Rockville, MD. – Goodwill Industries International is pleased to honor Tina Ballard, Executive Director of the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, with its first-ever Outstanding Leadership Award for Federal Executives.
This award is given by Goodwill® to a federal executive who has clearly demonstrated support for Goodwill’s policy agenda. Increased employment opportunities under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD) Act is one of Goodwill’s top priorities as Goodwill makes up nearly 15 percent of the AbilityOne Program. Enacted in 1938, the Wagner-O’Day Act sought to create employment opportunities for people who are blind by using the vast purchasing power of the federal government. In 1971, under the stewardship of the late Sen. Jacob Javits, the employment program was expanded to include people with significant disabilities. That expanded program — called AbilityOne — operates today under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD) Act. The Committee for Purchase has oversight of the AbilityOne Program.
“Since joining the Committee for Purchase, Tina Ballard has shown great initiative and commitment,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “She embarked on a listening tour and spoke with many Goodwill leaders while touring a number of AbilityOne contracts. In addition, the AbilityOne Program has seen a steady increase in the number of people with significant disabilities working on contracts and Goodwill has seen an increase in contract opportunities.”
In her role, Ballard directs and manages the AbilityOne program – the largest provider of employment opportunities for those who are either blind or have other significant disabilities, employing approximately 46,000 people through more than 600 nonprofit agencies, including Goodwill. Over 75 community-based Goodwill agencies collectively engage more than 7,000 individuals to fulfill more than 350 AbilityOne contracts, while offering those workers job coaching and additional skills training. Contracts include a broad range of commercial business services to government agencies, such as custodial work, food service, landscaping, manufacturing, and document management and destruction. Each of these employment opportunities has promoted independence and dignity for people who need it most.
“Goodwill is honored to recognize Tina Ballard and her over 30 years of federal government experience that enable her to implement strategies to grow the AbilityOne Program,” said Gibbons.
Ballard accepted her award at a reception held in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, April 27. The reception was part of Goodwill Industries International’s fourth Advocacy Day — “Invest in the American Worker.”
