Asheville area relief resources after Hurricane Helene

Updated Tuesday, Oct. 8 — Asheville area employees, families and friends: We are here for you. Below, we’ve compiled a list of local resources that may be helpful for you in the coming days or weeks as we recover from this catastrophic event. Learn more at ncdps.gov.

For radio updates via Blue Ridge Public Radio, tune to:
Asheville: 88.1
Black Mountain: 107.5
Brevard: 101.5Asheville Area relief resources following Hurricane Helene
Bryson City: 94.7
Cullowhee: 89.7
Franklin: 91.3
Hendersonville: 99.3
Highlands: 103.3
Murphy: 88.5
Sylva/Dillsboro: 91.5
Tryon: 101.5
Waynesville-Clyde: 89.7
Waynesville-Hazelwood: 102.9

Grocery stores:
Trader Joe’s: 120 Merrimon Ave., Asheville
Ingles (cash): 575 New Leicester Highway, Asheville
Ingles (cash): 863 Brevard Road, Asheville
Walmart: 1636 Hendersonville Road, Asheville
Food Lion: 179 Paragon Parkway, Clyde
Ingles: 625 Spartanburg Highway, Hendersonville
Walmart: 2875 Sugar Hill Road, Marion
Walmart: 177 Forest Gate Drive, Pisgah Forest
Publix: 165 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville

Food and water distribution:
Pack Square Park: 70 Court Plaza, Asheville
Asheville Middle School: 211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center: 121 Shiloh Road, Asheville
Lucy Herring Elementary: 98 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville
Oakley Elementary School: 753 Fairview Road, Asheville
William W. Estes Elementary School: 275 Overlook Road, Asheville
Sand Hill Elementary: 154 Sand Hill School Road, Asheville (enter via Acton Circle)
North Windy Ridge Intermediate School: 20 Doan Road, Weaverville
Fairview Elementary School: 1355 Charlotte Highway, Fairview
MANNA FoodBank: 570 Brevard Road. Food and water distribution at the farmers market.
BeLoved Asheville: 32 Old Charlotte Highway. Providing water, food, diapers and baby formula.
Carolina Day School: 1345 Hendersonville Road. Water distribution from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
First Baptist Church in Weaverville: 63 North Main St. Free meals start at 1 p.m. and continue while supplies last.
Locations below were compiled Thursday, Oct. 3 and may not still be accurate:
Bears Smokehouse (12 p.m.): 135 Cox Ave., Asheville
Twisted Laurel (12 p.m.): 130 College St., Asheville
Fresh Market (6 p.m.): 1378 Hendersonville Road, Asheville
Monte Vista Hotel (food and Wi-Fi): 310 W State St., Black Mountain
Henderson County: Etowah Elementary School, Rugby Middle School, East Henderson High School, North Henderson High School, Mills River Town Hall, and Fletcher Town Hall Water
Lowe’s: 95 Smokey Park Highway, Asheville
Home Depot: 795 Fairview Road, Asheville
Home Depot: 127 Acton Circle, Asheville
Publix: 165 Weaver Blvd., Asheville
AB Tech: 340 Victoria Road, Asheville Fresh Market (6 pm): 1378 Hendersonville Road, Asheville
Ingles Markets: 550 Highway 9, Black Mountain
Pisgah Brewing Company (2-5 p.m., bring container): 2849 US 70, Black Mountain

Non-potable water (grey water) for flushing toilets:
William W. Estes Elementary: 275 Overlook Road, Asheville
Sand Hill Elementary: 154 Sand Hill School Road, Asheville (Enter via Acton Circle)
North Windy Ridge Intermediate: 20 Doan Road, Weaverville
Fairview Elementary: 1355 Charlotte Highway, Fairview
Black Mountain Ingles: 550 NC-9, Black Mountain
Cane Creek Middle: 570 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher
Leicester Elementary: 31 Gilbert Road, Leicester
Pack Square Park: 70 Court Plaza, Asheville
Asheville Middle: 211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center: 121 Shiloh Road, Asheville
Lucy Herring Elementary: 98 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville
Oakley Elementary: 753 Fairview Road, Asheville

