LANCASTER, Pa. — A non-profit organization here in Central Pennsylvania continues to help those who are blind, and vision impaired find their place in the workforce.
“VisionCorps was probably my best opportunity to regain my independence, be able to get back out into the workforce, and um start being productive again,” explained Tim Runstrom, a VisionCorps employee.
Runstrom, of Millersville, is blind, and his eyes are sensitive to light. He lost most of his sight a few years ago and had to stop working.
“It really affected me having to stay home all the time because I had worked for most of my life. And it took a toll on me emotionally, and mentally, and physically,” said Runstrom.
But, he says when he got a job with VisionCorps, things changed for the better.
“My socialization has greatly improved, being able to talk to coworkers, which I hadn’t been able to do when I lived in Michigan, and I feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day,” said Runstrom.
One of his coworkers who is blind and deaf says he feels the same way.
“Andy says being able to work here helps him to be independent and he’s very grateful,” said Andy Stender’s translator.
“In the real world, there’s a sense of being forgotten. Many people don’t even recognize you. (It) almost feels like you have some kind of disease or something. They avoid you like the plague. So, that’s one of the big benefits of working here is I feel like I’m included in everything,” said Runstrom.
At VisionCorps, employees are do manufacturing duties to help the military and people living with disabilities become more independent.
VisionCorps employees use equipment that can be found in any other workshops across the U.S.
However, a VisionCorps Vice President says they do adaptations with equipment to make it more blind friendly.
“We work very closely with our team to train them on safety procedures, and you can imagine that if you’re someone that has experienced vision loss that you’re going to automatically be safe around equipment just by nature of you wanting to work with it,” said George Tobler, vice president of quality assurance and AbilityOne for VisionCorps.
He also says people believe there’s a huge accommodation or cost to employ someone living with a disability.
“That’s actually not the case. There are minor adaptations but what most people find is that they have a dedicated employee once they hire someone with a disability in their workshop,” said Tobler.
He says not only do they hire people living with disabilities but there’s also room for upward mobility.
Tobler is a testament to that.
“We do things differently but that doesn’t mean that we can’t do them. We can do anything that someone who isn’t disabled can do, and I hope that our community partners continue to learn and grow with us to create a more inclusive workplace,” said Tobler.
For more information, you can visit VisionCorps website here.