Bestwork Industries for the Blind, a nonprofit manufacturer that provides training and jobs for the blind and visually impaired, will hold its 2nd Annual Dining in the Dark fundraiser on Sept. 24 to raise money for a planned Blindness & Low Vision Services Center (BLVSC).
The event at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden also helps raise awareness about the challenges faced by people with vision impairment. During the dinner, guests can wear blindfolds and learn techniques to navigate their plates from Bestwork staff and tablemates who are blind or visually impaired.
“Dining in the Dark is our flagship fundraiser for the BLVSC and the bedrock for raising awareness around blindness and the critical need for low vision services in South Jersey,” said Jon Katz, president & CEO of Bestwork Industries for the Blind.
“Although it's a fun, entertaining evening in a spectacular venue, more importantly, Dining in the Dark is an enlightening experience and has a powerful effect on most attendees – that's the impact we're looking for in the community,” Katz said.
South Jersey has a limited number of low-vision service providers, Katz said. Bestwork is attempting to bridge the gap by offering free adult vision screenings, and it plans to launch low-vision exams and assistive technology and rehab services later this year.
The event, which is held in a private event space at the Adventure Aquarium featuring a 550,000-gallon Shark Realm exhibit, also includes a cocktail reception, dancing to live entertainment by Jimmy and the Parrots, a silent auction and raffle prizes. Dave Spadoro, host of the “Eagles Insider” podcast, will reprise his role as celebrity emcee for the evening.
For information about tickets, sponsorships or donations, visit Bestwork Industries for the Blind’s website here.
Bestwork Industries was founded in 1981 by James Varsaci, a New Jersey native and World War II veteran who lost his sight in combat. He launched Bestwork as a nonprofit manufacturer with the goal of creating stable, meaningful employment for people with vision loss. Shortly after its founding, the organization secured its first federal contract through the federal AbilityOne Program to manufacture U.S. Navy neckerchiefs—a product it continues to make today.
Over the past four decades, Bestwork has evolved from a small contract sewing operation into one of New Jersey's largest employers of people who are blind or visually impaired. Now headquartered in Cherry Hill, the organization manufactures military apparel and textile products for the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies while also providing packaging, light assembly, warehousing, distribution, document scanning, digital imaging, and e-commerce fulfillment services for commercial and public-sector customers.
Under Katz’s leadership, the organization began the transformation from a self-sustaining manufacturing agency to a full-service social enterprise in 2021. Bestwork has expanded its operations with additional New Jersey locations, adopted Lean Manufacturing principles, earned ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, and broadened its mission to create more career pathways and rehabilitation services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