Showers:
Asheville YMCA: 30 Woodfin St., Asheville, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Corpening Memorial YMCA: 348 Grace Corpening Drive, Marion, 2-6 p.m. daily
Reuter Family YMCA: 3 Town Square Blvd., Asheville, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Wi-Fi:
Citizen Vinyl: 14 O. Henry Ave., Asheville
DoubleTree Hilton Downtown: 199 Haywood St., Asheville
Asheville Shelter, Ferguson Building: 340 Victoria Road, Asheville
WNC Agricultural Center: 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher
Buncombe County Health Department: 40 Coxe Ave., Weaverville

Pharmacies:
CVS: 505 Smokey Park Highway, Asheville
CVS: 324 Long Shoals Road, Asheville
Pinnacle Apothecary: 1388 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100, Candler
PSA Pharmacy: 2294 US Highway 70, Swannanoa
Publix Pharmacy: 1830 Hendersonville Road, Asheville
Public Pharmacy: 165 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville
Walgreens: 841 Merrimon Ave., Asheville
Walgreens: 2501 Hendersonville Road, Arden
Walgreens: 1835 Hendersonville Road, Asheville

IFB Solutions hires Alina Garcia Ravelo to lead Asheville manufacturing facility

 

ASHEVILLE, NC (Aug. 8, 2024) – IFB Solutions, the largest employer of people who are blind or visually impaired in the country, has hired Alina Garcia Ravelo to oversee its Asheville operations as the nonprofit’s plant manager. The Asheville manufacturing facility, located on Sardis Road, is one of three manufacturing facilities operated by IFB Solutions, a nonprofit headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C.

In her new role, Ravelo will lead IFB’s Asheville manufacturing team and oversee all facility operations. Ravelo, who is legally blind due to a condition called cone dystrophy, was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. In 2013, after graduating with honors from Technological University José Antonio Echeverría with a degree in industrial engineering, she emigrated to the United States, working as an industrial engineer for Georgia Industry for the Blind by day and earning a master’s degree in engineering from Florida International University at night. In 2019, she was hired at IFB Solutions’ Winston-Salem facility as the location’s production supervisor, but she left one year later due to the challenging hours-long commute from her home in Western North Carolina. Prior to rejoining the IFB team, Ravelo worked at Eaton Corporation in Arden as a senior manufacturing engineer on one of the facility’s product lines.

Ravelo gives a tour of the Asheville manufacturing facility
Ravelo, who joined IFB as plant manager in June 2024, gives a tour of the Asheville manufacturing facility. Legally blind and sensitive to bright lights, Ravelo often wears dark sunglasses indoors.

“I’m excited to be back at IFB, because, at the end of each day, I go home feeling like I made a difference,” Ravelo said. “Being legally blind myself, I feel like my employees can relate to me and I can relate to them. I understand what they are going through, because I’ve been through the same. You have to work twice as hard to reach your goals, so every accomplishment means so much more. Any time I’m able to help someone succeed, it’s a celebration — and it’s the best feeling of my professional life.”

IFB’s Asheville plant employs more than 120 people, about half of whom are blind or visually impaired, to manufacture products such as uniforms, field equipment and office products for the U.S. government and military. The Asheville facility operates product lines that support Military Resale and the Impulse Merchandising Program for the Defense Commissary Agency. Employees who are blind assemble and package more than 400 different products, which are then shipped and sold at military installations and commissaries around the world. Asheville employees also manufacture poncho liners for the U.S. military — affectionately known as the woobie — and also sells military-grade woobies to the public through its online Pinnacle Mercantile store.

In addition to its manufacturing facilities, IFB operates Base Supply Center retail stores in government locations and military bases. IFB also offers a growing number of work-from-home positions for blind or visually impaired individuals across the country.

Ravelo is the first person who is blind to take on the plant manager role at IFB.

“By having me as their plant manager — and by having a president and CEO who is blind, a director of supply chain who is blind, and others — everyone can see that there is no limit to what they can achieve,” Ravelo said. “If you want to do something, you can go for it. We are here to prove that is true.”

