Our Mission/Our History | Staff

Our Mission

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for blind and vision impaired individuals by providing gainful employment, to provide opportunities in career development and to provide employment-related services to blind and vision impaired individuals. We accomplish these goals as a self-sufficient and self-supporting agency without the use of general funds.

Our History

Since its establishment in Charlottesville in 1925, Virginia Industries for the Blind (VIB) has provided training and employment opportunities for individuals who are blind or vision impaired, enabling the self-esteem that comes from self-sufficiency.   In the Business Enterprise Division of the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI), VIB works in conjunction with the Services Division and Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired to provide employment, training, and other vocational services to blind individuals across the Commonwealth.

With over 175 employees and annual sales in excess of $20,000,000, VIB has manufacturing locations in Charlottesville and Richmond and thirteen (13) satellite operations across Virginia, including nine (9) self service and base supply stores that serve military and other federal employees.

VIB is a self-supporting division in the Virginia State government, operating from the revenues generated from sales to state and federal agencies. Legally blind individuals contribute at least 75% of the direct labor required to produce the diversified line of products and services.

VIB is an accredited affiliate of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and is an authorized distributor of products manufactured under provisions of the Federal Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (JWOD).