AIDB program aids students with clothing needs, provides career development opportunities
The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind recently launched “AIDB Threads.” The program aids students with clothing needs while also providing older students with career development opportunities.
“87% of our families at AIDB are in lower income family brackets. A lot of times that means that some of our children don’t have what they need, the basic essentials. This will allow them to have clothing options that they may not typically have and give them a regular idea of how to budget those funds to make wise choices with budgeting, ” said Dr. Dennis Gilliam, AIDB President.
The AIDB Threads store is located on the E.H. Gentry Facility campus.
Students from the Alabama School for the Blind, Alabama School for the Deaf, and the Helen Keller School can come to the store to shop. Students are referred to the program by student life coordinators based on need.
Younger students will be assisted at the store, but older students can shop for themselves. The items in the store can be purchased at no cost to students, but they are given a card with a certain amount of funds to teach fiscal responsibility.
The program is funded by various donors, including a $100,000 grant from the Regions Foundation.
“We do our best to provide everything we can for our students. Sometimes state funding is something we can’t use to support our students. Clothing is one of those options we can’t use that for, ” said Gilliam.
In addition to providing the necessary items to students, AIDB Threads also offers career development opportunities.
Students from E.H. Gentry run the store while learning about inventorying, pricing, and customer service. E.H. Gentry is a full-service vocational and educational rehabilitation program for adults who are deaf or blind.
“I’m looking forward to finding out how inventory works and all of the aspects of running a small business,” said Ny’Dariun Jones, a college prep student at E.H. Gentry.
Jones is going into business and finance.
The store will be fully accessible for people who are deaf or blind, whether they are shopping or working. The cash register has visual and audio cues. Braille labels will soon be placed on surfaces throughout the store.
Jones believed working at the store would provide real-life experience and produce problem-solving opportunities.
“It will give a lot of people opportunities to see how going into a field like this really works. When you are put in different predicaments where you have to find workarounds, you cannot just expect going into it that people will give you what you want. You have to find other ways to do what you need to do,” said Jones.
Gilliam hoped the program would result in businesses participating in internship programs with AIDB students.
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