The National Association of Blind Merchants is a network of 300 blind entrepreuners who run their own businesses. Many of these merchants run vending operations in government facilities such as prisons and military installations. Their businesses operate under federal legislation known as the Randolph Sheppard Act, a law passed in 1936 that gives preference to blind merchants for the operation of vending facilities on federal property.

"When I first joined NABM, it was about 50 blind guys in a room complaining about how they couldn't get ahead," says NABM President Kevan Worley, quoted in the Colorado Springs Business Journal. "Now we have about 300 people nationwide and we help empower and train them."

The association, a division of the National Federation of the Blind, organizes an annual two-day training seminar called BLAST (Business, Leadership and Superior Training) and has established working relationships with businesses such as PepsiCo, Otis Spunkmeyer, Nestle, Red Bull, M&M Mars, and Dunkin' Donuts.

For more information go online to www.blindmerchants.org.