If you’ve ever looked closely on the inside of your Flex-Safe® storage bag, you may have noticed a tag that says “Made in USA by ABVI Rochester, New York”. Have you ever wondered what exactly ABVI is?

ABVI is the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Founded in Rochester, New York in 1911 and they are the “premiere provider of vision rehabilitation services to people who are blind or visually impaired throughout the Greater Rochester, Finger Lakes, and Southern Tier areas of New York.”

There is happiness and fulfillment to be had after the diagnosis of significant visual impairment. Aside from rehabilitation services, part of ABVI’s mission is to empower people with loss of vision by assisting them with training, and career and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Within the association, they offer manufacturing and fulfillment services for companies wishing to partake in their services, and it is with great pride that Flex-Safe® does so. Barricade storage bags are sewn in conjunction with their Social Enterprises center. It may also surprise you to learn that these centers also help produce uniforms for the United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard.

ABVI’s Social Enterprise also offers contact center and call customer service (they have contracted work with the EPA’s Lead Poisoning and Toxic Substance hotline!), catering (serving the community for over 40 years, preparing over 2,000 meals a day!), manufacturing (working with many products found in federal, state, and local governmental offices), and within Goodwill Stores.

In fact, ABVI is part of the Finger Lakes Rochester Goodwill organization. Much of the revenue from the local Goodwill stores supports ABVI along with their 211/LifeLine

Flex-Safe® is proud to support the community, and those in need whenever possible. We honored to share in this partnership with ABVI in Rochester and to give back to the local Rochester community when the opportunity presents itself! For more information about how you can support ABVI, please visit their support page here.