Mission + Vision
Mission
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that promotes the full participation and contributions of America’s 57 million people with disabilities in all aspects of life.
Today, the National Organization on Disability focuses on increasing employment opportunities for the 80-percent of working-age Americans with disabilities who are not employed. To achieve this goal, NOD works with leading employers and partners with educational and philanthropic institutions to pilot innovative approaches to disability inclusion, then scales these up into initiatives with even broader impact.
We are proud to have helped some of the world’s most recognized brands be more competitive by building or enriching their disability inclusion programs.
Vision
We envision a future where employers will be rewarded by the high productivity, retention rates, problem solving abilities and diversity of thinking that people with disabilities bring to the workforce – and where NOD is seen by corporate America, the media, decision makers in Washington and other disability organizations as a pre-eminent source of data, services and innovation for realizing that vision.
DISABILITY INCLUSION: A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Our success in the global economy depends, more than ever, on how well we inspire and put to use the talent and energies of every person in this country—every talent, every skill, every ability. That is why the National Organization on Disability was created: To see to it that no ability is wasted, and that everyone has a full and equal chance to play a part in our national progress.
It has been three decades since NOD’s founder, Alan Reich, kicked off the International Year of Disabled Persons, as the first person in a wheelchair to address the United Nations General Assembly. Since that time, people with disabilities have had increased access to education and participation in society and have enriched our nation with their innumerable talents. The next step has become increasingly clear.
The preeminent challenge before us, as an organization and a nation, is to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy full opportunity for employment, enterprise and earnings, and that employers know how to put their talents to work.
Our strategic plan aims to establish NOD as a premier resource for employers to adopt proven, effective ways of employing people with disabilities. Close working partnerships with more than three dozen Fortune 1000 companies are our launching pad to greater scale and impact.
Tens of millions of working-age Americans with disabilities are able and eager to work. By joining forces with employers and 57 million Americans with disabilities—that’s one out of every five of us—we can harness the talent of every willing worker and vastly expand the productive power of the national labor force.
— Carol Glazer, President, National Organization on Disability
OUR STORY
America still has a long way to go to close the gaps in levels of participation between people with and without disabilities. But the landscape has changed dramatically, and much has been accomplished since our founding in 1982. More than ever before, people with disabilities are present throughout American society and are contributing greatly to our national and community life. The National Organization on Disability is proud to have been at the center of this progress and is committed to even greater advancements in the decades ahead.
OUR TEAM
Meet the people behind the National Organization on Disability.
OUR BOARD
The National Organization on Disability is governed by a group of civic and corporate leaders who are committed to advancing employment opportunity for Americans with disabilities.
FINANCIALS
The National Organization on Disability believes strongly in the importance of financial accountability, both to our funders and to the American public.
EMPLOYMENT
The National Organization on Disability is an equal opportunity employer. Employment and promotional opportunities are made without regard to race, sex, age, color, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic as established by law.
CONTACT
Whether it’s about programs, services, or to simply say “hi,” we always enjoy hearing from you.