Bobby Dodd Institute

If you've traveled around Georgia, there's a good chance you've flipped through the official Georgia Travel Guide. And before those guides reached you, Angela probably had her hands on them.

Angela was just named a 2026 Working Wonders Award winner by Georgia Enterprises for Products and Services (GEPS). GEPS gives this award every year to Georgians with disabilities who show outstanding dedication and go above and beyond at work.
Angela has been on the Bobby Dodd Institute team for more than a decade. At our warehouse, she packs and organizes the Georgia Travel Guide so it gets where it needs to go. Contracts like this are part of how BDI creates jobs for people with disabilities across Georgia.

Congratulations, Angela. This award is well deserved, and we're proud to have you on our team.

Applying for SSI disability benefits and unsure where to start? Join the BDI Empowers Webinar session on Thursday, September 24 from 6 - 8 pm about how to apply for SSI in 2026 with Anna Maki, Director of Program Services here at BDI, for a step-by-step walk through the application process.

Register now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-do-you-apply-for-ssi-a-step-by-step-guide-to-the-application-process-tickets-1994607837736?aff=oddtdtcreator

We hope to see you there!



ID: A promotional graphic for a webinar in the BDI Empowers Webinar series. At the top of the graphic, the title "BDI Empowers" is in teal text, with "Webinar" displayed underneath it in bold white text, over a navy-blue background. Below the title, the subtitle in a smaller font reads, "How Do You Apply for SSI? A Step-by-Step Guide to the Application Process." The center of the image features one circular photograph of the speaker, framed in a light blue circle. Below the photo is her name and title in navy-blue text: Anna Maki, Director of Program Services at BDI over a white background. At the bottom of the graphic, the date and time of the webinar are displayed: "Thursday, September 24 · 6 - 8 pm EST." Below that is a registration button depicted in magenta with white text reading "Register."

Jihad loves going to the movies, visiting comic bookstores, and trying his favorite restaurants—especially Wendy's! He's always excited about the latest movie releases and is a big fan of superhero films, especially Spider-Man.

Jihad dreams of having an office job. In the next five months, he will be working on improving his skills and will be excited to start exploring career opportunities. If you have a business or know someone who may need fully trained and dedicated employees, consider hiring Jihad.

You can join Elevate employer partners like HD Supply, Milner, the Atlanta Braves and Piedmont. They have already opened their doors to some of our interns and are already seeing the benefits. Our team is here to support you with the tools and resources you need to make your workplace a great place to work for everyone.

Want to learn how to get involved? Send us a message at https://bobbydodd.org/contact/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Elevate%20Interns

ID: Jihad is smiling and standing in front of a softly colored, light green wall. He is wearing a dark blue polo shirt with white accents on it. Behind him, is the Bobby Dodd Institute logo. At the bottom, there is a fading navy-blue rectangle with bold, white text on it that reads, "Jihad, Elevate Academy Intern. Dreams of having an office job."

As part of SourceAmerica’s Grassroots Conference, BDI’s Todd Hermon and Devan Jones met with Jon Ossoff and Congressman Sanford Bishop to talk about the potential impact of the Protecting Small Business Competitions Act of 2025, which could put more than 40,000 jobs for people with disabilities through the AbilityOne Program at risk.

Devan knows firsthand what meaningful employment through AbilityOne can provide. She works as an Alarm Monitor at the Ft. Benning E-911 Dispatch Services near Columbus, Georgia, and has been with Bobby Dodd Institute for four years now. She wants to keep working, keep moving up because she genuinely enjoys her job. In D.C. she's advocating for more opportunities and better wages for people with disabilities.

We appreciate the opportunity to bring the voices of AbilityOne employees and the disability community to these important conversations.

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Every morning, Devan Jones spends 40 minutes driving to work, and she's not complaining. She's excited to get there.

Devan was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis before she turned two. She credits her mom, Donna, with a lot of the strength it took to get where she is: getting her to doctor's appointments, making sure she had what she needed for school, making sure she was never treated differently. "Mom would say I'm brave," Devan said. "I don't pull myself back, and my mom is proud of that."

Devan works as an Alarm Monitor at the Ft. Benning E-911 Dispatch Services near Columbus, GA, and has been with Bobby Dodd Institute for four years. This week, she and Donna traveled to Washington, D.C. together for the Grassroots Advocacy Conference, Devan's first time meeting with legislators. Her message: listen to employees, explain things clearly, and give people with disabilities more and better job opportunities.

"The people I've met are really driven, loyal, committed to working every day and doing their best," Devan said. "More opportunity and better wages, this is what I'm advocating for in D.C."

