The IFB Beat 6-15 Edition

A Message from the Editor

Hello team,

This week’s IFB Beat is packed with exciting updates and opportunities to stay connected with our mission and each other. Be sure to check out a special 90-year congratulatory message from National Industries for the Blind President and CEO Soraya Correa, and mark your calendars to tune in as Dan Kelly shares the IFB Solutions story with a national audience on the Blind and Beyond Radio Show.

You’ll also meet this week’s Employee Spotlight, Debbie Adjei, whose kindness and passion for helping others make her a valued member of the IFB family. In addition, don’t miss important reminders about our upcoming Juneteenth holiday schedule and how you can take advantage of the valuable benefits available through the IFB Solutions 401(k) Plan.

Thank you for all you do each day to make a difference. As always, thanks for reading, and have a safe and enjoyable week.

Quote of the week:

“Inclusion is not bringing people into what already exists; it is making a new space together.” — George Dei

Thank you for strolling the Beat. See you next week!

Anastasia Powell

IFB Solutions Communications Manager
apowell@ifbsolutions.org | 336-245-5698

 

Quick Links:

New this Week

– Cheers to 90 Years!
– Tune In: Dan Kelly Featured on Blind and Beyond Radio Show
– Holiday Closure Update
– JAWS Training Graduates
– Employee Spotlight Featuring Debbie Adjei, BSC DOE Forrestal
– Winston-Salem Facility Support Groups

From Our Community

– Shop Rainbow Tarts!

HR & Opportunities

– Invest Today. Enjoy Tomorrow.
– Job Opportunities

IFB Beat Phone Lines
Support Group Zoom Meeting Links
Archived Editions of The IFB Beat

 

Cheers to 90 Years!

🎉 This year, IFB Solutions proudly celebrates 90 years of creating jobs and changing lives for people who are blind. That’s nine decades of perseverance, growth and most importantly, YOU.

This special section of the IFB Beat will take you on a journey through our history. Over the next several months, you’ll discover fun facts, inspiring milestones, employee spotlights and throwback moments. So don’t miss a week!

As IFB Solutions celebrates an incredible 90 years of creating opportunities and changing lives for people who are blind, we are honored to receive congratulations from leaders and partners who have supported our mission along the way.

Please join us in hearing a special message from Soraya Correa, President and CEO of NIB, as she recognizes this important milestone and celebrates the impact IFB has made over the last nine decades.

Watch Soraya’s congratulatory message here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TLlh89Ojvzd0efsu0crFd6cfJEFgyBKT/view?usp=sharing

 

Tune In: Dan Kelly Featured on Blind and Beyond Radio Show

We are excited to share that IFB Solutions President and CEO Dan Kelly will be a guest on the nationally syndicated Blind and Beyond Radio Show on Sunday, June 21!

During the interview, Dan will discuss his journey to IFB Solutions, his role as CEO, our mission of creating life-changing opportunities for people who are blind and the impact IFB continues to make as we celebrate 90 years of service.

Interview time: 7:20 p.m.–7:34 p.m. Eastern Time
Show time: 7 p.m.–9 p.m. Eastern Time

Blind and Beyond Radio Show is the world’s only syndicated commercial radio show focused on blindness and visual impairment. The program reaches listeners across the country and highlights topics, resources and stories that matter to the blind and visually impaired community.

How to Listen Live

• Visit the Blind and Beyond Radio Show website linked here and click “Listen Live.”
• Stream through the TuneIn Radio app.
• Listen on WCRN 830 AM (Boston).
• Listen on KOKC 1520 AM / 95.3 FM (Oklahoma City and surrounding states).
• Listen on KLZ 560 AM (Denver).
• Ask your Alexa device: “Play WFTL 850 AM.”

We encourage all employees, families and friends of IFB Solutions to tune in and support Dan as he shares our story with listeners nationwide.

 

Holiday Closure Update

In observance of Juneteenth, IFB Solutions will be closed as follows:

• 10-hour employees will observe the holiday on Thursday, June 18.
• 8-hour employees will observe the holiday on Friday, June 19.

We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to learn, celebrate and spend time with family and community. Regular operations will resume on Monday, June 22. We wish everyone a safe, enjoyable and meaningful holiday.

 

JAWS Training Graduates

Congratulations to our June JAWS training graduates!

Please join us in celebrating our June graduates who successfully completed Basic JAWS training. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to building new skills are helping create greater independence and success in the workplace and beyond.

Congratulations to:

• Crystal Johnson
• Lynn Lesco
• Page Carlyle

Thank you for your dedication and willingness to continue learning and growing. We are proud of your accomplishment and excited to see how you use these new skills moving forward!

 

Employee Spotlight Featuring Debbie Adjei, BSC DOE Forrestal

Welcome to Employee Spotlight. Each week, we celebrate the incredible individuals who make IFB thrive. This week, we are excited to feature Debbie Adjei.

Q: Where did you grow up?
A: Ghana, West Africa

Q: How long have you been with IFB, and what brought you to the organization?
A: I have been with IFB since September 2023. What attracted me to the organization was its passion for helping and accommodating employees who are blind or visually impaired.

Q: Do you have any fun facts or hidden talents you’d like to share?
A: I love cooking!

Q: What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of work?
A: I enjoy event planning and decorating. I love bringing people together and creating beautiful spaces for special occasions.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite food or meal?
A: Jollof rice

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at IFB?
A: I enjoy the colleagues I work with and the tools and resources the company provides to make work productive and worthwhile.

Q: What’s a quote or word of advice you’d give to a friend?
A: “It doesn’t cost anything to put a smile on someone else’s face and be kind.”

Special thanks to Store Manager, US Department of Energy & US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Shawn Blanks, for supporting these highlights. Who knows? You might be next in the spotlight! Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.

 

Winston-Salem Facility Support Groups

If you’re interested in attending a support group, please review the update here: https://ifbsolutions.org/the-ifb-beat-12-16-edition/#two-d

Support group meeting for the week: Veterans support group, Tuesday, June 16, 12–1 p.m. in TADS Room

 

 

From Our Community

Shop Rainbow Tarts!

Submitted by Carl Williams

Interested in supporting a blind-owned business? Looking for an easy and affordable way to bring your favorite smells to your home or give as a gift?

Look no further. We have wax melts, warmers, soaps, shampoos, conditioners and much more. See Carl Williams (Tina Jolly’s department), call: 336-970-0650, email info@rainbowtarts.com or visit https://www.rainbowtarts.com.

Check back often for sales!

We Braille products upon request at no charge and ship within the US via priority flat rate mail. Rainbow Tarts – where everything makes scents!

 

 

HR & Opportunities

Invest Today. Enjoy Tomorrow.

Your future is worth it.

Don’t pass up a chance to double your money! With the IFB Solutions 401(k) Plan, IFB Solutions matches 100% of the first 5% of pay you contribute each pay period. Review your contribution rate today and take full advantage of the company match!

Example 1:
$50/month total contribution
($25 employee + $25 employer match)

Assumptions:

• 7% average annual return
• 20 years of saving
• Compounding monthly

Results After 20 Years:

• Total contribution: $12,000
• Estimated account value: ~$26,000

Employer match + investment growth + compound growth = a strong financial future. Remember, small steps today can create big rewards tomorrow. Consider taking one of these actions today:

• Enroll in the 401(k) plan
• Increase your contribution percentage
• Review your current savings goals
• Make sure you are receiving the full company match.

Need help with enrollment or account changes? Contact the Ascensus Call Center at 855-593-7279, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m., or email Tammy Whitmire-Powers at twhitmire-powers@ifbsolutions.org.

 

Job Opportunities

For more information, please contact a member of the recruitment team at careers@ifbsolutions.org.

For all current openings, visit https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs?clientkey=8B43E6E34C5D5C9AA3D07BB04DBEB909.

 

IFB Beat Phone Lines

English line: 336-245-5691

Spanish line: 336-245-5663

 

Zoom Meeting Links

Support Group Zoom

https://ifbsolutions.zoom.us/j/86167111929?pwd=G9vSBWcnTFrMHixqb19TpU7q8sQW1N.1

Meeting ID: 861 6711 1929
Passcode: 992614

One tap mobile:
+13126266799,86167111929# US (Chicago)
+16465588656,86167111929# US (New York)
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
877 853 5257 US Toll-free