Milestones

1982

Alan Reich founds NOD — the first cross-disability organization in the United States.

1989

The Calling on America Campaign galvanizes national support for the Americans with Disabilities Act.

1990

NOD’s first omnibus Survey of Americans with Disabilities, conducted by the Harris Poll, documents the pervasive disadvantages faced by people with disabilities.

President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

1992

NOD launches its CEO Council of business leaders committed to increasing employment for people with disabilities.

1994

The Start on Success (SOS) student internship program is created to help young people with disabilities gain a future of economic independence.

1995

NOD establishes the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award in partnership with the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Institute, in recognition of UN member nations’ efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

2001

NOD leads a successful campaign to place a statue portraying President Roosevelt in a wheelchair at the FDR National Memorial in Washington, DC.

In the wake of 9/11, NOD creates the Emergency Preparedness Initiative and presents recommendations from the disability community to the US Department of Homeland Security.

Christopher Reeve becomes NOD vice chairman and directs public attention to issues faced by people with disabilities.

2004

The NOD/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities is released at a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness.

NOD organizes the first-ever national conference on emergency planning for people with disabilities in Washington, DC.

2005

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, NOD deploys teams of disability specialists and first responders to the Gulf region and releases its findings in two congressional briefings.

2007

A Memorandum of Understanding is signed with the US Army, launching NOD’s Wounded Warrior Careers Demonstration.

Serving on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Advisory Council, NOD represents disability issues in federal emergency management.

Start on Success launches internship sites in Newark and New Orleans.

NOD convenes major employers and employment service providers to connect companies interested in hiring people with disabilities with the agencies that serve jobseekers.

2008

Wounded Warrior Careers begins serving veterans at inaugural sites in Texas and Colorado.

NOD staff with expertise in disability and emergency management travel to the Gulf region to conduct training sessions on inclusive emergency planning.

Start on Success expands to serve students in New York City and Los Angeles.

2009

NOD Board of Directors approves a three-year strategic plan that focuses on developing employment demonstration programs to generate practical knowledge and increase workforce opportunities for people with disabilities.

NOD opens its third Wounded Warrior Careers demonstration site in North Carolina; NOD Career Specialist testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, highlighting the need to support veterans in rejoining their communities through careers.

Start on Success sponsors its 3,000th student intern.

2010

Kessler Foundation sponsors the next generation of surveys on disability in America. The Kessler-NOD surveys by Harris Interactive updates data on employment and quality of life for people with disabilities.

A veteran with NOD’s Wounded Warrior Career Demonstration is invited by the White House to attend the President’s State of the Union address. Elected officials and members of the Executive Branch meet with NOD to learn how this innovative program is helping veterans to rebuild careers.

NOD launches the Return to Careers Program to explore career options and support needs for veterans with significant disabilities. This research fuels an ongoing effort to expand the career opportunities and services available to these veterans.