Asheville plant manager Alina Garcia Ravelo
Asheville plant manager Alina Garcia Ravelo

IFB Solutions to Hire 60 New Employees and Offer Specialized Training Thanks to City of Winston-Salem ARPA Grant

Winston-Salem nonprofit IFB Solutions, the largest U.S. employer of people who are blind, plans to hire 60 new employees in the coming months. The majority of the new positions will be part of a textile manufacturing line producing cold weather gear and other specialty garments for the U.S. military. Like other IFB operations, the new manufacturing line will include positions for people who are blind as well as those who are sighted.

Mayor Allen Joines at IFB Solutions' Winston-Salem manufacturing facility.
Mayor Allen Joines tours IFB Solutions’ Winston-Salem manufacturing facility, which is set to expand production this fiscal year.

Because of the highly technical nature of the line’s sewing operations, IFB is expanding its textile training team and offering specialized training for employees. Funding for the enhanced training program was made possible by an ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant from the City of Winston-Salem.

“When you provide training to an employee who has just secured his or her first job, you are setting them on a path to independence not just at work, but in life,” said Dan Kelly, IFB Solutions CEO. “For 38 percent of our employees who are blind, IFB Solutions is their very first job so it’s incumbent on us to give them the training and support they need to be successful. We’re incredibly grateful to the City of Winston-Salem for awarding us this critical grant to expand our employee training as we grow our organization.”

IFB’s mission is to provide life-changing opportunities for people who are blind through employment, training and services. Every IFB employee receives “wrap-around” services including job training, on-site medical care, transportation to and from work, a subsidized on-site canteen serving breakfast and lunch, and access to low-vision services at the Ronald G. Sherrill Community Low Vision Center on the IFB campus. Currently, IFB employs more than 450 people at its Winston-Salem facility.

“Nationally, we know that 70 percent of working-age adults who are blind are not employed, and finding an open position is just one facet of that statistic,” said Kelly. “Having access to reliable transportation to and from work is key as are on-site services like food and medical. We’re fortunate to have a supportive city and donor community whose generosity makes it possible for us to support our employees, blind and sighted, in these ways.”

IFB Solutions has already begun posting open positions on the Career Portal of its website, www.ifbsolutions.com. In addition to manufacturing positions, IFB also offers remote work opportunities and positions with its Base Supply Center division.

Maximus and IFB Solutions Partner on New Program to Hire Blind and Visually Impaired for Full-Time Contact Center Work

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Maximus Media & Public Relations
Eileen Cassidy Rivera, media@maximus.com

Employment and Training Program Launched in Texas Will Expand Nationally in 2023

(TYSONS, Va. – April 5, 2022)Maximus, a leading employer and provider of government services worldwide, and IFB Solutions, a non-profit organization that provides employment, training, and services for people who are blind or visually impaired, today announced the successful launch of a new joint program that integrates employees who are blind or visually impaired into the workforce. Seventy percent of working-age adults who are blind or visually impaired face sustained periods of unemployment throughout their lifetimes. This program will help address that challenge through an inclusive workplace that supports the needs and experiences of our sight-impaired colleagues.

“We value individual differences and strive to provide a work setting and experience where all employees can thrive,” said Michelle Link, Chief Human Resources Officer, Maximus. “For several years, Maximus has been focused on capacity-building opportunities, such as this partnership with IFB Solutions, to expand our potential pool of new employees and help us build an effective and inclusive workforce. Thanks to the perseverance of many, advances in technology, and an experienced partner in IFB Solutions, we’ve built an employment and training program aimed specifically at those who are blind and visually impaired. We’re excited to welcome these new employees to the Maximus team.”

Six people completed the initial pilot training in Texas and are now supporting Maximus as Customer Service Representatives on contracts that deliver government services and share information with the general public. As the largest employer of people who are blind in the United States, IFB Solutions leveraged its experience to create a targeted training program with Maximus for this cohort of employees. The training program lasted six weeks and was managed jointly by IFB Solutions and the Maximus Texas Project Team. The preparations focused on developing the skills needed for the employees to meet the job requirements, with an emphasis on learning the unique technologies developed to assist them.

“People are at the center of everything we do, as our mission is to empower people who are blind,” said Shannon Satterfield, Director of Professional Services, IFB Solutions. “Maximus has shown itself as a leader in this area by working with us to create this new program that provides the empowerment of employment to people who deserve it. We are so proud of every person who completed the training, as they persevered through early challenges to accomplish something that would have been impossible only a few years ago.”

