ABILITYONE PROGRAM

The AbilityOne Program, formerly the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act, helps find employment for thousands of people who have severe disabilities. The program coordinates its activities with nonprofit organizations such as ADE Global Management to employ these individuals and provide goods and services to the federal government at a fair price. The AbilityOne Program:

• Employs nearly 43,000 disabled people
• Is the largest source of employment in the country for people who have disabilities
• Coordinates participation from more than 600 nonprofit agencies throughout the United States
• Represents $2.3 billion of products and services purchased by the federal government in 2006
• Operates at nearly 1,000 locations, representing 40 government agencies nationally
• Is the largest provider of custodial services and commissary shelf-stocking to the federal government
• Is one of the major providers of military dining services to the Department of Defense
• Surveyed the workforce in 2006 and found that 76% of people with severe disabilities were satisfied with their jobs and 79% are very proud of their work.

The AbilityOne Program is administered by the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, an independent federal agency, with assistance from the National Institute for the Severely Disabled (NISH).