s not how many 

buildings we have or how many 

acres we own. It is individual 

accomplishments that count.” 

Arizona Industries 

for the Blind

Established in 1952, Arizona 

Industries for the Blind (AIB), 

Phoenix, Ariz., is a program 

within the Arizona Department 

of Economic Security that 

provides employment and 

training opportunities for 

people who are blind or 

visually impaired. AIB features 

four primary business units—

manufacturing, distribution 

center, base supply centers and 

document imaging. AIB operates 

a modern manufacturing center 

that features computerized 

numerically controlled mills 

and lathes that are accessible 

to people who are blind. Since 

the 1980s, AIB has produced 

military litters (stretchers) 

and field operating tables for 

the Department of Defense; 

and in collaboration with two 

other NPAs, provides parts 

machining services to the 

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). 

For 15 years, AIB has provided 

distribution/logistics services 

to the DLA in support of 

America’s Warfighters. AIB 

introduced a voice recognition 

picking system, TalkMan®, to 

its warehouse management 

system, providing real-time order 

updates to DLA. In 2010, AIB’s 

Distribution Center achieved 

ISO 9001:2008 Certification 

and was selected as DLA’s 

Outstanding AbilityOne Program 

Vendor. AIB operates three 

base supply centers in Arizona: 

Luke AFB, Davis-Monthan AFB 

and Yuma Marines Air Corps 

Station. AIB also provides 

secure document conversion 

services to Federal, state and 

commercial customers in Arizona.

James Caldwell of Arizona Industries for the Blind 

operates computer numerically controlled machinery to 

produce component parts for products used by DoD.

James Johnston, GTI, vacuums the Veteran’s 

Administration Medical Clinic in Traverse City, Mich.

Left: Regan Shimabukuro, Opportunities and Resources, Inc., Wahiawa, Hawaii, cleans 

windows at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. Middle: Guard dog using protective equipment 

procured through a base supply center operated by Arizona Industries for the Blind.

39

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Pearl Franko, 

RLCB Inc., 

Raleigh, N.C.

40

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
Al b m

Anniston

Calhoun-Cleburne Mental 

Health Board, Inc. (NISH)

The Opportunity Center Easter 

Seal Facility—The Ala ES Soc, 

Inc. (NISH)

irmingham

Alabama Goodwill Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Easter Seals of the Birmingham 

Area (NISH)

United Cerebral Palsy of 

Greater Birmingham, Inc. 

(NISH)

Dothan

Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Huntsville

Huntsville Rehabilitation 

Foundation (NISH)

The ARC of Madison County, 

Inc. (NISH)

obile

GWI Services, Inc. (NISH)

ontgomery

Goodwill Industries of Central 

Alabama, Inc. (NISH)

uscle Shoals

NW Alabama Easter Seal 

Children’s Clinic-Rehabilitation 

Center (NISH)

Talladega

Alabama Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

Al k

Anchorage

Assets, Inc. (NISH)

M. C. Resource 

Management (NISH)

MQC Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

Fairbanks

Fairbanks Resource 

Agency (NISH)

Juneau

REACH, Inc. (NISH)

Arizon

isbee

Cochise County Association for 

the Handicapped (NISH)

ogales

Santa Cruz Training Programs, 

Inc. (NISH)

Phoenix

Arizona Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

Goodwill Community Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Tempe

The Centers for Habilitation/

TCH (NISH)

Tucson

Beacon Group SW, Inc. (NISH)

Catholic Community Services 

of Southern Arizona (NISH)

J.P. Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Southern Arizona Association 

for the Visually Impaired (NIB)

Yuma

The EXCEL group (NISH)

Ark n

Fort Smith

Abilities Unlimited of Ft. Smith, 

Inc. (NISH)

BOST, Inc, (NISH)

Jacksonville

Pathfinder, Inc. (NISH)

ittle ock

The Arkansas Lighthouse for 

the Blind (NIB)

United Cerebral Palsy of 

Central Arkansas (NISH)

Pine luff

Jenkins Memorial Children’s 

Center and Jenkins Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

C li orni

akersfield

The Bakersfield Association for 

Retarded Citizens, Inc. (NISH)

lythe

Sheltering Wings Corp. (NISH)

Culver City

Exceptional Children’s 

Foundation (NISH)

El Cajon

Bona Fide Conglomerate, 

Inc. (NISH)

El Centro

ARC-Imperial Valley (NISH)

Imperial County Work Training 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

Fontana

The Fontana Rehabilitation 

Workshop (NISH)

Fresno

Arc Fresno, Inc. (NISH)

Hanford

Kings Rehabilitation Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

ancaster

Desert Haven Enterprises, 

Inc. (NISH)

ompoc

Life Options, Vocational and 

Resource Center (NISH)

os Angeles

Asian Rehabilitation Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Goodwill Industries of 

Southern California (NISH)

ountain View

VTF Services (NISH)

t Shasta

Siskiyou Opportunity Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

apa

Napa Valley PSI, Inc. (NISH)

akland

Calidad Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Pasadena

Foothill Workshop for the 

Handicapped, Inc. (NISH)

Perris

Valley Resource Center for the 

Retarded, Inc. (NISH)

ed luff

Tehama County Opportunity 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

edding

Shasta County Opportunity 

Center (NISH)

ichmond

Pacific Coast Community 

Services (NISH)

