Alphapointe Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Merger with New York City Industries for the Blind
A decade of impact …
On Wednesday, April 24, Alphapointe held a celebration to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the merger between Alphapointe and New York City Industries for the Blind (NYCIB). The event, which was held at the newly renovated Alphapointe facility in Richmond Hill, New York, included staff from both New York and Kansas City, board members, NIB representatives, local and state leaders, donors, volunteers, and business partners.
“There were 200 jobs at risk in New York and that’s something we wanted to solve,” said Alphapointe President and CEO, Reinhard Mabry. “As we mark this milestone, we are reaffirming our commitment to this incredible team, their contribution to the community, and to fostering independence, empowerment, and inclusion for people who are blind and visually impaired.”
Since the merger, the organization has gone from renting space in Brooklyn to owning and improving a space in Queens, which now has rehabilitation and training facilities, as well as other amenities meant to support the wellbeing of staff.
All employees from NYCIB decided to stay with Alphapointe after the merger and made the move to the new building, the buying and rehabilitation of which Mabry described as a challenge that tested the organization but that was also a labor of love.
