Enable America soon to expand in eastern NC

Linking businesses & disabled workers together

By: Arthur Mondale | WNCT
Published: October 20, 2009

It's a tough market for unemployed workers in our state--but what about the disabled worker?
Since 2002, Attorney Richard Salem has been urging businesses and those with disabilities to work together.
The New Bern native founded Enable America, a non-profit based in Tampa that works to put the disabled in the workplace.
"It's our duty to reach out and give them an opportunity to understand and appreciate that they have talents and courage that they bring to a workplace that we can use to work through these troubled economic times,” founder Richard Salem said.
Enable America is heading to the east. Over the next year they'll open satellite offices in Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh and Wilmington.
Salem who is a blind lawyer, sees a great need in eastern North Carolina, but says more businesses need to have the same vision.
"We also need businesses to open their doors--give us a day--that's all it takes is a day,” Salem adds. “To get people with disabilities out of their homes, out of residential care environments and into the workplace on a daily basis."

October is National Disability Employment Month, but Salem says the bigger picture is priceless, “You really can have a job and contribute to yourself, to your family and to your community--that self esteem is an ever important part of the American dream."

This month, Enable America got the endorsement of Governor Bev Perdue who praised the company's distinguished record of helping disabled workers nationwide.
For more information type in the keywords: Enable America.