Every year, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) with an event that connects Goodwill employees, internal resources and community partners specializing in disability services.

In 2025, the NDEAM Celebration connected over 60 employees with resources and tools that can help advance disability employment. Community partners, such as New Hope and Bosma, shared the work they do to support people with disabilities. 

Artwork produced from Outside the Box’s “Studio OTB” made a return to the event, displayed around the event’s venue. Easterseals Crossroads also showcased their assistive technology library, which can help employees understand what accommodations can look like. Vocational Rehabilitation, a government program that helps individuals with disabilities achieve employment, also explained how they work hand-in-hand with Goodwill.

Internal Goodwill resources included human resources, who educated employees and managers on how the accommodation process works. The Janitorial Training Program, designed for individuals participating in Vocational Rehab with barriers to employment who have little or no prior work history, was featured alongside AbilityOne. Goodwill is an implementing agency of AbilityOne, a federal program that provides employment opportunities to those who are blind or have other significant disabilities.

Another essential aspect of the NDEAM Celebration is highlighting Goodwill employees with disabilities for their contributions to the workplace. Showcasing Goodwill employees with disabilities, like Sonjaki Alvies, not only demonstrates the power of disability employment, but also the importance of a strong support system and advocacy in the workplace.

“We want to make sure the event keeps growing and that we’re connecting more resources and  people,” said Anthony Collins, a Goodwill Mission Coach and the lead organizer of the event. “We’re already thinking about how we can make it bigger and better.”

As one of the largest employers of people with disabilities in the state, Goodwill is proud to hold an event every year that affirms and furthers disability employment awareness. To learn more about Goodwill and the resources we offer, visit goodwillindy.org/what-we-do.