[4Alabama] NFB Announcements and Reminders from the Alabama Affiliate President

[Jennifer Reeves]

*Independence Market Hours:*

The Independence Market will be closed from July 1 through July 14. In
addition, leading up to convention, the showroom will be closed from June
22 through June 30. Our eCommerce system will not close and items will ship
while we are at convention.

Note that while the showroom is closed from June 22 through June 30,
customers can still stop by in person and place or pick up orders; however,
there will be nothing on display. We have one set of display items, and
these items will be packed during this timeframe. Thank you for your
understanding!



*UPS Shipping for Independence Market Items:*

Customers can now purchase items that are not eligible to be shipped via
Free Matter directly through our eCommerce site with UPS shipping. Some
notable products that fit this description include NFB-branded merchandise,
tumblers, Meta glasses, and other featured items.



*Volunteers Needed for Independence Market During National Convention:*

If you are interested in volunteering at the Independence Market during the
2026 National Convention, please contact Danielle McCann at dmccann at nfb.org
for more information. Opportunities are available for demonstrators and
storekeepers, and all assistance is greatly appreciated.



*Federation Sues Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human
Services Regarding Delay of Website Accessibility Rule:*

On Thursday, May 21, the National Federation of the Blind filed a lawsuit
challenging the administration’s abrupt delay of critical website
accessibility features designed to ensure blind people and people with
other disabilities can access essential government and healthcare services
online. The lawsuit challenges actions by the US Department of Justice
(DOJ) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that
postponed long-anticipated compliance deadlines under federal disability
rights laws, without public notice or input. Regulations finalized by DOJ
and HHS in April and May 2024, after years of public engagement and
rulemaking, required state and local governments and those who receive
federal funding from HHS to make their websites and mobile applications
accessible to people with disabilities, including those who are blind and
rely on screen readers and other assistive technology. However, on April
20, 2026, and May 11, 2026, respectively, DOJ and HHS issued interim final
rules delaying the compliance deadlines by a year. You can read our full
press release regarding the DOJ and HHS lawsuit
<https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-sues-government-over-delay-accessibility-rules>
in our Press Room <https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room>.



*Department of Health and Human Services Section 504 Interim Final Rule
Response:*

On May 11, the Department of Health and Human Services published an interim
final rule delaying the implementation of website and mobile application
accessibility regulations for Rehabilitation Act Section 504 covered
entities. Much like our response to the ADA Title II website rule delay, we
believe this postponement for implementation is completely unwarranted. I
encourage you to read our official response to the Health and Human
Services interim final rule
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/comments-response-department-health-and-human-services>
that we submitted on Friday, May 29.



*ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Interim Final Rule – Submit Your
Comments:*

This is a quick reminder that there is still time for you to submit your
individual comments in response to the Department of Justice’s interim
final rule on website and mobile application accessibility for ADA Title
II-covered entities. As a reminder, we sent out an advocacy alert
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/legislative-priorities/legislative-alerts/department-justice-delays>
on this topic on May 17, and we encourage you to read it and submit
comments so that the DOJ understands how critical digital accessibility is
to us.





*Reminders:*

*Honor Roll Call:*

As a reminder, the Honor Roll Call is when affiliates and national
divisions support our sustaining funds: Kenneth Jernigan Fund, SUN shares,
White Cane Fund, and Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Fund. To make your 2026
contributions, write a check payable to National Federation of the Blind
and mail it to 200 East Wells Street; Baltimore, Maryland, 21230,
Attention: Fiscal Services – Roll Call and write “Roll Call” in the check
memo. Please send an email to rollcall at nfb.org detailing the amount to go
to each fund and the name of the organization, so we record the
contributions correctly. All pre-convention contributions will be
acknowledged on our website. If your organization is making a pledge to be
paid later this year, please send an email to rollcall at nfb.org telling us
how much is being pledged for each fund and when to expect the check. All
pledges should be fulfilled by August 31, 2026.



*NFB Camp:*

NFB Camp will again be part of convention. We ask affiliates and divisions
to consider helping with this expense. We provide this service to families
for a nominal fee; therefore, your help is greatly appreciated. Please make
all contributions for NFB Camp payable to National Federation of the Blind
and mail it to 200 East Wells Street; Baltimore, Maryland, 21230,
Attention: Fiscal Services – NFB Camp and write NFB Camp in the check memo.
Please send an email to fiscalservices at nfb.org to let us know the name of
the organization or division and the amount of the contribution.



*PAC:*

Before you start PACing for convention, please consider supporting the PAC
program with a contribution toward the PAC gift-card prizes. During the
convention, those who participate in PAC, either signing up or increasing
their donation, are eligible to win gift cards. Please support our PAC
program with a donation to the prize fund. Checks for PAC prizes are to be
payable to National Federation of the Blind and mailed to Attention: Fiscal
Services-PAC, 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore MD, 21230; include “PAC
prizes” in the check memo. Also, please send an email to PAC at nfb.org to let
us know to expect your organization’s support.



*Multiple Requests:*

You can write one check for the above support requests if you send an email
to one of the email addresses provided and clearly list the breakdown of
the check. You can also write multiple checks and mail them in one
envelope. Please make sure to include the memo notes on the checks and to
send the necessary emails so our fiscal services staff know what to expect
and record them correctly. All envelopes need to be mailed to 200 East
Wells Street, Baltimore MD, 21230, Attention: Fiscal Services.









Barbara Manuel, President

National Federation of the Blind of Alabama

President at NFBAL.org

251.656.5165

NFB.org

NFBAL.org



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