Rubicon Programs, Inc. (NISH)

idgecrest

Desert Area Resources and 

Training (NISH) 

ohnert Park

North Bay Rehabilitation 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

oseville

PRIDE Industries (NISH)

Sacramento

Crossroads Diversified Service, 

Inc. (NISH)

Easter Seal Society of Superior 

California (NISH)

San Diego

Job Options, Inc. (NISH)

San Diego Outsourcing 

Systems, Inc. (NISH)

The ARC of San Diego (NISH)

San Francisco

Lighthouse for the Blind and 

Visually Impaired (NIB)

Toolworks, Inc. (NISH)

San Jose

Hope Services (NISH)

Social Vocational Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

San eandro

The Arc of Alameda 

County (NISH)

Santa Ana

Landmark Services, Inc. (NISH)

Santa Clara

Project HIRED (NISH)

Santa aria

VTC Enterprises (NISH)

South El onte

Lincoln Training Center 

and Rehabilitation 

Workshop (NISH)

Stockton

Goodwill Service Connection, 

Inc. (NISH)

Vallejo

Solano Diversified 

Services (NISH)

Ventura

The ARC of Ventura County, 

Inc. (NISH)

Woodland

Yolo Employment 

Services (NISH)

Color o

Colorado Springs

Aspen Diversified Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Goodwill Industrial Services 

Corporation (NISH)

Denver

Bayaud Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Jewish Family Service of 

Colorado (NISH)

Fort Collins

Foothills Gateway, Inc. (NISH)

Pueblo

Pueblo Diversified Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Westminster

North Metro Community 

Services for Developmentally 

Disabled (NISH)

Conn i u

Enfield

Allied Community Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

ew ritain

CW Resources, Inc. (NISH)

Trumbull

The Kennedy Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Waterbury

Easter Seal Rehabilitation 

Center of Greater Waterbury, 

Inc. (NISH)

Windsor

Easter Seals Capital Region 

& Eastern Connecticut, 

Inc. (NISH)

D l r

ilford

Kent-Sussex Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

ew Castle

Delaware Division for the 

Visually Impaired (NIB)

Wilmington

InspiriTec, Inc. (NISH)

Opportunity Center, 

Incorporated (NISH) 

Di ri o

Columbi

Washington

Anchor Mental Health 

Association (Anchor Services 

Workshop) (NISH)

Columbia Lighthouse for the 

Blind (NIB)

Davis Memorial Goodwill 

Industries (NISH)

Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy 

Institute (NISH)

The ARC of the District of 

Columbia, Inc. (NISH)

Flori

oca aton

Habilitation Center for the 

Handicapped, Inc. (NISH)

Clearwater

Abilities, Inc. of Florida (NISH)

Daytona each

SMA Behavioral Health Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Gainesville

Association for Retarded Citizens/

Alachua County, Inc. (NISH)

Green Cove Springs

Challenge Enterprises of North 

Florida, Inc. (NISH)

Jacksonville

GINFL Services, Inc. (NISH)

The Right 2 Work 

Corporation (NISH)

ake City

CARC-Advocates for Citizens with 

Disabilities, Inc. (NISH)

iami

Easter Seals South Florida, 

Inc. (NISH)

Goodwill Industries of South 

Florida, Inc. (NISH)

orth Fort yers

GW Services of SWFL, 

Inc. (NISH)

rlando

Goodwill Industries of Central 

Florida (NISH)

Pensacola

Lakeview Center, Inc. (NISH)

ockledge

Brevard Achievement Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Bridges BTC, Inc. (NISH)

St. Petersburg

JobWorks, Inc. (NISH)

Louise Graham Regeneration 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

Tampa

MacDonald Training Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Tampa Lighthouse for the 

Blind (NIB)

West Palm each

Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

G or i

Americus

Middle Flint Behavioral 

HealthCare—Sumter County MR 

Center (NISH)

Atlanta

Bobby Dodd Institute, Inc. (NISH)

Goodwill Industries of North 

Georgia, Inc. (NISH)

Augusta

Easter Seals East Georgia, 

Inc. (NISH)

ainbridge

Georgia Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

Columbus

Power Works Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Dublin

Middle Georgia Diversified 

Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Jonesboro

WORKTEC (NISH)

aGrange

New Ventures Enterprises, 

Inc. (NISH)

acon

Good Vocations, Inc. (NISH) 

arietta

Tommy Nobis Enterprises, 

Inc. (NISH)

Savannah

Goodwill Industries of the Coastal 

Empire, Inc. (NISH)

Smyrna

Vision Rehabilitation Services of 

Georgia, Inc. (NIB)

Thomasville

Thomas-Grady Mental 

Retardation Service 

Center (NISH)

Warner obins

Houston County Association for 

Exceptional Citizens, Inc. (NISH)

G m

Santa ita

Able Industries of the 

Pacific (NISH)

H ii

Hilo

The ARC of Hilo (NISH)

Honolulu

Goodwill Contract Services of 

Hawaii, Inc. (NISH)

Lanakila Rehabilitation 

Center (NISH)

Network Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

Wahiawa

Opportunities for the Retarded, 

Inc. (NISH)

Wailuku

Ka Lima O Maui, Ltd. (NISH)

o

lackfoot

Dawn Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

oise

Trace, Inc. (NISH)

Caldwell

Western Idaho Training 

Company (NISH)

