The AbilityOne Program creates
jobs and training opportunities for people who are blind
or who have other severe disabilities, empowering them
to lead more productive and independent lives. Its
primary means of doing so is by requiring Government
agencies to purchase selected products and services from
nonprofit organizations employing such individuals.
Currently, the AbilityOne
Program provides employment opportunities for more
than 40,000 people who are blind or have other
severe disabilities by orchestrating Government
purchases of products and services provided by nonprofit
agencies employing such individuals throughout the
country.
In 1938, the Wagner-O'Day Act was passed
under President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide
employment opportunities for people who are blind by
allowing them to sell products to the Federal
Government.
In 1971, under the leadership of Senator
Jacob Javits, Congress amended this Act (41 U.S.C.
46-48c) to include people
with severe disabilities and allow the Program to also
provide services to the Federal Government. More
than 60 years later, this extraordinary
socioeconomic program provides Federal customers with a
wide array of quality products and services, while
providing thousands of people with severe
disabilities employment opportunities and
increased independence.
The Committee for Purchase From People Who
Are Blind or Severely Disabled is the
Federal agency that administers the Program. Through two
Central Nonprofit Agencies, National Industries for the Blind
and NISH-Creating Employment Opportunities
for People with
Severe Disabilities, the Committee currently works
with more than 600 nonprofit agencies across
the country, as well as in Puerto Rico and Guam, to
provide employment opportunities to people who are blind
or have other severe disabilities. The purchase of
AbilityOne products and services by Federal customers
helps battle the chronic 70 percent unemployment or
underemployment rate faced by this untapped labor
resource.
Revised
AbilityOne Program Strategic Plan
2007-2009
