CINCINNATI — As a Cincinnati-based business grows, so too, does its ability to help people with visual impairments find jobs.

VIE-Ability is an office supplies company that employs people who are blind and individuals with severely low-vision.

What You Need To Know

  • VIE-Ability employs blind and severely low-vision individuals

  • The company wants to make a dent in the 65% unemployment rate for the visually impaired

  • Many VIE-Ability employees lost their vision in adulthood

Company leaders said they hope their efforts make a small dent in the 65% unemployment rate for the visually impaired.

Each employee has a unique story that led them to a career at VIE-Ability.

“I went from being able to drive and do everything and four months later I couldn’t read,” said Kyle Greene, communications coordinator for VIE-Ability.

“When I was 25, I started noticing that my vision was degenerating and by 30 I had to quit driving,” Rob Volker, manager of VIE-Ability, said.

“I’ve been dealing with severe vision loss since I was diagnosed at age 5,” Anthony Steele, operations manager for VIE-Ability,
said.

Many VIE-Ability employees lost their vision in adulthood when they were already well into careers.

For many, the loss of vision also meant the loss of their job.

“I was struggling on where I could find work, said Mindy Plunkett, accounts manager for VIE-Ability. “I did interviews with outside people and once they hear there’s a vision impairment, thanks but (wink) no thanks.”

Learning how to use a cane is what initially brought these employees to the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

They left with much more than training — they left with a job. 

“When I started, I was the only person who was visually impaired. After I took over as manager, I was able to hire two more people who are visually impaired and since then I’ve been able to hire four others,” Volker said.

VIE-Ability employs people with visual impairments while also aiming to be the best in its field with a focus on customer service, free shipping and competitive costs. 

“I was just petrified that I wasn’t going to be able to meet the demand of whatever they needed,” Greene said. “I came in here and everyone was just accepting and understanding and I kind of found a little family.”

This little family faces similar struggles while finding solace in the support of one another.

“Being able to have these guys who understand what you’re going through, it definitely eases the soul,” Steele said.