Coeur d’Alene

TESH, Inc. (NISH)

daho Falls

Development Workshop, 

Inc. (NISH)

eridian

Reliant Services, Inc. (NISH)

Pocatello

New Day Products, Inc. (NISH)

llinoi

Alton

Challenge Unlimited, Inc. (NISH)

Arlington Heights

Clearbrook Center, Inc. (NISH)

elleville

St. Clair Associated Vocational 

Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

Chicago

Ada S. McKinley Community 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Envision Unlimited (NISH)

Jewish Vocational Service and 

Employment Center (NISH)

Lester and Rosalie ANIXTER 

CENTER (NISH)

The Chicago Lighthouse for 

People who are Blind or Visually 

Impaired (NIB)

TRI Industries (NISH)

Danville

WorkSource Enterprises, 

NFP (NISH)

anark

Rolling Hills Progress Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

t. Sterling

Hancock County Mental Health 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

t. Vernon

Jefferson County Comprehensive 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

urphysboro

Specialized Training for Adult 

RehabiliTation (NISH)

orthbrook

Glenkirk (NISH)

Paris

Human Resources Center of 

Edgar and Clark Counties (NISH)

Peoria

Community Workshop and 

Training Center, Inc. (NISH)

ock sland

Association for Retarded Citizens 

of Rock Island County (NISH)

Innovative Partnerships, 

N.F.P. (NISH)

ockford

OMNI Business Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Skokie

The Douglas Center (NISH)

Springfield

United Cerebral Palsy of the Land 

of Lincoln (NISH)

West Frankfurt

The H Group, B.B.T. Inc. (NISH)

i n

loomington

Stone Belt ARC, Inc. (NISH)

Fort Wayne

Anthony Wayne Rehabilitation 

Ctr for Handicapped and Blind, 

Inc. (NISH)

The Arc of Northeast Indiana, 

Inc. (NISH)

Gary

Tradewinds Rehabilitation 

Center (NISH)

ndianapolis

Bosma Industries for the Blind, 

Inc. (NIB)

Crossroads Rehabilitation Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

GW Commercial Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

okomo

Bona Vista Programs, Inc. (NISH)

afayette

Wabash Center, Inc. (NISH)

inton

Four Rivers Resource Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

ew Albany

Rauch Rehabilitation and 

Developmental Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Paoli

Orange County Rehabilitative 

and Developmental Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

ockville

Child-Adult Resource Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Shelbyville

Shares Inc. (NISH)

Vincennes

Knox County Association for 

Retarded Citizens, Inc. (NISH)

o

Des oines

Goodwill Solutions, Inc. (NISH)

owa City

Goodwill Industries of the 

Heartland (NISH)

Jefferson

Genesis Development (NISH)

ock Valley

Hope Haven, Inc. (NISH)

Shenandoah

Nishna Productions, Inc. (NISH)

Sioux City

Goodwill Community 

Rehabilitation Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

n

awrence

Cottonwood, Incorporated (NISH)

Topeka

Topeka Association for Retarded 

Citizens (NISH)

Wichita

Center Industries 

Corporation (NISH)

Envision, Inc. (NIB)

n u k

Corbin

Southeastern Kentucky 

Rehabilitation Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Danville

Pioneer Vocational/Industrial 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Hopkinsville

Pennyroyal Regional Mental 

Health-Mental Retardation Board, 

Inc. (NISH)

exington

Employment Solutions, 

Inc. (NISH)

ouisville

C.G.M. Services, Inc. (NISH)

Goodwill Industries of 

Kentucky, Inc. (NISH)

wensboro

Opportunity Center Workshop, 

Inc. (NISH)

oui i n

aton ouge

Louisiana Industries for the 

Disabled, Inc. (NISH)

erwick

Bayou Industrial Maintenance 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Jena

LaSalle Association for the 

Developmentally Delayed, 

Inc. (NISH)

ake Charles

Calcasieu Association for 

Retarded Citizens, Inc. (NISH)

eesville

Vernon Sheltered Workshop, 

Inc. (NISH)

any

Association of Retarded 

Citizens of Sabine, Inc. (NISH)

etairie

Goodworks, Inc. (NISH)

ew rleans

The Lighthouse for the Blind of 

New Orleans, Inc. (NIB)

Shreveport

Goodwill Industries of North 

Louisiana, Inc. (NISH)

Louisiana Association for the 

Blind (NIB)

The Arc of CaddoBossier (NISH)

Slidell

St. Tammany Association for 

Retarded Citizens, Inc. (NISH)

in

Auburn

Pathways, Inc. (NISH)

Augusta

Motivational Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

elfast

Group Home Foundation, 

Inc. (NISH)

Portland

Northern New England 

Employment Services (NISH)

r l n

Aberdeen

The Arc Northern Chesapeake 

Region, Incorporated (NISH)

altimore

Alliance, Inc. (NISH)

Blind Industries & Services of 

Maryland (NIB)

Goodwill Industries of the 

Chesapeake, Inc. (NISH)

Sinai Hospital of Baltimore 

(Vocational Services 

Program) (NISH)

The Arc of Baltimore, 

Inc. (NISH)

The Chimes, Inc. (NISH)

Columbia

Athelas Institute, Inc. (NISH)

Humanim, Inc. (NISH)

Easton

Chesapeake Bay Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Frederick

Jeanne Bussard Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Hagerstown

Hagerstown Goodwill 

Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Hollywood

The Center for Life Enrichment, 

Inc. (NISH)

ockville

The Arc of Montgomery County, 

Inc. (NISH)