Todd Hermon, CFRE, IPA represented BDI in D.C. this week alongside Devan. Kylie Moore joined virtually, co-presenting with Rick Sebastian of The Kennedy Collective in Connecticut. As Todd put it: "I feel incredibly fortunate to join this backbone of our nation as we meet with legislators over the next two days."

SourceAmerica

Devan Jones Takes Her Story of Disability Employment to Capitol Hill - BDI Every morning, Devan Jones spends 40 minutes getting to work. She's not complaining about the drive and is excited to get there. Devan was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis before she turned two. "Living with a disability has not always been easy," she says, "but it has taught me to be strong, det...

The wait is over! The applications for Elevate Academy, a paid internship for people with disabilities, are now open. This program helps people with disabilities gain confidence, job skills, and meaningful employment opportunities.

If you are between the ages 18–30, eligible for Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) services or able to private pay, able to work independently, and committed to developing a transportation plan, we want to see your application.

“Elevate Academy helped me tackle some of my fears about not being competent enough, which was a big concern of mine for quite some time. What I like the most about the program is the fact that I could take part and be able to self-improve,” Jordan, an Elevate Academy Intern, describes his experience with the program.

Consider attending one of our virtual info sessions and/or the two open houses!
Learn more and apply at https://bobbydodd.org/elevate-academy/

ID: A schedule for Elevate Academy informational sessions appears on a light blue background. The heading “Informational Sessions” is centered above the large magenta title “Elevate Academy.” Six sessions are listed in two columns, each paired with a dark navy rounded date box containing the month and day. At the lower right, a smiling person wearing glasses in a blue Elevate Academy shirt and a branded lanyard is shown from the chest up. The year “2026” and the website “bobbydodd.org” appear beside the person.

Today is the 25th anniversary of the tragic 9/11 attacks.

We honor and remember all of the victims, the first responders and their sacrifices, and the people who still live with the emotional and physical trauma caused by the attacks.

We see you, and we will never forget.

How will you honor 9/11 this year? Let us know in the comments!

ID: A close-up view of a dark, rain-speckled granite panel at a 9/11 Memorial, engraved with victims’ names. A small American flag and a bright pink rose rest in openings in the memorial surface. Behind the panel are blurred trees, buildings, pedestrians, and autumn-colored leaves in the background.

Joshua is a creative artist who enjoys drawing, playing video games, and exploring the world of animation. He loves creating characters and backgrounds and is excited to continue developing his artistic talents and creativity.

Joshua dreams of becoming a software engineer or developer. In the next five months, he will be working on improving his skills and will be excited to start exploring career opportunities. If you have a business or know someone who may need fully trained and dedicated employees, consider hiring Joshua.

You can join Elevate employer partners like HD Supply, Milner, the Atlanta Braves and Piedmont. They have already opened their doors to some of our interns and are already seeing the benefits. Our team is here to support you with the tools and resources you need to make your workplace a great place to work for everyone.

Want to learn how to get involved? Send us a message at https://bobbydodd.org/contact/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Elevate%20Interns

ID: Joshua is standing in front of a softly colored, light green wall. He is wearing a dark blue collared shirt with white patterns on it. Behind him, is the "I" of the BDI logo and a poster with a person wearing an orange shirt on it. At the bottom, there is a fading navy-blue rectangle with bold, white text on it that reads, "Joshua, Elevate Academy Intern. Dreams of becoming a software engineer or developer."

Simon enjoys a wide variety of hobbies, including horseback riding, woodworking, cooking, and watching anime. He also has a passion for school buses and loves using Duolingo to learn new languages, practice math, and sharpen his chess skills.

Simon dreams of becoming a bus monitor, an animator, or a voice actor. In the next five months, he will be working on improving his skills and will be excited to start exploring career opportunities. If you have a business or know someone who may need fully trained and dedicated employees, consider hiring Simon.

You can join Elevate employer partners like HD Supply, Milner, the Atlanta Braves and Piedmont. They have already opened their doors to some of our interns and are already seeing the benefits. Our team is here to support you with the tools and resources you need to make your workplace a great place to work for everyone.

Want to learn how to get involved? Send us a message at https://bobbydodd.org/contact/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Elevate%20Interns

ID: Simon is standing in front of a softly colored, light green wall. He is wearing a dark blue polo shirt with white accents. Behind him, is the Bobby Dodd Institute logo and a poster with a person wearing an orange shirt on it. At the bottom, there is a fading navy-blue rectangle with bold, white text on it that reads, "Simon, Elevate Academy Intern. Dreams of becoming a bus monitor, an animator, or a voice actor."