Building on the success of the first class of employees, Maximus and IFB Solutions are training a second cohort of individuals and plan to expand the pilot program across the country in 2023. Employees from the inaugural class joined the second session to share their experiences, provide tips and encouragement, and mentor their peers.

The employees who successfully completed the initial training and are now Customer Service Representatives include:

  • Maggie V.: “Before the opportunity to work for IFB Solutions in partnership with Maximus, I had no prior call center experience. But because of the accessible training, I’ve learned so much in so little time. This opportunity has been a life-changing experience for my kids and I, and it has allowed me to regain my confidence.”
  • Mary A.: “My passion is making sure that those who are visually impaired can live the best life possible. This program has given me a chance to do that, and it’s a welcome opportunity for this community.”
  • Elias T.: “It brings me joy and satisfaction to serve and provide clients with the information they need. I appreciate the work that Maximus and IFB Solutions put into the training to give me a new job and a new future.”
  • Ruben R.: “This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Maximus means the world to me. It is both a joy and honor to be a part of a team as unique as mine.”

 

About Maximus

As a leading strategic partner to governments across the globe, Maximus helps improve the delivery of public services amid complex technology, health, economic, environmental, and social challenges. With a deep understanding of program service delivery, acute insights that achieve operational excellence, and an extensive awareness of the needs of the people being served, our employees advance the critical missions of our partners. Maximus delivers innovative business process management, impactful consulting services, and technology solutions that provide improved outcomes for the public and higher levels of productivity and efficiency of government-sponsored programs. For more information, visit maximus.com.

 

About IFB Solutions
IFB Solutions is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation founded in 1936 as Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind. Today, IFB strives to be America’s leader in building life-changing opportunities for people who are blind through its mission of creating employment opportunities for this critically underemployed population. IFB’s guiding principles focus on creating upwardly mobile career paths, building on its existing textile operations to develop integrated and technical employment opportunities, and maintaining a strong foundation of packaging and assembly operations as workforce entry points. IFB’s operational footprint includes large-scale manufacturing, Base Supply Center retail and online stores, Workforce Services staffing division, and its Pinnacle Mercantile Amazon storefront. IFB Solutions also provides essential job training for employees and community outreach through its Community Low Vision Centers and programming for children who are blind. ifbsolutions.org

IFB Solutions Announces Dan Kelly as Incoming President and CEO

IFB Solutions Announcing Incoming President and CEO Dan Kelly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Laura Burrows, Two B Public Relations
laura@twobpr.com, 336-575-6757

IFB SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES NEW CEO

Dan Kelly will be leading the nonprofit in 2023

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (Sept. 14, 2022) – IFB Solutions, the country’s largest employer of people who are blind or visually impaired, has named Dan Kelly as its next president and CEO. Kelly will begin leading the Winston-Salem-based nonprofit organization in January 2023, following the year-end retirement of current CEO David Horton.

Kelly, who has been blind since childhood, currently serves as IFB’s executive vice president of strategy and programs. He will be the organization’s first CEO who is blind. Prior to joining IFB in 2007, Kelly worked for National Industries for the Blind in Alexandria, Virginia. A competitive swimmer from age 12, he won 17 medals as a member of the U.S. Paralympic Swim Team and has completed a marathon, triathlons, long-distance open water swims and a 100-mile tandem cycling challenge.

“IFB Solutions is recognized across the country for its work creating jobs and building independence for people who are blind or visually impaired,” said Kelly. “It’s an incredible honor to serve as its next CEO and to continue the legacy of excellence established by David Horton, who I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside for 15 years as a mentor, friend and colleague.”

Bob Newell, IFB board member and chair of the search committee, added: “On behalf of the search committee, we are delighted to announce Dan as president and CEO starting in 2023. Throughout his career, Dan has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to creating opportunities for people who are blind to pursue their careers of choice. He is an exceptional professional and an inspiring individual.”

