Lions Volunteer Blind Industries closes Johnson City location

Yahoo

06-05-2025

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)— Of the 35 former employees at Lions Volunteer Blind Industries in Johnson City, 17 are blind or visually impaired, according to its CEO Trevor Southerland.
News Channel 11 reached out to Southerland after a former employee told News Channel 11 the company had closed. Southerland told News Channel 11 that due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), he was not able to do an interview, but sent in a statement from the company.
Susan Fields is legally blind and had worked at the company for years when she was told on April 11 that the Johnson City location was closing.
'I have what they call retinitis pigmentosa,' she said. 'It's the opposite of Macular degeneration. I have my tunnel vision straight ahead. I don't have peripheral. I don't even see my hands moving.'
When first diagnosed, Fields said she felt hopeless, until Lions Volunteer Blind Industries gave her back her self-esteem and a job.
The non-profit company headquartered in Morristown has had a mission 'to provide blind people the dignity of independence through employment' since 1951.
Southerland said the closing was due to a change in the products the company makes:
'LVBI is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1951. Since its inception, the mission has been 'To provide blind people the dignity of independence through employment'. We have been one of the largest providers for employment to those with visually disabilities in Tennessee. For decades the Federal Government has been our primary customer. Throughout our history LVBI has had to remain flexible, expanding or contracting as budgets change in the federal landscape.
The Board of Directors decided to remove military textiles from its product line. LVBI is focusing on two product lines in its Morristown location; industrial wipe paper towels and mattresses. By continuing operations in Morristown with these two product lines, we feel future growth can be achieved with consumer products versus relying on the military sector.
The decision to downsize the organization didn't come lightly but continuing blind employment is our ultimate goal. This did result in the closing of LVBI's Johnson City location. LVBI offered each blind or visually impaired the opportunity to transfer to its Morristown location or help find employment at another non-profit that specializes in employment for those with visual disabilities. LVBI's business model is to support its mission, our mission is to provide blind employment.'
Trevor Southerland, Lions Volunteer Blind Industries
Southerland said the 35 employees at the Johnson City location were offered the option to transfer to Morristown. But Fields, who isn't allowed to drive, says that won't work for her.
She said paying for a ride to Morristown would be more than $100 a day, and the only other choice would be to move, which is also not a feasible option since she lives with her adult son.
Fields is hoping another local company will give her and the other visually-impaired employees who lost their jobs a chance.
'Blind people are, you know, the visually impaired, they can still work, maybe not quite as a sighted person can do, but we can still work if you give us a chance to do it,' Fields said through tears.
She said she's working with the Department of Human Services to try and find another job that someone with her disability can do.
Of the 35 workers who worked at the Johnson City plant, Southerland said that at this point, only one has agreed to the transfer to the Morristown facility.
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