People with disabilities face significant headwinds in the labor market. They experience higher unemployment rates, work fewer hours, earn lower incomes, and accumulate less wealth than workers without disabilities. According to 2022 data, the unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities runs twice that of people without. Inaccessible workplaces, a lack of assistive technology, and persistent stigma all compound the challenge. One federal program has been working to change that since 1938.
What Is the AbilityOne Program?
The AbilityOne Program supplies products and services to the federal government while creating employment specifically for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. It is one of the largest such employment sources in the United States, with more than 36,000 individuals with disabilities on the workforce, including over 2,500 veterans.
The program works by coordinating with nonprofit Community Rehabilitation Programs across the country. These nonprofits must meet specific criteria and complete a certification process to participate. There are approximately 500 AbilityOne employers operating across all 50 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
In 2022, AbilityOne delivered $3.9 billion in products and services to the federal government. The Department of Defense is its largest customer, receiving $2.1 billion annually. AbilityOne workers support military dining facilities, switchboard operations, and the sanitization of federal buildings and military hospitals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, AbilityOne nonprofits also manufactured hand sanitizers and personal protective equipment.
What the Program Offers Participants
AbilityOne is more than a job placement service. Participants receive training and support designed to build skills and advance professionally. For many, the program provides a path toward greater financial independence and reduced reliance on public assistance. The experience and credentials gained can also open doors to additional public or private employment opportunities, and meaningful work often leads to greater community participation and reduced social stigma.
How to Apply
State vocational rehabilitation counselors commonly refer individuals to AbilityOne, though people also find the program independently. To qualify, a person's disability must make it difficult to sustain competitive employment over an extended period.
To learn more or pursue employment through AbilityOne, contact one of the two Central Nonprofit Agencies that administer the program:
National Industries for the Blind (NIB)
Contact Ann Walling at (703) 310-0638 or [email protected], or visit nib.org.
SourceAmerica
Email [email protected] or visit sourceamerica.org.
You can also review the AbilityOne program overview fact sheet for additional information.
Building a Broader Financial Plan
Employment is an important piece of long-term financial security, but it rarely tells the whole story for individuals with disabilities. Benefits eligibility, savings strategies, and planning for future care needs all factor in. A special needs financial planner can help you or your loved one build a plan that accounts for all of it.