BESTWORK INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND INC

Bestwork Industries for the Blind, Inc. was founded by Jim Varsaci, a veteran of WWII who lost his sight in battle. When Jim returned home wounded and blind, he and his wife, Rita, worked side by side until well after dark on their farm in New Jersey. That same tenacious spirit led Jim to become a manager in a program funded by the New Jersey Commission for the Blind (NJCBVI), known as Contract Shop #3. This employment program for people who are blind serviced companies such as Campbell Soup and RCA with packing, mailing, and assembly work. Rita became a sewing instructor for NJCBVI.

When state funding ran out for Contract Shop #3, Jim was determined to prevent job losses for his colleagues who so desperately needed employment. Seeking help from private citizens, the New Jersey Commission for the Blind, and National Industries for the Blind, he launched Bestwork Industries for the Blind, Inc. as a private, not-for-profit agency on September 14, 1981. Times were tough at first, and Jim and Rita worked two years without drawing a salary.

Varsaci learned that there were federal government contracts available through the JWOD (Javits, Wagner, O’Day) program for workers who are blind or visually impaired. With the help of Bestwork’s Board of Directors and National Industries for the Blind, Varsaci secured Bestwork’s first JWOD contract. Under the organization’s operating philosophy of high quality, on-time delivery, Bestwork’s reputation brought about more contracts with the Army, Navy, and GSA. What began as a Contract Shop with a few employees has grown into a multi-million-dollar enterprise, successfully partnering with Fortune 500 companies. Bestwork has adopted the universally recognized best practices of Lean Manufacturing and ISO 9001:2015 certification.