NISH - Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Significant Disabilities Relaunches as SourceAmerica

VIENNA, Va., July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NISH, the national nonprofit that creates employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities, has rebranded as SourceAmerica, the organization announced today.

Established in 1974, the organization creates job opportunities for a skilled and dedicated workforce:  people with significant disabilities. SourceAmerica is the vital link between this exceptional workforce, a network of 1,200 community-based nonprofits, and the federal government and private sector that need the products and services this workforce provides.  SourceAmerica provides the agency network with business development, contract management, legislative and regulatory assistance, communications and public relations materials, information technology support, engineering and technical assistance, and extensive professional training needed for successful nonprofit management.  SourceAmerica is federally authorized to facilitate the AbilityOne^® Program.

President and CEO Bob Chamberlin said the SourceAmerica rebranding will highlight the group's mission, as well as do a better job of describing the nonprofit's capabilities.

"The name 'SourceAmerica' more accurately describes our mission and our focus on advocacy for people with significant disabilities," Chamberlin said. "People with significant disabilities are not only a workforce that provides a source of unparalleled quality for our expanding customer base; they are the central focus and source of inspiration for everything we do.

"Our new identity provides a connection between the individuals with significant disabilities for whom we advocate, our customers who benefit through quality products and services from a superb workforce sourced right here in America and our team members whose enthusiasm for their work is generated by the people we serve," he said.

Chamberlin reiterated that the mission and function of SourceAmerica will not change. The organization will continue to be an AbilityOne authorized enterprise. In addition to AbilityOne, SourceAmerica will continue to support various programs in its effort to expand employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities, including:

• Partnerships with Defense prime contractors and other commercial companies;
• World-class training in employment, quality, leadership and development;
• Grassroots advocacy;
• Financial assistance;
• Institute for Economic Empowerment;
• Quality Work Environment, which empowers people who have significant disabilities to achieve their maximum employment potential;
• Pathways to Careers, an employment program that empowers youths and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to match their skills, interests and abilities with jobs and careers in their communities;
• Veterans workforce initiatives and research; and
• The AbilityOne Design Challenge.

For more information on these programs and initiatives, as well as on the SourceAmerica relaunch, please visit www.sourceamerica.org.

About SourceAmerica

Established in 1974, SourceAmerica creates job opportunities for a skilled and dedicated workforce:  people with significant disabilities. We are the vital link between this exceptional workforce, a network of 1,200 community-based nonprofits, and the federal government and private sector that need the products and services this workforce provides.  Headquartered in Vienna, VA, SourceAmerica provides the agency network with business development, contract management, legislative and regulatory assistance, communications and public relations materials, information technology support, engineering and technical assistance, and extensive professional training needed for successful nonprofit management.  SourceAmerica is an AbilityOne^® authorized enterprise.

About the AbilityOne Program

Providing employment opportunities to nearly 50,000 people, the AbilityOne^® Program is the largest single source of employment for people who are blind or have significant disabilities in the United States.  Nearly 600 participating nonprofit organizations employ these individuals and provide quality goods and services to the Federal Government at a fair market price.  The AbilityOne Program is administered by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission^® (www.abilityone.gov), an independent Federal agency.

SOURCE SourceAmerica