2010s
The Full Story
2010
AbilityOne Supports Relief Efforts for Haiti Earthquake Victims
Following the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010, several nonprofit agencies (NPAs) provided emergency supplies and services in support of relief efforts. Goodwill Industries of South Florida collected and shipped money and supplies, including blankets, mobility devices, and wet weather ponchos donated by another NPA, ORC Industries of Lacrosse, Wis. Meanwhile, Cooperative Workshops, Inc., Sedalia, Mo., provided emergency kits and first aid supplies. In Lansing, Mich., Peckham, Inc. set up a contact center within 36 hours of the U.S. State Department’s request and staffed it with 60 employees who answered calls from individuals who were searching for information about their loved ones in Haiti.
CBS Evening News Features AbilityOne Employee Jose Gutierrez
AbilityOne employee Jose Gutierrez was featured on CBS Evening News last summer after receiving the William M. Usdane East Region Award for outstanding achievement and exceptional character for his work at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Gutierrez, who was born in Mexico hearing impaired, was always fascinated by the Statue of Liberty and dreamed of making a better life for himself in the United States. Today, that dream is a reality—he has a job that he loves, providing custodial services at Ellis Island through Fedcap of New York, N.Y., and is a permanent U.S. resident.
“It was a dream to be able to come here and get a job and to succeed,” said Jose.
AbilityOne Makes an Impact Overseas
In Afghanistan, Chief Warrant Officer II Jesse Jackson and his team enjoy Maxwell Coffee House packaged by River Valley Products, a division of CW Resources, Inc., an NPA in New Britain, Conn. When Maxwell House coffee supplies were scarce, Jackson sent a letter to River Valley and the NPA responded by shipping several packets of coffee to Jackon’s team. River Valley later adopted Jackson’s troop and sent nine boxes of baked goods, snacks, and other goodies.
Strategic Partnerships
The AbilityOne Program launched its first prime contractor agreement in May 2010 at the NISH (now SourceAmerica) National Training and Achievement Conference with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Boeing Company.
The AbilityOne Program realized another significant “first” with the August 2010 signing of a DoD Mentor Protégé Agreement between Northrop Grumman Corporation and MVLE, a NISH-affiliated NPA in Springfield, VA. For two years, Northrop Grumman will provide MVLE with engineering and technical training assistance.
NISH also developed partnerships with successful bidders for Federal contracts that include AbilityOne subcontracting requirements, including partnerships with Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Ceridian.
Goodwill Band Members Visit the White House
The start of For Once in My Life, the award-winning documentary about the spirit of Goodwill Band, visited the White House on July 26, as part of the Obama Administration’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Dedicated band members who took part in the White House celebration included trumpet player David Benitez, who has cerebral palsy; Javier Pena, music director; Terry Newmones, lead singer and saxophonist who is blind; and Nancy Spagnolo, a soprano who has a disability and is the primary caregiver and breadwinner for her two older siblings who also have disabilities.
SEKRI and Pioneer Services Partner for AbilityOne Contract
Southeastern Kentucky Rehabilitation Industries, Inc. (SEKRI), Corbin, Ky., engaged in a mentoring and subcontracting agreement with Pioneer Services of Danville, Ky. Through this arrangement, SEKRI is subcontracting a portion of its Protective Combat Uniform Level 7 contract to Pioneer. SEKRI is providing training, quality, and engineering support, and Pioneer is manufacturing the seven-layer jackets, which are made from a lightweight, cold weather material and will be used in some of the harshest conditions imaginable.
AbilityOne Network Member Wins USDA Award
In June 2010, Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS) won the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Small Business Outstanding Supplier award during a ceremony held at the USDA Whitten Building in Washington, D.C. TVS is a nonprofit located in Brevard, N.C. and is North Carolina’s only USDA-approved dairy packaging facility, producing Mountain Maid Instant and Regular Nonfat Dry milk. TVS products are supplied to the USDA domestic food assistance program.
2012
SourceAmerica establishes Pathways to Careers to offer paid internships to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they can transition to competitive, integrated employment based on informed choice.
2013
NISH launches its new brand, SourceAmerica, to reflect the mission and the spirit of the organization, the nationwide scope of its efforts, and pride in being the largest source of job opportunities for a workforce of unparalleled dedication and steadfast quality: people with disabilities.
2014
SourceAmerica celebrates the 40th anniversary of its founding.