Silver Spring

CHI Centers, Inc. (NISH)

Service Disabled Veterans 

Business Association (NISH)

pper arlboro

Melwood Horticultural Training 

Center (NISH)

u

oston

Community Workshops, 

Inc. (NISH)

Morgan Memorial Goodwill 

Industries (NISH)

National Telecommuting 

Institute, Inc. (NISH)

raintree

Employ + Ability, Inc. (NISH)

Chicopee

Sunshine Village, Inc. (NISH)

Concord

Minute Man Arc for Human 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Hyannis

capeAbilities, Inc. (NISH)

orth Quincy

Work, Incorporated (NISH)

Pittsfield

Berkshire County Arc, 

Inc. (NISH)

Springfield

Goodwill Industries of the 

Springfield/Hartford Area, 

Inc. (NISH)

Worcester

Seven Hills Occupational 

& Rehabilitation Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

i i n

Alpena

Northeastern Michigan 

Rehabilitation and Opportunity 

Center (NEMROC) (NISH)

Ann Arbor

Washtenaw County Community 

Support and Treatment 

Services (NISH)

Auburn Hills

New Horizons Rehabilitation 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

attle Creek

Calhoun County Community 

Mental Health Services (NISH)

Navigations, Inc. (NISH)

errien Springs

Gateway (NISH)

righton

Work Skills Corporation (NISH)

Escanaba

Lakestate Industries (NISH)

Grand apids

Hope Network Services 

Corporation (NISH)

Holland

Kandu Industries, Inc. (NISH)

alamazoo

MidWest Enterprises for the 

Blind, Inc. (NIB)

MRC Industries, Inc. (NISH)

ingsford

Trico Opportunities, Inc. (NISH)

ansing

Peckham Vocational Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

uskegon

Goodwill Industries of West 

Michigan, Inc. (NISH)

Port Huron

The Arc of St. Clair 

County (NISH)

Saginaw

SVRC Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Sault Ste. arie

Northern Transitions, 

Inc. (NISH)

Southfield

Jewish Vocational Service and 

Community Workshop (NISH)

Traverse City

G.W. Services of Northern 

Michigan, Inc. (NISH)

Grand Traverse Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Vassar

Tuscola County Community 

Mental Health Authority (NISH)

inn o

Duluth

Goodwill Industries Vocational 

Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

Fergus Falls

Productive Alternatives, 

Inc. (NISH)

inneapolis

AccessAbility, Inc. (NISH)

Tasks Unlimited, Inc. (NISH)

innetonka

Opportunity Partners 

Inc. (NISH)

ochester

Ability Building Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

St. Paul

MDI Government Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Thief iver Falls 

Occupational Development 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

i i i

Aberdeen

AbilityWorks, Inc. of Monroe 

County (NISH)

Greenville

AbilityWorks, Inc. of 

Washington County (NISH)

Gulfport

AbilityWorks, Inc. of Harrison 

County (NISH)

Mississippi Goodworks, 

Inc. (NISH)

Jackson

AbilityWorks, Inc. of 

Jackson (NISH)

Mississippi Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

eridian

AbilityWorks, Inc. of 

Meridian (NISH)

xford

AbilityWorks, Inc. of 

Oxford (NISH)

Vicksburg

Warren County Association for 

Retarded Citizens, Inc. (NISH)

i ouri

ethany

Harrison County Sheltered 

Workshop Association (NISH)

Cape Girardeau

Cape Girardeau Community 

Sheltered Workshop, 

Inc. (NISH)

Harrisonville

Casco Area Workshop, 

Inc. (NISH)

ndependence

Independence and Blue Springs 

Industries, Inc. (NISH)

ansas City

Alphapointe Association for the 

Blind (NIB)

The Helping Hand of 

Goodwill Industries Extended 

Employment SWS (NISH)

arshfield

Web-Co Custom Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

onroe City

Learning Opportunities/Quality 

Works, Inc. (NISH)

Sedalia

Cooperative Workshops, 

Inc. (NISH)

Springfield

Springfield Workshop, 

Inc. (NISH)

St. ouis

The Lighthouse for the Blind, 

Inc. (NIB)

MGI Services 

Corporation (NISH)

on n

illings

Community Option Resource 

Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

utte

BSW, Inc. (NISH)

Helena

Helena Industries, Inc. (NISH)

issoula

Opportunity Resources, 

Inc. (NISH)

AbilityOne Network of Nonprofit Agencies FY2010
Ebr k

Grand sland

Goodwill Employment 

Services of Central Nebraska, 

Inc. (NISH)

ebraska City

Region V Services (NISH)

maha

Goodwill Specialty Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Outlook-Nebraska, Inc. (NIB)

as Vegas

Blind Center of Nevada, 

Inc. (NIB)

Great Plains Enterprises, 

Inc. (NISH)

Opportunity Village Association 

for Retarded Citizens (NISH)

eno

High Sierra Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

Washoe ARC (NISH)

 J r

Cedar nolls

Employment Horizons, 

Inc. (NISH)

Edison

Edison Sheltered Workshop, 

Inc. (NISH)

Hackensack

North Jersey Friendship House, 

Inc. (NISH)

