SourceAmerica Celebrates 80 Years of National Disability Employment Awareness Month

SourceAmerica highlights the impact, skills and contributions of workers with disabilities to the workforce

Vienna, Va. (September 29, 2025) - SourceAmerica®, a national nonprofit that administers the AbilityOne® Program to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities through federal contracts, is spotlighting the immense value and talent that workers with disabilities bring to the nation's economy during National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October 2025.

NDEAM, which occurs every October, honors the contributions of American workers with disabilities.

"SourceAmerica is proud to support this milestone celebration through its continued effort to expand opportunities for meaningful employment for workers with disabilities," said Richard Belden, SourceAmerica president and CEO. "Every day, we see the impact these workers contribute to products made in America and supporting military readiness. NDEAM gives us the opportunity to call for continued progress and once again recognize the achievements and contributions of workers with disabilities."

Recent studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 70 million U.S. adults report having a disability, and according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the unemployment rate of working-age individuals with disabilities is 8.1%.

For more than 50 years, SourceAmerica has helped to close the employment gap by connecting more than 400,000 individuals with disabilities to meaningful jobs through its network of nonprofit agencies, federal customers and business partners. Today, the organization:

• Partners with more than 500 nonprofits to employ approximately 59,000 individuals with disabilities nationwide
• Has nearly 36,000 workers with disabilities employed on AbilityOne contracts, with an average wage of $18.96 per hour
• Supplies high-quality, products made in America and services that directly support the federal government and military readiness

This October, employers throughout the nation and across all industries are encouraged to join SourceAmerica in acknowledging the invaluable contributions of workers with disabilities and take meaningful steps towards recognizing the accomplishments of individuals with disabilities in the workforce. SourceAmerica remains committed to connecting this vital talent pool to meaningful employment through its nationwide nonprofit network.

To learn how people with disabilities contribute to military readiness through high-quality services and product delivery to the federal government, please visit AmericaIsMadeHere.org.

About SourceAmerica
SourceAmerica is a national nonprofit that administers the AbilityOne Program - a program that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities through federal product and service contracts. We are a bridge between our network contractors and federal customers, providing the resources and support they need to successfully navigate the AbilityOne Program. To learn more, visit SourceAmerica.org and follow @SourceAmerica on Facebook, X.com (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn.