Our Mission is Clear
Our Mission is Clear
A Path to Self-Sufficiency
For North Carolinians who are blind or visually impaired, employment can be the key to life-long opportunity that promotes self-sufficiency, personal empowerment, and financial independence. And, in case you are wondering, yes, working-age adults who are blind can absolutely work! Helping our community forge this important path to self-sufficiency is what drives Lions Services in its mission and vision: to empower people who are blind to achieve personal and economic independence by providing them vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities.
A Path to Self-Sufficiency
For North Carolinians who are blind or visually impaired, employment can be the key to life-long opportunity that promotes self-sufficiency, personal empowerment, and financial independence. And, in case you are wondering, yes, working-age adults who are blind can absolutely work! Helping our community forge this important path to self-sufficiency is what drives Lions Services in its mission and vision: to empower people who are blind to achieve personal and economic independence by providing them vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities.
Orientation & Mobility
Mobility training for blind people is an essential part of helping them live an independent and fulfilling life. There are several ways in which mobility training can be provided, and the approach taken may vary depending on the individual’s needs, abilities, and preferences. At Lions Services, we invest to ensure all blind and visually impaired employees are offered orientation and mobility training at the start of employment and during their career at the facility. This can include learning to use a cane or guide dog.
Accessibility to technology and adaptive devices to improve job performance and promote independence- have you ever wondered what it would be like to choose your clothing, read your mail, or prepare a meal if you were visually impaired or blind? There are many adaptive devices that make everyday tasks possible. Lions Services helps support the purchase of assistive devices through the Blind Support Fund to purchase hand held magnifiers, magnification glasses, talking watches, and many other devices to help with these tasks.
Orientation & Mobility
Mobility training for blind people is an essential part of helping them live an independent and fulfilling life. There are several ways in which mobility training can be provided, and the approach taken may vary depending on the individual’s needs, abilities, and preferences. At Lions Services, we invest to ensure all blind and visually impaired employees are offered orientation and mobility training at the start of employment and during their career at the facility. This can include learning to use a cane or guide dog.
Accessibility to technology and adaptive devices to improve job performance and promote independence- have you ever wondered what it would be like to choose your clothing, read your mail, or prepare a meal if you were visually impaired or blind? There are many adaptive devices that make everyday tasks possible. Lions Services helps support the purchase of assistive devices through the Blind Support Fund to purchase hand held magnifiers, magnification glasses, talking watches, and many other devices to help with these tasks.
Our Commitment to the Blind Community is Strong
In 1938, Congress passed the Wagner-O’Day Act to provide employment opportunities for people who are blind enabling them to manufacture products for Federal Government customers. In 1971, under the direction of Senator Jacob Javits, the Act was amended (41 U.S.C. 46-48c) and renamed the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (JWOD). The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind administers the JWOD program and in 2006, changed the program name to AbilityOne. The program now includes people with severe disabilities and allows services to be provided to Federal customers. Two national, independent, nonprofit agencies operate under JWOD; National Industries for the Blind and National Industries for the Severely handicapped. The primary goal of the AbilityOne program is to employ and create training opportunities for people who are blind or severely handicapped. The means of accomplishing this goal is to encourage Government agencies to purchase selected products and services from NIB and NISH affiliates. As a result, employees under AbilityOne are able to lead a more productive and independent life.