Kelly will succeed David Horton, who joined IFB in 2001 as the nonprofit’s controller and has served as its CEO since 2008. In September 2021, IFB Solutions announced Horton’s plans to retire at the end of 2022 and the formation of a search committee. IFB utilized the services of the search firm Buffkin/Baker who initiated a national search that generated more than 50 applications from a diverse group of candidates. The search committee interviewed six exceptional finalists who were national in scope and shared a clear passion for the mission of IFB Solutions.

“We are pleased that the top performing candidate in the selection process came from within the IFB organization,” said Brenda Diggs, IFB board chair and member of the search committee.

ABOUT IFB SOLUTIONS
IFB Solutions is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1936 as Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, and it provides employment, training and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. As the largest employer of people who are blind in the United States, IFB operates manufacturing facilities in Winston-Salem, N.C., Asheville, N.C., and Little Rock, Ark., in addition to operating nearly 20 office supply stores across the country and producing mattresses. IFB produces eyewear under its Twenty200 brand at its Winston-Salem lab. IFB Solutions funds employee training and services as well as community programs through grants and private donations, making possible summer camps, afterschool programs and activities for children who are blind, and Community Low Vision services through its low-vision Centers across North Carolina and in Little Rock, Ark. ifbsolutions.org

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IFB Solutions Honors Local Employee of the Year, The Winston-Salem Foundation and Community Leaders

View a PDF version with photos here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Anastasia Powell
apowell@ifbsolutions.org, M 336-456-9824

IFB Solutions Honors Local Employee of the Year, The Winston-Salem Foundation and Community Leader Tom Serrin for Contributions to Non-Profit’s Success

Winston-Salem, NC (May 25, 2022)—IFB Solutions, the largest employer of people who are blind in the U.S., recently recognized its Employees of the Year, partners and volunteers who play a vital role in the nonprofit’s mission of employment, training and services. Several honorees were from the Winston-Salem area.

“During the past two years of operating during a global pandemic our employees, board members and community partners have gone to extraordinary lengths in helping us continue to live out our mission of providing employment, training and services for people who are blind,” said IFB Solutions CEO David Horton. “This year’s award ceremony was especially meaningful as an opportunity to recognize and thank them in person for all that they continue to do for our organization. I’m humbled and inspired by their unselfish service and commitment to IFB Solutions.”

Luis Quiles of Winston-Salem named overall IFB Solutions Employee of the Year. Luis, who was born with ocular histoplasmosis, began his career at the IFB operations in Puerto Rico. After several years, he decided to move to Winston-Salem for additional upward mobility opportunities. He currently works in the role of Lead Shipper for IFB’s optical department. Luis obtained a degree in Business Administration from DeVry College. He is a proficient Spanish/English translator, is active in the community and has many interests, including being a member of the IFB Solutions bowling team.

Melissa Tuttle named IFB Solutions Career Achiever of the Year. Growing up with low vision caused by nystagmus and cataracts, Melissa focused on her education and a future career. After graduating from Western Carolina University with a major in Computer Information Systems, she worked for several years before joining IFB Solutions in 2011. Today, Melissa is a member of IFB’s Supply Chain team and is known for her savvy computer skills and attention to detail.

Tom Serrin honored as IFB Solutions Commodore Funderburk Visionary Award recipient. This award is named for the late Commodore Funderburk who was blind, deaf and mute and worked for IFB for 40 years without missing a day. It recognizes the individual or group who has helped solidify a future for IFB Solutions and, more importantly, create opportunities for people who are blind. IFB’s mission is personal to Tom. He served in the U.S. Marines and has lived with a vision impairment since adulthood. He has been a member of IFB’s Board of Directors since 2015 and is passionate about sharing how philanthropic support to IFB directly impacts the lives of thousands of people who are blind or visually impaired. Tom is the inaugural chair of IFB’s Development and Awareness Committee working to raise additional dollars to expand funding for IFB’s community programs and low-vision services.

The Winston-Salem Foundation named IFB Solutions Partner of the Year. For more than a century, The Winston-Salem Foundation has partnered with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, and beyond. Through generous funding from the Foundation, IFB has been able to expand its job training programs, purchase and implement new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and expand its S.E.E. Program for school-age children.

