Original article published on June 2, 2018 by the Star Tribune. Businesses seek to expand opportunities for workers with disabilities Many businesses welcome, even recruit, staff from this often untapped and underemployed talent pool.  By: Joyce M. Rosenberg, Star Tribune On any weekday morning, Miles Thornback is working on marketing campaigns for real estate agents or dealing with ... Read moreRead Article

  Be part of a fun night raising money for fulfilling jobs for people with disabilities. MDI transforms the lives of people with disabilities by providing fulfilling job opportunities and training. A career at MDI gives people with disabilities the chance to think differently about themselves, to see themselves as competent and successful. Come support ... Read moreRead Article

  Pints with a Purpose, a MDI fundraising event, took place on a beautiful spring night bringing in over 90 guests. Attendees enjoyed Urban Growler beer and tacos, all with a purpose – career advancement for people with disabilities. Thank you to all who attended and supported MDI’s first Pints with a Purpose! We hope you enjoy these fun photos commemorating the evening. Find ... Read moreRead Article

  Join us and see how the products and services offered directly impact the lives of people with disabilities. For over 50 years, non-profit MDI has created self-sufficiency by providing meaningful employment in an inclusive environment with nearly half of the employees people with disabilities. Hear from employees and see how our unique model is making a difference in the ... Read moreRead Article

  It was a typical Friday for Noah Patton, job coaching a fellow MDI employee at a Grand Rapids restaurant, until he saw an elderly woman choking in a nearby booth. “I turned around and saw the woman hunched over struggling to breathe. As somebody said ‘she’s choking’ her head started to slowly fall as ... Read moreRead Article

  MDI is pleased to release its 2017 annual report. This comprehensive report features success stories from our employees, highlights and milestones, facts and figures, and much more. In 2017, MDI employed 387 people, 167 of whom were people with disabilities. The year ended with revenues of $20.6M. Many great accomplishments occurred throughout the year including the conclusion of a multi-year effort to modernized ... Read moreRead Article

MDI recently received the Finance & Commerce 2018 Progress Minnesota award on April 5, 2018. The awards, now in their seventh year, recognize those individuals and companies who are driving business and industrial growth and economic development in Minnesota in unique ways. This year, the categories were: Economic Development, Entrepreneur, Technology and Workforce Development. A panel of independent judges who specialize in ... Read moreRead Article

  Being a parent of a child with a disability is a different journey than others may experience. This song and video is written and produced as a tribute to a father’s love for their daughter and a tribute to the unconditional love parents have for their child(ren) with a disability. Read Article

  Original article was published on October 8, 2016. On Minnesota’s Iron Range, employer makes bold gamble on inclusion for people with disabilities One Iron Range firm makes strides toward inclusivity for people with disabilities. Written by: Chris Serres, Star Tribune COHASSET, Minn. WORKERS LIKE JOHN WEEK, 37, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE. WORKERS ... Read moreRead Article

Apple has outlined a series of emojis “to better represent individuals with disabilities,” according to a proposal submitted to the Unicode Consortium. People on social media have been cheering for the long overdue representation. Emojis with hearing aids and using sign language, wheelchairs and white canes are among the proposed options for iPhones. The proposal states that emojis “may not represent the experiences ... Read moreRead Article

Nineteen years after a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling opened the doors to integration, thousands of Minnesotans with disabilities continue to live and work in segregated settings that keep them in poverty and limit their daily autonomy. These are among the principal findings of the state’s first comprehensive survey examining the quality of life of nearly 50,000 ... Read moreRead Article

The eleventh annual World Autism Awareness Day is Monday, April 2. Every April, Autism Speaks kicks off World Autism Month beginning with UN-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day.  Those supporting the cause are asked to wear blue on that day. Joined by the international community, hundreds of thousands of landmarks, people, buildings, homes and communities around the world, all in light blue to ... Read moreRead Article