Sen. John Hoeven recognized by SourceAmerica as an AbilityOne Congressional Champion of employment for people with disabilities

Congressman demonstrates commitment to supporting the AbilityOne Program

MINOT, Nd. (August 26, 2019) — Sen. John Hoeven, R-Nd., was recently honored as an AbilityOne^® Congressional Champion of employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

SourceAmerica^® distinguishes members of Congress for going the extra mile to help nonprofit agencies gain recognition in their communities or with legislative requests. Hoeven is part of a list of 156 certified Congressional Champions from 41 states and the District of Columbia.

"We appreciate the good work of SourceAmerica and the AbilityOne Program in supporting individuals with disabilities in North Dakota and across the nation," said Hoeven. "Given their important mission, we look forward to continuing to work with them to maintain and enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities."

In order to become an AbilityOne Congressional Champion, congressmembers must complete four steps that include visiting a contract site, utilizing AbilityOne products or services and showing public support for the program. Hoeven has met with advocates of the AbilityOne Program in his D.C. office and visited MVW Services, Inc's (Kalix) AbilityOne contract site at Grand Forks Air Force Base. He’s been a strong supporter of MVW Services, Inc. (Kalix) and was their first cookie business customer in the early 1990s.

"Senator Hoeven is a long-time supporter of MVW Services and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. He understands the value of work and inclusion for people of all abilities, and we appreciate his efforts to continue and expand employment opportunities through the AbilityOne Program." Said Borgi Beeler, president and CEO of MVW Services, Inc. (Kalix). “Recognition as a Congressional AbilityOne Champion honors his continued support for good paying jobs and economic independence achieved through employment.”

Each Congressional Champion receives a plaque that incorporates a commemorative coin and two personalized certificates. The awards are framed and matted by people with disabilities at Eastern Carolina Vocational Center, Inc. in Greenville, North Carolina. Once certified, members of Congress stay on the list until they leave office.  

"Members of Congress, like Sen. Hoeven, created the AbilityOne Program because they understood and supported the employment potential of professionals with disabilities." Said John Kelly, vice president of government affairs for SourceAmerica. "SourceAmerica is pleased to recognize him as a Congressional Champion."

The AbilityOne Congressional Champions Program was established in 2002 to honor representatives and senators who have demonstrated a commitment to constituents with disabilities and the AbilityOne Program. More information about the AbilityOne Congressional Champion Program is available online.

About SourceAmerica
Established in 1974, SourceAmerica creates employment opportunities for a skilled and dedicated workforce of people with disabilities. SourceAmerica is the vital link between the federal government and private sector organizations that procure the products and services provided by this exceptional workforce via a network of more than 750 community-based nonprofits. Headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, SourceAmerica provides its nonprofit agency network with business development, contract management, legislative and regulatory assistance, communications and public relations materials, information technology support, engineering and technical assistance, and extensive professional training needed for successful nonprofit management. Visit SourceAmerica.org to learn more, or follow us on Facebook (@SourceAmerica), Twitter (@SourceAmerica) and LinkedIn (@SourceAmerica).

About MVW Services Inc.
MVW Services, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Minot, North Dakota.  It offers employment opportunities to people with disabilities in a variety of settings.  It started contracting under the AbilityOne program in 1985, and currently operates seven federal service contracts with the Minot Air Force Base, the Grand Forks Air Force Base, and the US Army Corp of Engineers.  Contracted services include Custodial, Commissary, Postal Service Center, and Grounds Maintenance.  MVW Services collaborates with Kalix, a service provider for people with disabilities accredited by the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) and licensed by the North Dakota Department of Human Services.  More information is available at: https://www.kalixnd.org/employment-services/.

About the AbilityOne Program
The AbilityOne Program is one of the largest sources of employment in the United States for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. Approximately 45,000 people who are blind or have significant disabilities, including approximately 3,000 veterans, are employed at approximately 500 nonprofit agencies nationwide, across 15 time zones, from Maine to Guam. AbilityOne provided more than $3.3 billion in products and services to the federal government in fiscal year 2018. The Program operates at more than 1,000 locations, representing 40 government agencies, including more than 150 Base Supply Centers at military and government installations.