ABOUT IFB SOLUTIONS®
IFB Solutions is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1936 as Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, and it provides employment, training and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. As the largest employer of people who are blind in the United States, IFB has manufacturing operations in Winston-Salem, N.C., Asheville, N.C., and Little Rock, Ark., in addition to nearly 20 tactical gear and office supply Base Supply Center stores. Primary business activities include production of military tactical gear, prescription eyewear at the Twenty200 Optical Lab, products for home and business under the Pinnacle Mercantile Amazon storefront, and call center operations. IFB Solutions funds employee training and services as well as community programs through grants and private donations, making possible summer camps, afterschool programs and activities for children who are blind. The IFB Community Low Vision Centers in North Carolina and in Little Rock, Ark., are open to the public. ifbsolutions.org

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IFB SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES MAJOR DONATION TO EXPAND ACCESS TO ITS COMMUNITY LOW VISION CENTER SERVICES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anastasia Powell
apowell@ifbsolutions.org, M 336-456-9824

IFB SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES MAJOR DONATION TO EXPAND ACCESS TO ITS COMMUNITY LOW VISION CENTER SERVICES

Donation will expand financial assistance program, enable more people to access services

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (April 27, 2021) – Nonprofit IFB Solutions, the largest employer of people who are blind in the U.S., is expanding its financial assistance program for the IFB Community Low Vision Center (CLVC) in Winston-Salem thanks to a significant private donation made possible by the friends and family of the late Ronnie Sherrill, former Chairman and CEO of Charlotte-based SteelFab. The new initiative focuses primarily on assisting adults who receive services through the CLVC including the purchase of easy-to-use technology and household devices from talking watches to magnifiers. The program complements IFB’s existing Focus on Literacy program which loans school-age children assistive technology free of charge for home use.

“Coming to the CLVC is a life-changing experience for many people and this donation ensures that everyone will have access to our extensive services regardless of their ability to pay,” said Shonn Redmond, IFB Low Vision Services & Technical Support Coordinator. Redmond is low vision and personally tests out every device before it’s added to the CLVC. “Our goal is to equip people with the technology and devices that allow them to maintain important and independent life activities from reading and paying bills to cooking and working on the computer.”

The facility, which is being renamed the Ronald G. Sherrill Community Low Vision Center, is located on the IFB Solutions campus off Silas Creek Parkway and is open to the public although appointments are encouraged. Redmond or another CLVC associate work with each person to understand their challenges and needs and identify the best tools. Members of the Sherrill family along with lifelong friends collaborated with IFB on the philanthropic effort to have a direct and immediate impact on people who are low vision.

“My father would have been very moved by the inspiring work happening at IFB Solutions each and every day,” said Glenn Sherrill who took over for his father as CEO of SteelFab. ““My Dad lost sight in his right eye when he was in his early 50s yet kept a very positive outlook – the same spirit that was exemplified here at IFB Solutions. Dad was very generous, and I know he would be pleased that his donation will benefit so many people in need of these type of services.”

Ed Rose, CEO of Shelco and one of Ronnie Sherrill’s closest friends, was instrumental in connecting the Sherrills to IFB. Several years ago, he, Ronnie and Ronnie’s brother Don Sherrill underwrote the cost of a van to transport children who participate in IFB’s S.E.E. program in Charlotte. Ronnie’s wife Paulette, who came to know of IFB’s work through her family and Rose, made the lead gift to the new financial assistance initiative.

“It’s a tremendous honor to join with Paulette and the entire Sherrill family in making this donation to the Community Low Vision Center. Together, we’re supporting a very worthwhile organization and at the same time honoring one of my very best friends in life. I want to thank IFB for doing what it does to help those in our community who are blind or low vision and I want to thank the Sherrill family for letting us honor Ronnie in this way.”

IFB also operates Community Low Vision Centers on its campuses in Asheville, North Carolina and Little Rock, Arkansas. To learn more about the Centers, visit www.communitylowvision.org.

