Both companies have been integral in creating accessible jobs for people who are blind

 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — IFB Solutions, the largest employer of people who are blind in the U.S., has recognized Maximus and Guidant Global as its 2024 Partner of the Year — citing the companies’ dedication to creating a workplace that supports the needs and experiences of people who are blind.

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, IFB Solutions is a nonprofit that provides employment, training and support services for people who are blind or visually impaired. The company’s Manufacturing division supports nearly 300 employees, many of whom are blind or visually impaired, from its facilities in Winston-Salem and Asheville, North Carolina, as well as in Puerto Rico. And its Workforce Services division — the department under contract with Maximus and Guidant Global — broadens the organization’s reach and impact by acting as a staffing agency for customer service, data collection, analysis and sales roles across the country.

A leading provider of customer support for government services worldwide, Maximus and its recruiting partner, Guidant Global, joined forces with IFB Solutions in 2022 to integrate employees who are blind or visually impaired into its workforce. Maximus offers work-from-home customer service roles to individuals within proximity of its three Texas call centers. In the three years since, this partnership has created life-changing job opportunities for 30 individuals who are blind — and that number continues to grow.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition from our partner, IFB Solutions,” said Michelle Link, chief human resources officer at Maximus. “We value individual differences and strive to provide a work setting and experience where all employees can thrive. We’re thrilled that our partnerships with IFB and Guidant Global have helped us focus on new ways to expand our employee pool. The success of this employment and training program and the employees who have joined Maximus is due to the hard work of many, advancements in technology, and support from our experienced partners.”

Regardless of a person’s experience or skillset, screen-based jobs like these are often inaccessible to those with low or no vision, as not all companies’ internal systems are compatible with assistive devices commonly used by those who are blind or visually impaired. It takes a focused effort to ensure employees who are blind have access to all the same tools and information as their sighted peers, which makes dedicated partnerships with companies like Maximus and Guidant Global all the more impactful.

“One of the biggest hardships that a blind person faces at work is a lack of accommodations, support and understanding,” said Kevin Fowler, one of the San Antonio-based customer service representatives employed through IFB’s partnership with Maximus. Despite his extensive experience in customer service and IT, Fowler, who is blind, struggled for three years to find work after being laid off from his previous position. He is one of the 70% percent of working-age blind or visually impaired adults who have faced sustained periods of unemployment throughout their lifetimes.

“I’m just so thankful for the opportunity to work and to provide for my family — and to work for a company that understands we still do the same job a sighted person can do,” Fowler continued. “At Maximus, if we need help, we have a network of support from people who understand what it’s like to problem-solve while a computer is talking to you in one ear and a customer is talking to you in the other. They have an understanding of not only what we do, but how we do it. It’s been one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.”

Also employed at Maximus’s San Antonio call center, Marvin Pearson, who is blind and deaf, said that earning a living alongside his sighted peers “proves to the world that I’m just as capable as anybody else. I’m so happy to hear that Maximus and Guidant Global are being celebrated, because they’ve continued the work of IFB to step in to set up a level playing field. They’ve given us the tools and opportunity to succeed, which is all it really takes. I’m excited to see what the future has in store for our partnership.”

In the coming weeks and months, the three companies plan to celebrate their valued partnership by welcoming a new group of customer service trainees, all of whom are blind or visually impaired, to the Texas teams.

“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 at IFB Solutions. “Maximus and Guidant Global have proven themselves as leaders in this area by joining our efforts to provide employment for individuals who deserve an opportunity to succeed. We are so proud to call them our 2024 Partners of the Year.”

By working together, IFB Solutions, Maximus and Guidant Global have not only created meaningful employment opportunities for people who are blind, but they have also provided an example of how businesses can drive lasting change by investing in the workforce.