A Florida-based nonprofit that helps disabled people find work is expanding its presence in Raleigh.

Enable America opened a Raleigh office earlier year but is planning a big kickoff event in October that will be followed by an increase in programming and training opportunities for disabled people in this area.

The organization has already partnered with several local companies, including Progress Energy, The Royal Bank of Canada, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Rex HealthCare, WakeMed, SAS Institute and the Carolina Hurricanes. Enable America will match mentors from local companies with people with disabilities or wounded veterans.

Enable America will hold a community celebration of Disability Mentoring Day at the downtown Marriott on Oct. 21. The group was founded by Richard Salem (pictured above), a Tampa lawyer who lost his eyesight when he was a teenager and was the first blind person to graduate from Duke Law School.