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Mayor Allen Joines at IFB Solutions' Winston-Salem manufacturing facility. IFB Solutions to Hire 60 New Employees and Offer Specialized Training Thanks to City of Winston-Salem ARPA Grant 08/30/23

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 …
Image of Mary A outside Maximus and IFB Solutions Partner on New Program to Hire Blind and Visually Impaired for Full-Time Contact Center Work 04/05/23

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 …
IFB logo IFB Solutions Honors Local Employee of the Year, The Winston-Salem Foundation and Community Leaders 05/25/22

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 …
man wearing glasses facing camera Pinnacle Mercantile Authentic Woobie: Manufacturing with Meaning 02/01/22

Written by: Dale Baker 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 …
IFB logo Seeking Employment at IFB Solutions: Opportunity Provider for People who are Blind 10/08/21

Written By: Brent Burkholder   Sometimes in today’s workforce, we cross paths with individuals who formulate negative perceptions towards others based on their own limited ideas. I am very familiar with this perception. I was born Premature at 26 weeks, which resulted in vision loss that has ultimately created some obstacles in my life. Most …
Headshot photo of Brenda Diggs smiling IFB Solutions: Full Circle Support Powered by Inclusion 10/01/21

Written By: Brenda Diggs October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).  This is a special time of year for IFB Solutions.   It is a time when we can educate our country about including people with disabilities in the workplace. As the new Chairperson of the IFB Solutions Board of Directors, I hope I inspire …
Photo of guide dogs and handlers walking across the street Opening a Window of Independence: Having a Guide Dog 09/01/21

Written By: Lee Hartline Being independent became a challenge 30 years ago when I became visually and hearing impaired due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP). I was unemployed for 20 years because people saw my disability as a risk.  Seven years ago, IFB Solutions hired me as a trainee in the optical lab.  I earned a promotion …
Headshot photo of Kim smiling Very Blessed: Teaching and Learning While Blind 08/06/21

Written By: Kim Shoffner Where it All Began I am blessed in so many ways.  I was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (cancer on the retinas of my eyes) at age two. My younger years were spent with very low vision in one eye and none in the other.  Wearing thick glasses provided 20/200 sight without depth perception …
SEE Student jumping into a lake S.E.E. Summer Camps: The Experience of a Lifetime 07/07/21

What is S.E.E.? S.E.E.  stands for Student Enrichment Experience. Our experienced program leaders and camp staff members teach students who are blind or visually impaired life-skills, such as cooking, doing laundry, and making a bed. Students are also provided hands-on learning opportunities and many activities to help them enjoy new experiences. We have afterschool programs …
Headshot photo of Faith Harding smiling Staying Inspired: Finding Work through Blindness 05/13/21

Staying Inspired: Finding Work through Blindness By: Faith Harding, Administrative Assistant for IFB Base Supply Centers In the Beginning Originally from Louisiana, I was born 2lbs 3oz at 26 weeks. Since I made it through the night, doctors felt I would have a list of mental and physical disabilities associated with prematurity. Gratefully, retinopathy of …
Photo of Mike Mote sitting at his desk in front of his laptop Workplace Accessibility: Welcoming People who are Blind. 04/15/21

By: Mike Mote, Manager of Accessibility and Workforce Development Are you an employer on the fence about hiring workers who are visually impaired or blind? *It is easier than you think! Let us explain how to set up your business to be inclusive and welcoming to people with disabilities. Let’s Talk Accessibility at Work with …
Dr. Street performs an exam Understanding Macular Degeneration 02/25/21

By Dr. Dexter Street, Low Vision Specialist For 36 years I have practiced optometry with an emphasis on low vision. Most of my patients who I work with at IFB Solutions’ Community Low Vision Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, have macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is one of the leading causes of adult sight loss. In …
Diana sits in an office Losing My Sight, but Not My Vision. 02/24/21

By Diana-Marie Soto, 2021 IFB Solutions Employee of the Year. Leer en español. Only one year into my young life I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and nystagmus. Finally, there was an explanation for my dancing eyes and an answer to why, no matter how much my mom moved me away from the TV, I always ended up …