Bosma Industries For The Blind Inc

BOSMA ENTERPRISES, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED.

BOSMA'S MISSION IS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. THIS IS PRIMARILY ACCOMPLISHED BY PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE OPERATIONS. THE ORGANIZATION IS INDIANA'S LARGEST EMPLOYER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND WITH OVER 50% OF BOSMA'S 170-PERSON WORKFORCE BEING BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. BOSMA HAS ALSO DEVELOPED VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND SKILLS TRAINING FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS IN ADDITION TO VISION REHABILITATION PROGRAMS CREATING GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR UPWARD MOBILITY OR EMPLOYMENT AT OTHER COMPANIES IN THE COMMUNITY. BOSMA'S EMPLOYEES HAVE PACKAGED AND SHIPPED OVER 575 MILLION EXAM AND SURGICAL GLOVES AND 240,000 KITS TO OVER 700 LOCATIONS WORLDWIDE WITH A 99.9% ACCURACY RATE.

BOSMA, THROUGH ITS CENTER FOR VISIONARY SOLUTIONS, IS INDIANA'S LARGEST PROVIDER OF COMPREHENSIVE VISION REHABILITATION PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE SKILLS NEEDED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY. THESE PROGRAMS SERVE NEARLY 900 HOOSIERS EACH YEAR. BOSMA PROVIDES IN-HOME COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES SERVING OVER 550 SENIORS TEACHING THEM SKILLS TO BE INDEPENDENT IN THEIR HOME FROM SAFELY COOKING TO MANAGING HOUSEHOLD ITEMS LIKE MEDICATIONS AND BILLS. THE PROGRAM IS ALSO EXPANDING TO SERVE MORE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH VIRTUAL AND GROUP TRAINING AT SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. EMPLOYMENT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. IN FACT, 70% ARE NOT EMPLOYED. BOSMA'S COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT SERVICES HELPED 141 PEOPLE WITH SKILLS NEEDED TO FIND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT FROM RESUME WRITING AND INTERVIEWING TO ENSURING A WORKSPACE IS ACCESSIBLE WITH TOOLS LIKE SOFTWARE. BOSMA'S CENTER-BASED SERVICES IS A 3-5 MONTH RESIDENTIAL COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT SERVED NEARLY 200 PEOPLE. CLIENTS COME TO BOSMA'S REHABILITATION CENTER LOCATED IN NORTHWEST INDIANAPOLIS TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE LIFE AS SOMEONE WITH VISION LOSS. THEY LEARN SKILLS LIKE HOW TO COOK AND CLEAN, USING TEXT-TO-SPEECH SOFTWARE, NAVIGATING AN ENVIRONMENT SAFELY WITH TOOLS LIKE A WHITE CANE. BOSMA'S CENTER ALSO SERVES AS A CLEARING HOUSE FOR PEOPLE TO CALL TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES THROUGH BOSMA AND OTHER AGENCIES. LAST YEAR, THE TEAM RESPONDED TO NEARLY 1,500 REQUESTS.