NISH Workplace Magazine

The Nonprofit Agency, Tommy Nobis Center (TNC) of Marietta, Georgia was one of just seven organizations honored recently by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for creating opportunities in the workplace.

At the U.S. Department of Labor annual awards ceremony hosted by the department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao presented Connie Kirk, TNC president/CEO, with the Exemplary Public Interest Contribution Award (EPIC) for TNC's support of federal contractors in their Equal Employment Opportunity efforts.  The EPIC awards are the most desired equal employment opportunity awards ever instituted by the OFCCP."

It is an unexpected honor to receive this award and to be recognized for exceeding national standards for equal opportunities and diversity in our organization," Kirk said.  "NISH's support with federal contracting enables the Center to expand our mission by offering integrated employment at multiple worksites.  As the national unemployment rate among people with disabilities hovers at 70 percent, we are proud to serve individuals to affect change in the Metro Atlanta area."

TNC Vice President of Human Resources, Linda Mosher, and NISH South Region Executive Director, Micky Gazaway, also attended the DOL awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

"These employers are to be commended for their efforts to promote equal employment opportunities at their workplaces," Secretary Chao said during her remarks at the awards ceremony at the Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C. in April.  "Their commitment to ensure that people with disabilities, veterans, people of color and women have access to gainful employment and the American dream is laudatory."

Each year, the Secretary of Labor, Assistant Secretary for the Employment Standards Administration, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Federal Contract Compliance Programs present these awards at a ceremony honoring federal contractors and non-profit organizations that exemplify best corporate practices.  This furthers the OFCCP mission of nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity.  It is also consistent with the agency's efforts to form alliances with corporations and public interest organizations.

The Tommy Nobis Center provides a variety of services to government agencies and manages eight federal contracts through the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program that employ approximately 60 people.  TNC Federal Government customers include: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Social Security Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

TNC was founded in 1975 to assist youth and adults with disabilities transition from school to work.  At that time, a need for services in the north metro Atlanta area was identified and the advisory board approached one of the most visible sports celebrities in Georgia, Tommy Nobis, for support based on his commitment to Special Olympics and other programs for people with disabilities.

From those early years working out of a portable classroom, TNC has developed into a 52,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in Cobb County.  Training and employment opportunities are provided at the facility and at 13 community based work sites throughout metro Atlanta, GA.  Today, TNC is one of the largest private, not-for-profit community services agencies in the state, serving more than 800 people annually and a total of some 13,000 people since it opened its doors 30 years ago.  Even more impressive, it consistently maintains 90 percent ratio for direct labor hours being performed by people with disabilities and nearly half of its workers are minorities.

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