WINSTON-SALEM — For nearly nine decades, a Winston-Salem nonprofit has quietly built a business model around a simple idea: Blindness should not prevent someone from having a job.
IFB Solutions — with manufacturing operations in Asheville and Winston-Salem, where it is headquartered — employs roughly 700 people and operates programs that extend across 22 states. The organization’s mission is centered on creating employment opportunities for adults who are blind or visually impaired.
Founded in 1936 as Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, the organization is approaching its 90th anniversary while expanding its workforce initiatives beyond its traditional manufacturing base.
“We exist to provide jobs and opportunities for blind adults,” said Ged Doughton, IFB Solutions’ director of development. “Just because someone lost their sight doesn’t mean they’ve lost their vision.”
Many adults who lose their eyesight face sudden employment barriers, Doughton said. Because blindness affects a relatively small portion of the population, most workplaces are not structured to accommodate it without specialized training or adaptive tools.
“The good news is blindness isn’t very prevalent,” Doughton said. “The bad news is if you lose your eyesight, it’s 100%. Many industries just aren’t designed with that in mind.”
IFB Solutions operates under the umbrella of National Industries for the Blind, a network of about 60 agencies nationwide that provide employment for blind Americans through federal procurement programs.
Much of the organization’s revenue comes through federal contracts — particularly with the Department of Defense — producing textile products such as military clothing and protective suits used by personnel fueling aircraft.
The nonprofit has also diversified its operations in recent years. IFB Solutions runs base supply centers on military installations and in federal buildings, employing blind workers in retail-style operations. It also operates an Amazon-based e-commerce business that sells products online.
Still, leadership sees workforce diversification as essential to long-term stability, especially because reliance on federal contracts can leave operations vulnerable during government shutdowns or funding delays.
One of the organization’s newest initiatives focuses on remote employment.
Through a Workforce Services Division, IFB Solutions is training blind or vision-impaired employees for call center and customer service roles that can be performed from home using assistive technology.
The program is supported by a $4 million fundraising campaign launched in late 2022. The effort aims to train and employ 300 blind workers nationwide in remote service positions.
Training each worker costs about $13,000, Doughton said. The campaign includes a $1 million challenge commitment from a major donor, with IFB raising the remaining $3 million through foundations, corporate support and individual gifts.
“The biggest issue for blind adults is finding a job,” Doughton said, noting that roughly 70% of blind adults are not currently in the workforce. “The second biggest issue is transportation. Remote work helps solve both.”
As part of its outreach efforts, IFB Solutions is hosting an informational event Tuesday, April 14, from 6-8 p.m. at the Carolina Country Club in Raleigh. The evening will feature remarks from CEO Dan Kelly and Doughton about the organization’s mission and its efforts to expand employment opportunities for blind adults. The gathering will include refreshments and an opportunity for guests to learn more about the organization’s work.
The organization’s leadership reflects the mission as well. Kelly, who has been blind since childhood, has spent nearly two decades working his way through IFB Solutions before becoming its chief executive.
As IFB approaches its milestone anniversary, Doughton said the goal remains the same as when the organization began in the 1930s: proving that opportunity, training and the right accommodations can unlock potential that often goes overlooked.
“When people visit our facilities and see the work being done,” he said, “they usually leave asking one question — ‘How can I help?’”
