CABVI THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED HAS MADE IT THEIR MISSION TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THEIR ONLINE OFFICE SUPPLY STORE, CLICK ON SUPPLIES.

THIS STOREFRONT PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, OFFERING ROLES THAT RANGE FROM ASSEMBLING PRODUCTS BY HAND TO MANAGING THE CALL CENTER.

ALL PROCEEDS FROM CLICK ON SUPPLIES GO DIRECTLY TO SUPPORT AND FUND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AT CABVI, HELPING TO FURTHER THEIR MISSION OF EMPOWERMENT AND INCLUSION.

>> CABVI IS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, LOCATED IN UTICA, NEW YORK.

AND OUR MISSION IS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED BECOME AS INDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE: WE DO THAT THROUGH MULTIPLE WAYS; PRIMARILY THROUGH OUR REHAB SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AND THROUGH EMPLOYMENT.

CURRENTLY WE EMPLOY OVER 100 PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND.

IN 2000, CABVI GOT INVOLVED IN WHAT ARE CALLED BASE SUPPLY CENTERS AND THOSE ARE RETAIL STORES LOCATED ON MILITARY BASES AND WE OPERATE SIX OF THOSE CURRENTLY.

SO THAT WAS OUR INTRODUCTION INTO RETAIL OFFICE SUPPLY SALES.

BACK ABOUT 3, MAYBE 4 YEARS AGO, WE DECIDED TO EXPAND THAT KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE IN RETAIL OFFICE SUPPLY SALES AND INSTEAD OF JUST OFFERING IT TO THE GOVERNMENT, WE NOW OFFER THAT COMMERCIALLY TO PEOPLE LOCALLY.

ANY REVENUE THAT IS GENERATED THROUGH CLICK ON GETS INVESTED BACK INTO CABVI TO HELP SUPPORT THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED.

WE OFFER PEOPLE OR ASSIST PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY TRAINING.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE WILL TEACH PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND HOW TO USE A CANE OR HOW TO NAVIGATE ONCE THEY'VE LOST THEIR VISION.

ROUGHLY 70% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND ARE UNEMPLOYED.

AND EVEN IF THEY'RE ABLE TO LOCATE EMPLOYMENT, THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE ARE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, TYPICALLY AROUND COMPUTERS.

SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF PROGRAMS THAT MAKE COMPUTERS ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND.

WE ACTUALLY RUN A CALL CENTER HERE.

AND IN THE CALL CENTER OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES ARE WEARING THE TYPICAL HEAD SET THAT YOU SEE CSRs WEAR, EXCEPT THE DIFFERENCES IN ONE EAR THEY'RE HEARING THE PERSON THEY'RE HELPING AND ON THE OTHER EAR THEY'RE HEARING WHAT THE COMPUTER IS SAYING BACK TO THEM ON THE SCREEN.

THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS MAKE JOBS ACCESSIBLE BUT NOT ALL EMPLOYERS IS HAVE THAT TYPE OF SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTED.

ONCE CLICK ON GROWS A LITTLE BIT LARGER, WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CREATE INSIDE SALES POSITIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND.

CURRENT WILL I WE DON'T HAVE ANY SALES PEOPLE WHO WORK AT CABVI AS A WHOLE.

THIS WOULD BE A NEW DIFFERENT TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND.

BECAUSE IT'S A SOLELY AN E-COMMERCE SITE, WE ARE ABLE TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE.

IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, YOU SEE THAT WE LIST OUR COMPETITORS PRICING SO YOU CAN SEE HOW WE COMPETE OR A FAVORABLE PRICING WITH OUR COMPETITORS.

EVERY SINGLE PURCHASE THAT IS MADE ON CLICK ON GOES BACK TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION.

IN FIVE YEARS WOULD I LOVE TO SEE CLICK ON SUPPLIES STATEWIDE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW YORK.

THAT'S WHERE I'D LIKE TO SEE US.

AND POTENTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE NORTHEAST.