A Brief History of the Ability One Program

The Ability One program formally know as Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program provides employment opportunities for over 36,000 Americans who are blind or have other severe disabilities by orchestrating Government purchases of products and services provided by nonprofit agencies employing such individuals throughout the country. 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 allowing 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 sixty years later, this extraordinary socioeconomic program provides Federal customers with a wide array of quality products and services, while providing thousands of people with severe disabilities real jobs and increased independence.

The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled is the Ability One Program's Federal overseer. Through two Central Nonprofit Agencies, National Industries for the Blind and NISH (serving people with a range of disabilities), the Committee currently works with over 600 nonprofit agencies across the country, as well as in Puerto Rico and Guam, to provide employment opportunities to people with severe disabilities. The purchase of JWOD products and services by Federal customers helps battle the 70 percent unemployment rate faced by this untapped labor resource.

How Individuals with Disabilities Participate in the Ability One Program

The Ability One Program provides a wide range of employment opportunities for people who are blind or who have other severe disabilities with nonprofit agencies and community rehabilitation programs across the country. Ability One jobs are the choice of many people who have severe disabilities, and may be facility- or community-based. Most people with severe disabilities are referred to JWOD-participating nonprofit agencies by their State vocational rehabilitation counselors, others are self-referred.

The Ability One definition of "blind" is "central visual acuity which does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses or visual acuity, if better than 20/200, is accompanied by a limit to the field of vision in the better eye to such a degree that its widest diameter subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees."

The Ability One definition of "severe disability" is a severe physical or mental impairment (a residual, limiting condition resulting from an injury, disease, or congenital defect) that so limits the person's functional capabilities (mobility, communication, interpersonal skills, self-care, self-direction, work tolerance or work skills) that the individual is unable to engage in normal competitive employment over an extended period of time.

If you have a severe disability, or know someone who does, you are encouraged contact either NIB or NISH for more information on JWOD-participating nonprofit agencies in your area.