[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Resolution concerning employment of blind people

Mon Jan 24 15:57:14 UTC 2011

Hi,

This seems like a heartfelt reply and outht to be considered so.  I hope we
can develop a great alliance.  Leaderdog is a well established organization
with a good community image.  The President sseems sincere and not the least
defensive.  All in all, this seems very positive.

Warmest Regards,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Larry Posont
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 10:04 AM
To: nfbmi List
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: Resolution concerning employment of blind people

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Gregory Grabowski 
To: president.nfb.mi at gmail.com 
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 9:57 AM
Subject: Resolution concerning employment of blind people

Dear Mr. Posont:

Leader Dogs for the Blind strongly agrees with you and the National
Federation of the Blind of Michigan that qualified blind persons can serve
in many positions within our organization.  When we have positions open in
our organization, we do seek qualified candidates that are visually impaired
and blind.  We are currently posting all of our positions and working with
the following organizations, so as to search for as many visually impaired
and blind candidates.  The organizations we are working with are as follows:
BLIND, Inc. was referred to us by The National Federation of the Blind, and
we have spoken with Dick Davis, the Assistant Director for Employment
Programs at BLIND, Inc.  We are posting on the American Council of the Blind
web site (we have spoken with them), American Foundation for the Blind and
Disability Work.com.  We have reached out to NFB regarding their job
listings through NFB Newsline. Additionally, our Human Resources Department
has been working closely with the Michigan Commission for the Blind and we
are currently sending our position openings to them. We have been working
with counselors who work with blind persons looking for employment
opportunities. We recently interviewed a candidate last week identified by
one of their counselors. 

Further, we have suggested several ways in which Leader Dogs for the Blind
and the Michigan Commission for the Blind could more strategically partner
in delivering services and thus far the commission has declined our offers.

On the board level this concern is shared and monitored by our Program and
Services Committee of the Leader Dogs for the Blind Board of Trustees whose
chair as well as our current Board Chair are blind persons. We currently
contract with five blind individuals on a regular per diem basis with an
additional four on a more part time basis, who live in various parts of the
country, who represent Leader Dogs for the Blind, and who travel
independently, speaking, raising money and recruiting clients for our
organization.  We have two blind teenagers in the position of camp
counselors for our summer leadership camp for blind teens and have one
employee who is visually impaired on campus. 

We will continue to recruit visually impaired and blind candidates for
position openings and do very much want to have our work force be more
representative of those we serve.  We currently have positions open in our
apprentice training program and we aspire to be the first dog guide
organization with a blind and/or visually impaired instructor.  

We have offered employment to visually impaired and blind individuals in the
past, who have declined our offer because we have no form of mass
transportation in our area.  We have met with the appropriate local, state
and federal government agencies responsible for mass transit and have gotten
no where.  In fact our former blind employee, whom we lost to cancer, spent
time lobbying our local government and agencies with no success. We do
continue to seek solutions to this challenge.  

We are most open to any assistance the National Federation of the Blind
Michigan can provide as we seek to employ more visually impaired and blind
individuals.  

Mr. Posont, my apologies as a new President and CEO of Leader Dogs for the
Blind, (that is not so new anymore) it is overdue for us to meet.  So I will
reach out in the near future for us to speak and/or perhaps meet so that I
can introduce myself. 

Best 

Greg 

Gregory Grabowski

President & CEO

Leader Dogs for the Blind

Executive Assistant: Leigh Gladding                                  

1039 S. Rochester Road

Rochester, MI 48307

248.650.7100

Toll Free 888.861.1460

Our Mission: To enhance the lives of people who are blind and visually
impaired.

Please contact us at: www.Leaderdog.org

Disclaimer: This message contains confidential information and is intended
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Leader Dogs for the Blind 
1039 S. Rochester Rd.
Rochester Hills, MI 48307
The mission of Leader Dogs for the Blind is to enhance the lives of people
who are blind and visually impaired. Visit us online at leaderdog.org to
find out more! 
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