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A World In Which People With Disabilities Have Unlimited Employment Opportunities

Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award

In 2002, U. S. Secretary of Labor established the Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award. This award encourages the use of public-private partnerships to develop and implement strategies that enhance employment opportunities and career advancement for individuals with disabilities. Such strategies include increasing access to assistive technologies and utilizing innovative training, hiring and retention strategies.

The award is presented annually to one or more individuals, non-profit organizations, small businesses or corporations that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts to further the employment objectives of President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative.

The Secretary’s New Freedom Initiative Awards have been presented annually since 2002. To read about past winners, please click on the year of the award, or on the individual names in the list below.

Business	Individual	Non-Profit Organizations
Aetna A&F Wood Products Best Buy Co.,Inc. Booz Allen Hamilton Cingular Wireless Computer Sciences Corporation Federal Sector CVS/Pharmacy Deloitte, Washington, D.C. The Dow Chemical Company Ernst & Young LLP Gap Inc. Giant Eagle, Inc. Hewlett-Packard Company Highmark Inc. IBM Lockheed Martin Corporation Manpower, Inc. MBNA America Bank, N.A. Merck & Co. Inc. Microsoft Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation PepsiCo, Inc. Raytheon Missile Systems SunTrust Banks, Inc. TecAccess WellPoint, Inc.	Joyce A. Bender Bruce Borden John D. Kemp Michael John Maslowski Ilene Morris-Sambur Jim Westall	Abilities Inc. Able-Disabled Advocacy Breaking New Ground Outreach Program Center of Vocational Alternatives Courage Center disabilityworks HSC Foundation InspiriTec Laurie Mitchell Employment Center Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential (LEAP) Lift, Inc. Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities National Technical Institute for the Deaf Positive Vibe Café PRIDE Industries Project SEARCH Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce Salt Lake Community College Skills Center Projects with Industry Sensory Access Foundation The RAVE Program Vocational Advancement and Social Skills Training (V.A.S.T.)

The Secretary of Labor’s SPIRIT Award is given to an individual with a disability or an organization demonstrating leadership and an unyielding commitment to achieving success. Award recipients are recognized for their qualities to inspire and enhance the ability of Americans with disabilities to enter and participate fully in the 21st century workforce.