Lions Volunteer Blind Industries

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Annual Report 2009-2010

“We will provide blind people with the dignity of independence through employment.”

The combined efforts of all team members resulted in another successful year at LVBI! Our sales for fiscal year (FY) 2010 closed at $13.5 million, up $900,000 from last year!

National Industries for the Blind and it’s affiliates (LVBI) have made it clear to our customers at all levels that the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act is an EMPLOYMENT program, not a PROCUREMENT program! Our mission is to grow employment opportunities for blind Tennesseans. To that end, in FY 2010 we added 12 new blind workers to the LVBI payroll, and 13 disabled workers to our sister company, TNVol Mfg. & Services, bringing our total hourly work force in FY 2009/2010 to: 106 blind, 19 severely disabled, and 27 sighted direct labor employees in both companies.

During peak surge periods, additional temporary workers were also used to meet delivery requirements. LVBI’s Direct Labor Blind ratio of hours worked in FY 2010 is 83%, and 45% Direct Labor Handicapped for TNVol Mfg. TNVol’s goal is to be at 75% by this time next year. Our long-term commitment is to grow by 50 additional jobs over the next 5 years!

LVBI’s annual payroll to blind workers topped $1.2 million and disabled workers received $165,000 for a total of $1,418,000. Approximately 20%, or $283,000 of that payroll is committed to Employment Scholarships funded, in part, for “Project Paycheck” donations. With aggressive promotion of our fund raising efforts, this year’s donations are the best ever, with over $120,805 received from all sources.

• Lions Clubs – $12,112
• Lions District 12-N – $20,750
• Corporate – $41,435
• Gifts/memorials – $1,623
• American Dream – $20,680
• PROJECT PAYCHECK - $96,600

The majority of those donations will go to meet “Paycheck” expenses, with the balance paid by LVBI.

A new initiative was begun this year to expand the Johnson City, TN facility to house additional manufacturing and a Call Center for new employment and training for blind people in technology related fields. A “10/50 Capital Campaign” has begun to raise $75,000 through local Lions Clubs, to be matched with a $75,000 grant from Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). The initial 10/50 Campaign in May resulted in $24,205! Our goal is to add 10,000 sq. ft. to that facility to house 50 new jobs within 5 years.

LVBI’s vocational rehabilitation department, “Opportunity East” continues it long relationship with the TN Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), providing comprehensive services to blind and disabled Tennesseans. We are an important regional service center, touching 192 clients annually, with 96% living within Lions District 12-N in East Tennessee. DRS contracts with LVBI to provide these services annually, with this year’s budget at $333,717. In the coming year, LVBI and “Opportunity East” will propose a grant to DRS to partner in the expansion of our facility and Call Center training/employment initiative in Johnson City. Our Call Center proposes to hire 28 blind people and out-place 20 in related employment over the next 5 years!

Our goals are ambitious:

• Double the size of our Johnson City facility,
• Establish a Call Center training and placement program for technology-related employment for blind people,
• Grow our employment by 50 jobs in 5 years.

To meet these goals we will need capital, resources, talent, and commitment for all our team members and our partners. There is an old challenge that says “if you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?” We know where we are going, and we WILL get there!