The Arc of Bergen and Passaic 

Counties, Inc. (NISH)

t. Holly

Occupational Training Center of 

Burlington County (NISH)

unnemede

Bestwork Industries for the 

Blind, Inc. (NIB)

Somerset

New Jersey Association for the 

Deaf-Blind, Inc (NIB)

xi o

Albuquerque

Adelante Development Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

New Mexico Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

RCI, Inc. (NISH)

Artesia

Door of Opportunity, 

Inc. (NISH)

Clovis

ENMRSH, Inc. (NISH)

as Cruces

Tresco, Inc. (NISH)

Santa Fe

Presbyterian Medical 

Services (NISH)

 York

Albany

Northeastern Association of the 

Blind at Albany, Inc. (NIB)

Amsterdam

Montgomery County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

atavia

Genesee County Chapter, 

NYSARC (NISH)

inghamton

ABLE INDUSTRIES, 

INC. (NISH)

Association for Vision 

Rehabilitation and Employment, 

Inc. (NIB)

rooklyn

New York City Industries for 

the Blind, Inc. (NIB)

uffalo

Elizabeth Pierce Olmsted, 

M.D. Center for the Visually 

Impaired (NIB)

Phoenix Frontier, Inc. (NISH)

Canandaigua

Ontario County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

Canton

St. Lawrence County Chapter, 

NYSARC (NISH)

Cortland

J.M. Murray Center, Inc. (NISH)

Elma

Suburban Adult Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Fairport

Continuing Developmental 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Fulton

Oswego Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Herkimer

Herkimer County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

Jamestown

Chautauqua County Chapter, 

NYSARC (NISH)

ingston

Gateway Community Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

alone

Citizen Advocates, Inc. (NISH)

enands

The Workshop, 

Incorporated (NISH)

iddletown

New Dynamics 

Corporation (NISH)

Occupations, Inc. (NISH)

ew York

Fedcap Rehabilitation Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Federation Employment and 

Guidance Service (NISH)

NYSARC, Inc., NYC 

Chapter (NISH)

The Corporate Source, 

Inc. (NISH)

iagara Falls

Niagara County Chapter, 

NYSARC (NISH)

akdale

Skills Unlimited, Inc. (NISH)

lean

Cattaraugus County Chapter, 

NYSARC (NISH)

Penn Yan

Yates County Chapter NYSARC, 

Inc. (NISH)

Plattsburgh

Clinton County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

ochester

Association for the Blind 

and Visually Impaired—

Goodwill Industries of 

Greater Rochester (NIB)

Rochester Psychiatric 

Center (NISH)

Rochester Rehabilitation 

Center (NISH)

Schenectady

Schenectady County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

Slingerlands

Albany County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

Syracuse

Aurora of Central New 

York (NIB)

Onondaga County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

tica

Central Association for the 

Blind & Visually Impaired (NIB)

Human Technologies 

Corporation (NISH)

The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

Walton

Delaware County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

Waterloo

NYSARC, Inc., Seneca-Cayuga 

Counties Chapter (NISH)

Watertown

Jefferson County Chapter, 

NYSARC (NISH)

Watkins Glen

Schuyler County Chapter, 

NYSARC, Inc. (NISH)

or C rolin

revard

Transylvania Vocational 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Charlotte

Lions Services, Inc. (NIB)

Durham

Durham Exchange Club 

Industries, Inc. (NISH)

L.C. Industries, Inc. (NIB)

Elizabeth City

Skills, Inc. (NISH)

Fayetteville

Employment Source, 

Inc. (NISH)

Greensboro

Industries of the Blind, 

Inc. (NIB)

Greenville

Eastern Carolina Vocational 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

Hillsborough

OE Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

Jacksonville

Coastal Enterprises of 

Jacksonville, Inc. (NISH)

inston

Lions Industries for the Blind, 

Inc. (NIB)

arble

Industrial Opportunities, 

Inc. (NISH)

aleigh

RLCB (NIB)

Washington

Beaufort County Developmental 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem Industries for 

the Blind, Inc. (NIB)

or D ko

ismarck

Pride, Inc. (NISH)

Devils ake

Lake Region 

Corporation (NISH)

Fargo

Vocational Training 

Center (NISH)

Jamestown

Alpha Opportunities, 

Inc. (NISH)

inot

MVW Services, Inc. (NISH)

Valley City

Open Door Center (NISH)

io

Akron

Community Support Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Weaver Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Canton

The Workshops, Inc. (NISH)

Cincinnati

Cincinnati Association for the 

Blind (NIB)

Greater Cincinnati Behavioral 

Health Services (NISH)

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries 

Rehabilitation Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Clovernook Center for the Blind 

and Visually Impaired (NIB)

Cleveland

VGS, Inc. (NISH)

Dayton

Eastway Corporation (NISH)

Goodwill Easter Seals Miami 

Valley (NISH)

Delaware

The Alpha Group of Delaware, 

Inc. (NISH)

Elyria

Murray Ridge Production 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

ansfield

Rehabilitation Service of North 

Central Ohio, Inc. (NISH)

Richland County Board 

of Developmental 

Disabilities (NISH)

arion

MARCA Industries, Inc. (NISH)

ewark

Licking-Knox Goodwill 

Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Springfield

TAC Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Stryker

Quadco Rehabilitation Center, 

Inc. (Northwest Products 

Division) (NISH)

Toledo

ContracTech, Inc. (NISH)

enia

Greene, Inc. (NISH)