ABOUT IFB SOLUTIONS
IFB Solutions is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1936 as Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, and it provides employment, training and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. As the largest employer of people who are blind in the United States, IFB operates manufacturing facilities in Winston-Salem, N.C., Asheville, N.C., and Little Rock, Ark., in addition to operating nearly 20 office supply stores across the country and producing mattresses. IFB produces eyewear under its Twenty200 brand at its Winston-Salem lab. IFB Solutions funds employee training and services as well as community programs through grants and private donations, making possible summer camps, afterschool programs and activities for children who are blind, and Community Low Vision services through its low-vision Centers across North Carolina and in Little Rock, Ark. ifbsolutions.org

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Pinnacle Mercantile Authentic Woobie: Manufacturing with Meaning

Written by: Dale Baker

man in army uniform

I spent 24 years in the Army and served all over the world. There were very few constant forms of comfort during my service, but my woobie was certainly one of them. I remember the poncho liner material was silky and kept me warm, plus it was lightweight and easy to carry. I remember seeing the Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind label on the material and wondering how people who are blind make products for the military.

man wearing glasses facing camera
Dale Baker – Army Veteran, IFB Solutions Employee

After my service, I toured Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, which is now called IFB Solutions. I was shocked to see a manufacturing operation that creates jobs for people who are blind by making things that I used in my Army days. I was amazed.

Today, I’m the distribution manager at IFB Solutions. It’s my job to ship out the Pinnacle Mercantile Authentic Woobie to our armed forces and most recently, private citizens who can buy a woobie on Amazon.

What’s a Woobie?

folded woobie with logoChances are, if you ask a member of the military about a woobie  they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about. No one knows for sure where the nickname “woobie” came from. It’s a sophisticated, military grade poncho liner used for protection from the elements. Some say it provides comfort like a baby blanket. I am proud to say the Pinnacle Mercantile Authentic Woobie, manufactured by IFB Solutions, is made in the U.S.A. and provides jobs for people who are blind.

Brief History Lesson

The U.S. Army issued liner was introduced in 1962 for use by special forces in Vietnam. IFB Solutions has been making this durable product since 1991, exclusively for the army and marines. Now, we’re making the same product, matching the same military specs, and same quality, to shoppers on Amazon. Unlike a lot of knockoffs out there, this is authentic. It’s the same thing our soldiers and marines use, the only difference is the label.

Manufacturing with Meaning

man working with textile manufacturing machineryOur poncho liner has provided hundreds of jobs for people who are blind over the years at IFB Solutions. People who are blind or visually impaired face so many barriers to the workforce, whether it’s transportation or lack of education among employers who won’t hire people with disabilities for fear of liability or cost. In fact, 70% of the working age population who are blind are not employed. At IFB Solutions, our mission is to bring that statistic down. People who are blind from all over the country have relocated to work at IFB Solutions, a place where there are no barriers, just opportunities.

AbilityOne Program: Creating Jobs, Changing Lives

IFB Solutions, now 85 years old, began in a church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with only a few employees who were blind. Today, we have nearly 1,000 employees working all over the country in call centers, manufacturing operations,  Base Supply Centers, optical lab and more. We even have programs for kids who are blind.

We wouldn’t have had the opportunity to make such a beloved product as the Pinnacle Mercantile Authentic Woobie and employ so many people who are blind if it wasn’t for the AbilityOne Program. There are more than 500 nonprofits, including IFB Solutions, that are under the AbilityOne umbrella. All of them provide opportunities for more than 45,000 people with disabilities in America. The AbilityOne Commission governs a procurement system that provides products and services for the federal government at a fair market price. At IFB Solutions, these products include office supplies, tactical gear, mattresses and more. Each product or service from IFB Solutions represents a life that has been changed thanks to training, upward mobility opportunities, and a diverse pool of jobs from which to choose.

Every day, I am moved by IFB Solutions employees who are blind. It is an inspiring place, and I am honored to play a role in a product like the Pinnacle Mercantile Authentic Woobie that gave me comfort during my service.

 

Asheville’s IFB, Nation’s Largest Employer of Blind, Visually Impaired, Awarded $20K Grant

Woman holding up camo print material, wearing a mask.

IFB Solutions in Asheville, the country’s largest employer of people who are blind or visually impaired, has received a $20,000 grant for job training.

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina recently awarded the company the grant through the foundation’s Human Services Grant Program. The funds will be used to support a paid training program for people with visual impairments, which includes training in sewing, orientation, mobility, the use of assistive technology and independent living skills.

Read more HERE