The Alabama Institute for the Blind and Deaf recently launched an “AIDB Thread.” This program assists students with their clothing needs while providing career development opportunities for advanced students.
“87% of our families at AIDB belong to low-income households. In many cases, this means that some children do not have the things they need, the basic necessities. This means that children can have clothing options that they might not have.” Dr. Dennis Gilliam, Chairman of AIDB, usually makes smarter choices when budgeting. “We regularly have and give ideas on how to budget these funds.”
The AIDB Threads store is located on the EH Gentry Facility campus.
Students from Alabama School for the Blind, Alabama School for the Deaf and Helen Keller School can come to the store to shop. Students will be referred to programs by the Student Life Coordinator as needed.
Younger students can help in the store, while older students can shop on their own. Items in the store are free for students to purchase, but they are given a card with a certain amount of funds to teach them fiscal responsibility.
The program is funded by a variety of donors, including a $100,000 grant from the Regions Foundation.
“We do our best to provide the best that we can for our students. In some cases, state funding is not available to support our students. That’s one option you can’t use,” Gilliam said.
AIDB Threads not only provides students with the supplies they need, but also provides career development opportunities.
EH Gentry students operate stores while learning about inventory management, pricing, and customer service. EH Gentry is a full-service vocational and educational rehabilitation program for adults who are deaf or blind.
“I’m looking forward to learning how inventory works and all aspects of running a small business,” said Nydariun Jones, a college preparatory student at EH Gentry.
Jones will go into business and finance.
The store will be fully accessible to the hearing and visually impaired, whether they are shopping or working there. There are visual and audio cues at the register. Braille labels will soon be affixed to surfaces throughout the store.
Mr. Jones believed that working in a store would provide real-life experience and opportunities for problem-solving.
“It will give a lot of people the opportunity to see how entering a field like this really works. You can’t just expect someone to give you what you want, you have to find another way to do what needs to be done,” Jones said.
Gilliam hoped the program would result in companies participating in internship programs with AIDB students.