Youngstown

Youngstown Area Goodwill 

Industries (NISH)

kl om

Anadarko

APEX, Inc. (NISH)

uskogee

Golden Rule Industries of 

Muskogee, Inc. (NISH)

klahoma City

Dale Rogers Training Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

NewView Oklahoma, Inc. (NIB)

r on

Ashland

Pathway Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

Hood iver

Hood River Sheltered 

Workshop (NISH)

ebanon

Willamette Valley Rehabilitation 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

c innville

Mid-Valley Rehabilitation, 

Inc. (NISH)

Portland

Blind Enterprises of Oregon (NIB)

DePaul Industries (NISH)

Portland Habilitation Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

oseburg

Sunrise Enterprises of Roseburg, 

Inc. (NISH)

Salem

Garten Services, Inc. (NISH)

P nn l ni

Aston

Elwyn, Inc. (NISH)

Athens

Penn-York Opportunities for the 

Handicapped, Inc. (NISH)

ethlehem

Via of the Lehigh Valley, 

Inc. (NISH)

Chester

Center for the Blind and Visually 

Impaired (NIB)

Coatesville

Chester County Branch of the 

PAB (NIB)

Erie

Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Greensburg

Westmoreland County Blind 

Association (NIB)

Harrisburg

Goodwill Services, Inc. (NISH)

Homestead

Blind and Vision Rehabilitation 

Services of Pittsburgh (NIB)

Houston

Arc Human Services, Inc. (NISH)

Johnstown

Cambria County Association 

for the Blind and 

Handicapped (NISH)

Goodwill Industries of the 

Conemaugh Valley, Inc. (NISH)

ancaster

Susquehanna Association for the 

Blind and Vison Impaired (NIB)

ebanon

Quality Employment Services and 

Training, Inc. (NISH)

ewistown

NuVisions Center, a Not for Profit 

Corporation (NISH)

echanicsburg

Cumberland-Perry Association 

for Retarded Citizens (NISH)

ew Castle

Lark Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

orth Warren

Bollinger Enterprises (NISH)

Philadelphia

Horizon House, Inc. (NISH)

Pittsburgh

ARC—Allegheny (NISH)

Family Services of Western 

Pennsylvania (NISH)

Goodwill Commercial Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Life’sWork of Western PA (NISH)

The Easter Seal Society of 

Western Pennsylvania (NISH)

Pottsville

Avenues, Inc. (NISH)

Scranton

Allied Health Care 

Services (NISH)

Stroudsburg

The Burnley Workshop of the 

Poconos, Inc. (NISH)

Washington

Washington-Greene County 

Branch, PAB (NIB)

Wilkes- arre

United Rehabilitation Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Williamsport

Hope Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

North Central Sight Services, 

Inc. (NIB)

York

ForSight Vision (NIB)

o l n

Cranston

CranstonArc (NISH)

ewport

James L. Maher Center (NISH)

orth Providence

Greater Providence Chapter, 

Rhode Island Assoc. for Retarded 

Citizens (NISH)

Sou C rolin

Aiken

The Tri-Development Center of 

Aiken County, Inc. (NISH)

eaufort

Beaufort Vocational Rehabilitation 

Center (NISH)

Charleston Heights

Charleston Vocational 

Rehabilitation Center (NISH)

Columbia

Lexington Vocational 

Rehabilitation Center (NISH)

Conway

Horry County Disabilities and 

Special Needs Board (NISH)

Florence

Florence County Disabilities and 

Special Needs Board (NISH)

Greenville

Greenville County Disabilities and 

Special Needs Board (NISH)

Greenville Rehabilitation 

Center (NISH)

orth Charleston

Goodwill Industries of Lower 

South Carolina, Inc. (NISH)

rangeburg

Orangeburg County Disabilities 

and Special Needs Board (NISH)

Seneca

Oconee-Pickens Work Training 

Center (NISH)

Spartanburg

The Charles Lea Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Summerville

Dorchester County Board 

of Disabilities and Special 

Needs (NISH)

Sumter

Sumter County Disabilities and 

Special Needs Board, Inc. (NISH)

The Genesis Center (NISH)

Walterboro

Walterboro Vocational 

Rehabilitation Center (NISH)

Sou D ko

Aberdeen

Adjustment Training Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Elsworth AF

BH Services, Inc. (NISH)

Huron

Huron Area Center for 

Independence (NISH)

Pierre

OAHE, Inc. (NISH)

Sioux Falls

South Dakota Achieve (NISH)

T nn

Chattanooga

The Orange Grove Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Clarksville

Progressive Directions, 

Inc. (NISH)

Cookeville

Advocacy and Resources 

Corporation (NISH)

Johnson City

Dawn of Hope Development 

Center, Inc. (NISH)

noxville

Goodwill Industries—Knoxville, 

Inc. (NISH)

Knox County Association for 

Retarded Citizens (NISH)

emphis

Memphis Goodwill Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

orristown

Lions Volunteer Blind Industries, 

Inc. (NIB)

ashville

Ed Lindsey Industries for the 

Blind, Inc. (NIB)

Government Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

T x

Austin

Austin Task, Inc. (NISH)

Blue Solutions (NISH)

Professional Contract Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Relief Enterprise, Inc. (NISH)

Travis Association for the 

Blind (NIB)

eaumont

Goodwill Industries Industrial 

Contracts and Temporary 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Conroe

Tri-County Mental Health 

and Mental Retardation 

Services (NISH)

Corpus Christi

Goodwill Industries of South 

Texas, Inc. (NISH)

Nueces County Mental Health 

Mental Retardation Community 

Center (NISH)

South Texas Lighthouse for the 

Blind (NIB)

Dallas

Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind, 

Inc. (NIB)

El Paso

El Paso Lighthouse for the 

Blind (NIB)

Let’s Go To Work (NISH)

ReadyOne Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Fort Worth

Expanco, Inc. (NISH)

Goodwill Industrial Services of 

Fort Worth, Inc. (NISH)

Tarrant County Association for 

the Blind (NIB)

Houston

Arbor Products, Inc. (NISH)

CRI Federal Services (NISH)

Lighthouse for the Blind of 

Houston (NIB)

On Our Own Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Southeast Vocational Alliance, 

Inc. (NISH)

ufkin

Burke Center, Inc. (NISH)

San Angelo

Concho Resource Center (NISH)

MHMR Services for the 

Concho Valley (NISH)

West Texas Lighthouse for the 

Blind (NIB)

San Antonio

Goodwill Industries of San 

Antonio (NISH)

Mavagi Enterprises, Inc. (NISH)

San Antonio Lighthouse for the 

Blind (NIB)

South Texas Housing and 

Community Development Corp, 

Inc. (NISH)

Training, Rehabilitation, 

& Development Institute, 

Inc. (NISH)

World Technical Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Tyler

East Texas Lighthouse for the 

Blind (NIB)

Wichita Falls

Beacon Lighthouse, Inc. (NIB)

North Texas State 

Hospital (NISH)

Work Services 

Corporation (NISH)

Clearfield

Pioneer Adult Rehabilitation 

Center Davis County School 

District (NISH)

gden

Enable Industries 

Incorporated (NISH)

Salt ake City

Community Foundation for the 

Disabled, Inc. (NISH)

Utah Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

Vir ini

Alexandria

ServiceSource, Inc. (NISH)

Sheltered Occupational 

Center of Northern Virginia, 

Inc. (NISH)

Atkins

Mount Rogers Community 

Services Board (NISH)

Charlottesville

Virginia Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

WorkSource Enterprises (NISH)

Chesapeake

Chesapeake Service Systems, 

Inc. (NISH)

Farmville

Southside Training 

Employment Placement 

Services, Inc. (NISH)

Fredericksburg

Rappahannock Goodwill 

Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Hampton

The ARC of the Virginia 

Peninsula, Inc. (NISH)

Harrisonburg

Friendship Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

eesburg

Every Citizen Has Opportunities, 

Inc. (NISH)

ynchburg

Lynchburg Sheltered Industries, 

Inc. (NISH)

anassas

Didlake, Inc. (NISH)

orfolk

Louise W. Eggleston Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Petersburg

Progressive Adult 

Rehabilitation Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Portsmouth

Portco, Inc. (NISH)

ichmond

Goodwill Services, Inc (NISH)

Richmond Area Association for 

Retarded Citizens (NISH)

oanoke

Goodwill Industries of the 

Valleys, Inc. (NISH)

Springfield

MVLE, Inc. (NISH)

Virginia each

Community Alternatives, 

Incorporated (NISH)

Sara’s Mentoring Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Winchester

NW Works, Inc. (NISH)

W in on

ellingham

Cascade Christian 

Services (NISH)

Lake Whatcom Residential and 

Treatment Center (NISH)

remerton

Holly Ridge Center (NISH)

Peninsula Services (NISH)

Skookum Educational 

Programs (NISH)

Clarkston

Asotin County Community 

Services (NISH)

ssaquah

AtWork! (NISH)

ennewick

Columbia Industries (NISH)

ak Harbor

New Leaf, Inc. (NISH)

lympia

Morningside (NISH)

Seattle

Northwest Center (NISH)

Provail (NISH)

The Lighthouse for the Blind, 

Inc. (NIB)

Spokane

Good Works, Inc. (NISH)

Skils’kin (NISH)

Sumner

VADIS (NISH)

Tacoma

Goodwill Contracting 

Services (NISH)

Walla Walla

Lillie Rice Center (NISH)

Yakima

Yakima Specialties, Inc. (NISH)

Wi on in

Eau Claire

L. E. Phillips Career 

Development Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

Elkhorn

VIP Services, Inc. (NISH)

Fond du ac

Brooke Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Fort Atkinson

Opportunities, Inc. of Jefferson 

County (NISH)

Green ay

ASPIRO, Inc. (NISH)

a Crosse

ORC Industries, Inc. (NISH)

adison

Madison Area Rehabilitation 

Centers, Inc. (NISH)

ilwaukee

Associated Industries for the 

Blind (NIB)

Goodwill Industries of 

Southeastern Wisconsin, 

Inc. (NISH)

Milwaukee Center for 

Independence, Inc. (NISH)

Wiscraft Inc.

acine

Lakeside Curative Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

Waukesha

Waukesha Training Center, 

Inc. (NISH)

West Allis

Industries for the Blind, 

Inc. (NIB)

Wisconsin apids

ODC Government Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

W Vir ini

ridgeport

Job Squad, Inc. (NISH)

uckhannon

Buckhannon-Upshur Work 

Adjustment Center, Inc. (NISH)

