National Center for Disability Services Wins U.S. Labor Department New Freedom Initiative Award

Albertson, NY-- October 15, 2003... Abilities, Inc. a division of the National Center for Disability Services (NCDS), located in Albertson, NY, is one of just ten recipients nationwide of the 2003 Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award, the U.S. Department of Labor announced today. The award recognizes exemplary and innovative public-private partnership efforts in furthering the employment objectives of President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative.

Five businesses, four non-profit organizations and one individual received the award this year. NCDS is the only not-for-profit from New York State among the recipients.

Photo: Ed Cortez and Francine Tishman accept the Department of Labor's New freedom Initiative Award. "Abilities, Inc. at NCDS is proud and honored to have received the New Freedom Initiative Award," said Edmund L. Cortez, President & CEO of NCDS. "It is a tribute to the dedication of the more than 400 employees at the National Center for Disability Services, to the leadership of the more than 200 companies who partner with us, and to the tenacity of the thousands of people with disabilities we serve."

Abilities, Inc. at NCDS was selected on the basis of its comprehensive and multi-faceted Abilities' Service Paradigm, comprised of three interrelated and interdependent components: assessment, training and placement. Its programs foster and strengthen the employment of people with disabilities by partnering with employers as well as empowering potential and current employees.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao has championed the integration of people with disabilities into the workplace. "Workers with disabilities represent an under-utilized pool of talent. We need that talent today more than ever," she said at last year's ceremony marking the inauguration of the awards. "The New Freedom Initiative paves the way for more Americans with disabilities to enter the workforce and enjoy community life."

Cortez explained that Abilities, Inc. at NCDS reaches out to both workers with disabilities and to their employers, through the Career and Employment Institute (CEI) and the National Business & Disability Council (NBDC). "The extent of our partnership with corporations and other entities, designed to provide ongoing support of their efforts to create and increase opportunities for people with disabilities, makes us unique in the field of disability services," he said.

CEI provides employment evaluations, training, and placement services for people with disabilities, while NBDC, a membership group comprised of many Fortune 1000 corporate members, offers comprehensive training and support services to corporate officers, human-resource and diversity professionals, and marketing managers.

The announcement of the winners coincides with the start of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Secretary Chao selected "America Works Best When All Americans Work" as the official theme for October 2003. Secretary Chao will present the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Awards on Wednesday, October 16, at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C.

President Bush introduced the New Freedom Initiative on February 1, 2001. The New Freedom Initiative represents a comprehensive set of proposals designed to ensure that Americans with disabilities have the opportunity to learn and develop skills, engage in productive work, make choices about their daily lives, and participate fully in their communities. The Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Awards program was inaugurated in 2002.

Founded in 1952, the National Center for Disability Services (NCDS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where people with disabilities live simply as people, with access to all that society offers. With a staff of over 400, including experts in education, human resources and technology, NCDS has grown to become a global leader in paving the way to full integration of people with disabilities. In addition to Abilities, Inc., NCDS includes: the Kornreich Technology Center, with state-of-the-art assistive technology and training programs; the Smeal Learning Center, offering satellite and multi-media instructional programs and facilities; the Global Institute; the Research and Training Institute; and the Henry Viscardi School, a model K-12 school for children with severe physical disabilities.

More information about NCDS and its wide range of services to individuals, organizations and private-sector businesses is available at www.ncds.org.