Cincinnati Association For The Blind

EMPOWERING PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO SEEK INDEPENDENCE.

CINCINNATI ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED (CABVI) INDUSTRIES PROGRAM IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED OPERATION AND HAS BEEN PRODUCING TOP-QUALITY GOODS FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES SINCE 1911. THE INDUSTRIES PROGRAM, OPERATED THROUGH THE ABILITY ONE PROGRAM UNDER THE JAVITS-WAGNER-O'DAY ACT (JWOD), PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. IN 2021, CABVI PROVIDED 63,677 HOURS OF WORK TO INDUSTRIES PROGRAM EMPLOYEES WITH VISION LOSS. PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS INCLUDE: ROLLED PAPER AND TAPE PRODUCTS, STANDARD AND CUSTOM SIGNAGE, KITCHEN GADGETS, AND THE PACKAGING OF STICKY NOTES AND BATTERIES.

THE CABVI BASE SUPPLY CENTER (BSC) IS OPERATED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE JWOD ACT AND THE U.S. AIR FORCE. THE BSC SELLS PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY MORE THAN 90 AGENCIES NATIONALLY AND PROVIDES MANUFACTURING AND RETAIL JOBS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED. THE PRODUCTS SOLD ARE INCLUDED ON THE FEDERAL PROCUREMENT LIST AND THEIR USE BY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES PROVIDES AND SUSTAINS EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES. IN 2021, 36% OF PRODUCTS SOLD WERE MANUFACTURED BY ABILITYONE AGENCIES. IN 2021, THE BSC PROVIDED 4,181 EMPLOYMENT HOURS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND. CABVI ALSO OPERATES A COMMUNICATIONS CENTER PROVIDING SERVICE EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND. THE CENTER OPERATES CABVI'S SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, VIE ABILITY, SELLING OFFICE SUPPLIES TO BUSINESSES, INDIVIDUALS, AND OTHER NOT-FOR-PROFITS THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE REGION. IN 2021, VIE ABILITY WAS AWARDED THE STATE OF OHIO'S STATE-WIDE OFFICE SUPPLY CONTRACT, CREATING TWO NEW POSITIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS. IN TOTAL, VIE ABILITY PROVIDED 7,401 EMPLOYMENT HOURS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND.

ESTABLISHED IN 1911, CABVI PROVIDES COUNSELING, REHABILITATION, INFORMATION AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, OR PRINT IMPAIRED IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA. INITIALLY, CABVI EMPLOYED MEN WHO MADE BROOMS AND MOPS.IN THE 1960S, CABVI INITIATED SEVERAL REHABILITATION SERVICES, INCLUDING LOW VISION, REHABILITATION TEACHING, ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY, AND SOCIAL SERVICES. IN THE 1980S, COMPUTER ACCESS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION SERVICES WERE ESTABLISHED. TODAY, CABVI IS A COMPREHENSIVE MULTI-SERVICE VISION REHABILITATION ORGANIZATION SERVING 4,151 PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN 2021. IN 2021, 93% OF CABVI CLIENTS REPORTED INCREASED INDEPENDENCE AFTER RECEIVING SERVICES.

IN 2011, CABVI ADDED A NEW SERVICE LINE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND, PROVIDING CONTRACT CLOSE-OUT SERVICES UNDER THE ABILITY ONE PROGRAM. IN 2013, CABVI'S CONTRACT FOR CLOSE-OUT SERVICES WAS EXPANDED AND DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL, CONTRACT CLOSE-OUT WORK. CURRENTLY, CABVI HAS TWO TEAMS PERFORMING CONTRACT CLOSE-OUT DUTIES FOR AIR FORCE MATERIAL COMMAND AT WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE AND FOR MARINE CORPS SYSTEM COMMAND IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA. IN 2021, CABVI PROVIDED 40,456 EMPLOYMENT HOURS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND. TO DATE, 26 OF CABVI'S BLIND CONTRACT CLOSEOUT SPECIALISTS HAVE BEEN HIRED INTO CAREERS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR INTO PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. CABVI ALSO PROVIDES BROADCAST AND OTHER INFORMATION SERVICES, MAKING PRINTED MATERIALS ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND. IN 2021, 12,909 LISTENERS WERE SERVED BY CABVI'S RADIO READING SERVICES AND 266 LISTENERS WERE PROVIDED INFORMATION VIA PERSONALIZED TALKING PRINT SERVICE.