Celebrating Disability Pride Through Employment Networks:SourceAmerica
July is Disability Pride Month, marking the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. It’s a month dedicated to celebrating the history, experiences, and achievements of the disability community.
For many individuals with disabilities, securing a job is about more than just a paycheck. It’s about independence, community connection, and taking pride in one’s skills. Yet, the disability community still faces disproportionately high rates of unemployment and underemployment.
This Disability Pride Month, we are pleased to highlight organizations, networks, programs, and employers who connect individuals with disabilities to jobs and amplify their contributions to our workforce.
The AbilityOne Program is one of the largest sources of employment in the United States for people who have disabilities. At VGS, more than 85 individuals work on AbilityOne contracts. The program leverages the purchasing power of the federal government. By law when federal agencies need certain products or services, they purchase them from a national network of community-based nonprofit agencies that employ individuals with disabilities.
Whether it’s manufacturing military uniforms, providing IT services, managing fleet logistics, or keeping federal buildings clean and secure, AbilityOne employees are doing essential work that keeps the country running smoothly.
SourceAmerica is the critical link between the federal government and roughly 400 community-based nonprofits through the provision of business development, training, and advocacy. The AbilityOne Program makes it possible for VGS to connect Ohioans with disabilities to federally contracted employment across the state, empowering a talent pool that is too often overlooked and demonstrating the value they bring to our workplaces and communities.
As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, it is important to look beyond just July. True disability pride means building a world where everyone has the opportunity to work, succeed, and be proud of what they do. We are grateful for the partnerships that support our work, transform lives, and shape more inclusive workplaces.