Charleston

Goodwill Industries of 

Kanawha Valley, Inc. (NISH)

Craigsville

The Sheltered Workshop of 

Nicholas County, Inc. (NISH)

Huntington

Goodwill Industries of 

KYOWVA Area, Inc. (NISH)

Prestera Center for Mental 

Health Services, Inc. (NISH)

aben

Integrated Resources, 

Inc. (NISH)

Parkersburg

SW Resources, Inc. (NISH)

onceverte

Gateway Industries, Inc. (NISH)

Star City

PACE Enterprises of West 

Virginia, Inc. (NISH)

Weirton

Hancock County Sheltered 

Workshop, Inc. (NISH)

Wheeling

Russell Nesbitt Services, 

Inc. (NISH)

W omin

Cheyenne

Goodwill Industries of 

Wyoming, Inc. (NISH)

Magic City Enterprises, 

Inc. (NISH)

Worland

Northwest Community Action 

Programs of Wyoming, 

Inc. (NISH)

Committee For pur hase From eople Who re Blind or everely isa led

1421 Jefferson Davis Hig way, JP2, uite 10800 ★ rlington, 22202-3259

ele one: 703-603-7740 ★ ax: 703-603-0655

info@abilityone.gov ★ www. bility ne.gov

®
Raymond 

Bousman, 

PCSI, 

Austin, Texas

43

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2010
AbilityOne®National N
Network

AbilityOne® FY2010 Stats by State

State or 

Territory

Number of

Agencies Hours Employees Wages AverageHourly Wage

Alabama 12 1,114,863 901 $12,352,369 $11.08

Alaska 5 210,292 204 $2,842,062 $13.51

Arizona 10 627,066 531 $6,864,515 $10.95

Arkansas 6 313,984 313 $2,956,104 $9.41

California 45 3,794,108 3,206 $47,097,694 $12.41

Colorado 7 449,038 705 $4,946,383 $11.02

Connecticut 5 334,375 1,250 $3,941,573 $11.79

Delaware 3 74,478 84 $842,595 $11.31

District of Columbia 5 387,941 282 $5,115,674 $13.19

Florida 20 3,283,765 2,765 $32,419,905 $9.87

Georgia 16 1,529,123 1,251 $15,951,283 $10.43

Guam 1 160,563 143 $1,240,071 $7.72

Hawaii 6 265,652 260 $3,065,629 $11.54

Idaho 7 797,337 899 $9,295,932 $11.66

Illinois 23 753,565 1,229 $8,109,433 $10.76

Indiana 15 483,829 725 $4,137,261 $8.55

Iowa 5 68,258 185 $730,006 $10.69

Kansas 4 457,311 451 $3,569,093 $7.80

Kentucky 7 486,431 868 $4,491,096 $9.23

Louisiana 12 484,751 549 $4,572,653 $9.43

Maine 4 329,395 328 $3,448,042 $10.47

Maryland 17 3,212,689 2,535 $36,509,683 $11.36

Massachusetts 12 391,842 676 $4,876,070 $12.44

Michigan 22 3,270,164 3,770 $32,688,529 $10.00

Minnesota 7 254,263 358 $2,406,263 $9.46

Mississippi 10 261,382 331 $2,827,201 $10.82

Missouri 12 511,846 638 $4,983,809 $9.74

Montana 4 104,280 239 $511,523 $4.91

Nebraska 4 175,844 234 $1,693,222 $9.63

Nevada 5 257,243 230 $2,745,444 $10.67

New Jersey 8 455,209 396 $5,245,866 $11.52

New Mexico 7 368,962 346 $3,836,988 $10.40

New York 44 2,064,364 2,264 $27,003,221 $13.08

North Carolina 15 2,788,790 2,242 $25,171,147 $9.03

North Dakota 6 178,962 185 $1,625,871 $9.08

Ohio 21 815,034 968 $9,003,907 $11.05

Oklahoma 4 371,395 341 $3,619,965 $9.75

Oregon 8 289,825 249 $4,670,773 $16.12

Pennsylvania 32 975,893 1,169 $8,730,672 $8.95

Rhode Island 3 89,944 105 $1,045,549 $11.62

South Carolina 16 531,168 865 $5,102,404 $9.61

South Dakota 5 229,771 205 $2,096,963 $9.13

Tennessee 10 316,262 381 $3,013,770 $9.53

Texas 37 5,922,612 4,595 $62,722,546 $10.59

Utah 4 318,849 209 $4,035,250 $12.66

Virginia 23 3,322,917 3,057 $36,757,844 $11.06

Washington 19 1,576,728 1,585 $25,381,976 $16.10

West Virginia 12 346,836 276 $3,635,777 $10.48

Wisconsin 14 2,191,336 1,804 $27,766,853 $12.67

Wyoming 3 49,220 45 $626,446 $12.73

Totals 602 48,049,751 47,427 $528,324,902

AbilityOne NPAs employ people in all 50 states, District of 

Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam; some 

participating NPAs perform work in multiple states, and the 

data above is based on the location of the NPA headquarters. Mission:

www.abilityone.gov Possible
When Haiti was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in January 2010, the U.S. State Department 

turned to AbilityOne to fulfill its contact center needs. AbilityOne nonprofit agencies also provided 

much-needed supplies, equipment and monetary donations. See story inside.

ocu n: aiti

www.abilityone.gov