Manufacturing...

The manufacturing department at the Westmoreland County Blind Association continues to grow. We manufacture or produce many products for the Department of Defense. These items include the Joint Services List Bag, Flyer’s Kit Bags for the Navy, Flight Deck Jerseys for the Navy and Neckerchiefs for the Navy, and Field Pack Covers for the Army. These product lines employed 20-30 blind persons and 13 sighted throughout the year. All of these contracts are obtained through the National Industries for the Blind.

Keeping in compliance with the National Industries for the Blind, we are required to maintain a ratio of one sighted to three blind employees in the shop. The hours of the Work Activities Center are also included in this requirement.

We produce mattress pad covers for state mental hospitals and provide wiping cloths for PennDot through the Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind and Handicapped. We are always looking for commercial work in the community. Throughout the year we have produced portable stretchers, car seat covers, and grave flags.