In 1945, decades before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Congress passed Resolution 176 designating the first week of each October as "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week". President Harry S. Truman designated the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities to carry out this law.
In 1962, the word "physically" was removed from the week's name to recognize the employment needs of all persons with disabilities.
In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed its name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month".
The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities known as the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was given responsibility for leading this nationwide recognition, and contacted agencies in each state with a request that they encourage activities commemorating this designated month. In Virginia, the agency was the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
Locally, activities were spearheaded by the Department of Rehabilitative Services Regional Office and the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center. Shortly thereafter, the local office of the VEC and the Regional Office of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired began to participate. Out of these efforts, the Shenandoah Valley Disability Employment Awareness Committee (SVDEAC) expanded to include many other community agencies, organizations and businesses for more than 15 years.
In addition to the Annual Award’s Recognition Event, the SVDEAC has provided exhibits and presentations to schools, disability awareness and ADA trainings, various assistive technology contests for local youth and educational luncheons with prominent speakers.
