AbilityOne

The AbilityOne program (formerly known as JWOD) was designed with a mission to create employment for the blind and severely disabled by providing quality products and services to the Federal Government.

In 1938, the Wagner-O’Day Act was passed under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in order to provide employment opportunities for people who are blind by authorizing them to manufacture mops and brooms to sell 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. Over 70 years later, this extraordinary socioeconomic program provides Federal customers with a wide array of quality products and services, while providing employment for thousands of people with significant disabilities. To leverage collective efforts and project a unified program with broad capabilities and a clear purpose, the AbilityOne® brand was adopted in 2006.

Today, the AbilityOne Program is the largest source of employment for people who are blind or have significant disabilities in the United States. More than 550 nonprofit organizations employ these individuals and provide quality products and services to the Federal Government at a fair market price. The Program is administered by the Commission, an independent federal agency, with assistance from National Industries for the Blind (NIB), and SourceAmerica®. The purchase of AbilityOne products and services by Federal customers provides employment opportunities for people who face the greatest barriers to employment- Americans who are blind or have significant disabilities.

LCI & AbilityOne

LCI is an NIB-affiliated, not-for-profit corporation providing products and services to the Federal Government. Operating under the auspices of the AbilityOne program, LCI has grown and diversified for over 80 years to become one of the largest employers of people who are blind in the United States.

Through the AbilityOne program, LCI has maintained a longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationship with the federal government. By manufacturing over 400 products on the federal procurement list, LCI provides legally blind individuals with employment opportunities. In return the federal government receives quality products and services made in the USA without the added cost of lengthy procurement efforts.

In addition to producing many of the items on the federal procurement list, LCI is also an authorized AbilityOne wholesaler and distributor. As our distribution capabilities continue to grow, we are able to increase the number of products available to AbilityOne authorized resellers and federal government customers from coast to coast. Currently, LCI’ distribution centers stock over 1,800 AbilityOne products from more than 70 different NIB and SourceAmerica agencies.

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