Out of Sight success for nonprofit
Melissa Murphy, 40, has been blind since her retinas crumbled when she was in the womb.
Her blindness has led her to some negative work experiences in the past because of people’s perception of her.
In 2011, she began working at Out of Sight Shredding, a project of the Blind Association of Butler and Armstrong, where she has been able to work to her full ability and even develop skills she did not have.
“For one thing, I had been a very shy person before,” Murphy said. “I feel more confident in being able to talk to people.”
The Blind Association of Butler and Armstrong started discussing a possible business for its clients to work in around 2010. Murphy, who was part the talks, said she previously had worked at a job that involved shredding, so she knew it was a task she was capable of.
Jennifer Bindernagel, executive director at the Blind Association of Butler and Armstrong County, had been working at the blind association since 2008, when it was struggling financially and had many clients looking for work.
She said shredding was a business model that fit both the needs of clients and was also a promising business.
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