NPO Spotlight: Bestwork Industries for the Blind
NPO Spotlight: Bestwork Industries for the Blind
Bestwork Industries for the Blind, Inc. Celebrates October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
As National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) kicks off this October, local nonprofit Bestwork Industries for the Blind, Inc. is joining the campaign to raise awareness of the workforce capabilities of people who are blind or visually impaired.
Spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the NDEAM campaign advances access and equity for workers with disabilities. These efforts are critical for an organization like Bestwork who employs the largest number of people who are blind or visually impaired in the state of New Jersey and ensures they have equal opportunity to succeed in employment.
The theme for 2023 is “Advancing Access and Equity: Then, Now and Next” and commemorates the passage of the Rehabilitation Act 50 years ago and its significance in prohibiting discrimination based on disability in employment by federal agencies and contractors, recipients of federal funds, and in the delivery of federally funded programs and activities. The Rehabilitation Act laid the foundation for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
For 42 years, Bestwork has helped create employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired. What began as a small cut-and-sew manufacturing agency with roughly 10 employees has grown into the Bestwork of today: a social enterprise employing more than 70 people with visual impairments, with lines of business that include textile manufacturing, military apparel construction, paper converting, packaging, warehousing and distribution, kitting and light assembly, e-Commerce, and commercial sewing.
Bestwork is proud to employ a workforce of able adults who make a difference through their resilience, professional skills, and dedication to their careers.
“National Disability Employment Awareness Month marks one of the most important times of the year for our agency,” said Bestwork President & CEO Jon Katz. “We are dedicated to offering worthwhile career paths for people who are blind and NDEAM provides an excellent opportunity to highlight the capabilities of our employees.”
In celebration of NDEAM, Bestwork is inviting members of the community to visit the agency and meet some of their extraordinary employees. To arrange a tour, please contact Maurice Tyndell at mtyndell@bestworkindustries.org or 856-424-2510.
Additionally, Bestwork will host an exclusive “Breakfast in the Dark” event for Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce members on Wednesday, October 18. While blindfolded, participants will learn tips and tricks from Bestwork employees on how to consume a meal without sight. Members will have a chance to meet some of the agency’s employees during a tour of Bestwork after breakfast. Registration for the event can be completed through the Chamber’s website.
To learn more about Bestwork, visit www.bestworkindustries.org, and follow them on social media: Facebook; LinkedIn.