[BlindTlk] Fidelco Doubles Down on Backward Thinking!

Wed Jul 15 17:53:25 UTC 2020

Well, reading this, if I ever were going to get a guide dog, I know one 
place where I would not go: Fidelco!  We've been treated like this by enough 
agencies who think they know what's best for us.  Pam.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Marion Gwizdala, via BlindTlk
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 1:17 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users ; 
'Colorado Association of Guide Dog Users List' ; flagdu at nfbnet.org ; 
Michigan Guide Dog Users Committee List ; New Jersey Association of Guide 
Dog Users ; nyagdu at nfbnet.org ; wagdu at nfbnet.org ; blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Marion Gwizdala,
Subject: [BlindTlk] Fidelco Doubles Down on Backward Thinking!

                During the annual meeting of the National Association of 
Guide Dog Users On July 3, 2013, guide dog training programs were asked to 
comment on NAGDU’s guide Dog Consumers’ Bill of rights. Fidelco offered a 
very ramnbling, incoherent, nonsensical prepared statement. Here is what 
Julie Unwinn said:

                “Thank you very much! Fidelco has read the Bill of Rights 
and there are some points that we agree on to some of the concepts, but not 
to all of them.  . Fidelco believes it is a free market of choice for the 
consumer and that competition is the best option for guide dog consumers, 
especially where services are not charged to a consumer. And we believe the 
options concerning training methods, follow-up services, and things of that 
nature are best for all participating parties to decide on together. We also 
agree that bona fide accredited providers will develop their own appropriate 
policies based upon their business model and operations. We believe that 
broader acceptance by a group of guide dog consumers is very important when 
it comes to a Bill of Rights. We recognize the NFB and NAGDU for its efforts 
on behalf of all its members, and we think it’s very important to encourage 
the NFB and NAGDU to seek ideas and input from other similar organizations 
across the country, including federal and state agencies because the more 
input that is received the better the final documents will come out.  . So, 
that’s Fidelco’s viewpoint on the Bill of Rights.”

No matter how many times I read this statement, I come away with the same 
befuddled question. Having been given three months to review the bill of 
Rights, this is your prepared statement? Here is the summary of what Fidelco’s 
chief Operating Officer said: Blind consumers do not pay for our services, 
the representative voice of the nation’s largest organization is irrelevant, 
and our business model does not include the blind as stakeholders.

So, why am I reflecting on what was said seven years ago? Those who attended 
the NAGDU seminar yesterday heard the same disregard for the blind from 
Fidelco’s representative. When asked about these comments, Fidelco told us 
in no uncertain terms that the only people who matter in making their 
policies are their donors and puppy-raisers. That is what Fidelco so boldly 
tells us!

With this sort of corporate attitude, I was curious to learn how Fidelco 
portrays us on their website, <https://fidelco.org/>. I find it very 
interesting that Fidelco refers to us as their “remarkable clients”. Though 
Fidelco says they are “dedicated to limitless potential — to ensuring men 
and women who are blind enjoy increased independence to improve their lives 
and the world around them. Our clients raise families, serve America in the 
military, and sacrifice on the battlefield. They advocate for those who are 
visually impaired, win gold medals as world class athletes, educate, and 
more.”

How hypocritical! They say all these wonderful things about us, yet it is 
obvious that Fidelco only sees us as pawns in their quest to raise money to 
support the salaries of out-of-touch executives. I want to be clear that I 
am not rendering judgement on the quality of the dogs and the training 
Fidelco provides; however, the attitude and what Fidelco refers to as its 
business model should concern the blind community, as well as donors and 
puppy-raisers. These individuals provide their time, talent, and treasure to 
support an organization whose stated mission is “increased independence to 
improve [our]lives and the world around [us]” while telling us to our faces 
that we do not have a voice!

Some who read this will be skeptical of my assertions, claiming what Fidelco 
posts on their website is more thought-out and thus more reflective of their 
corporate attitude toward the blind than their spontaneous utterances 
answering probing questions. I know I have said some things off-the-cuff 
that I might have said differently and better had I the time to consider my 
response. Remember that Fidelco had three months to synthesize our Bill of 
Rights and made a prepared statement in 2013 stating that blind people have 
no input in their policies because we do not pay for their services? Now we 
are told that policies are created not in the interest of the blind but in 
the interest of the donors and volunteers. Putting prepared statements and 
spontaneous utterances aside, Fidelco’s contract is very revealing, as 
Fidelco reserves the right to repossess the dog for any reason at Fidelco’s 
“sole and absolute discretion.”

Let me offer a purely hypothetical situation based upon what Fidelco says, 
their website portrays, and their contract allows. Let’s imagine a wealthy 
donor who wants to donate the $45,000 Fidelco claims it takes to train one 
guide dog so someone this donor knows can get a guide dog. Fidelco has no 
guide dogs ready to be place; however, there is someone who got a guide dog 
about a year ago but has never donated to the program. According to Fidelco’s 
agreement and based upon their donor-focused business model, Fidelco would 
have the right to repossess that dog without cause and without explanation 
at their sole and absolute discretion. Repossessing the dog from this blind 
person will facilitate a $45,000 donation. . Has this ever happened? I don’t 
know for sure. Could it happen? Absolutely, based upon the contract and the 
corporate attitude, I believe it could. And if it could, we need to change 
that.

Fidelco is not the only guide dog training program that feels they have the 
right to steal someone’s guide dog. I intentionally use the word “steal” 
because, according to the law and most guide dog training program contracts, 
we have some sort of ownership agreement, even if it is not the full and 
complete ownership offered by Freedom Guide dogs, Guide Dog Foundation, 
Guide Dogs of Texas, and The Seeing Eye. According to Florida law, “A person 
commits theft if he or she knowingly obtains or uses, or endeavors to obtain 
or to use, the property of another with intent to, either temporarily or 
permanently: (a) Deprive the other person of a right to the property or a 
benefit from the property or (b) Appropriate the property to his or her own 
use or to the use of any person not entitled to the use of the property.” 
(812.014 f.s.) I am not going to develop this argument in this message as I 
am writing an article for the Braille Monitor on this topic I hope will be 
published in the Fall.)

                Fidelco uses inspiring language such as “limitless 
 potential”, “Increased independence”, and improving the lives of the blind 
and those around them. But don’t worry, Fidelco assures us, our remarkable, 
independent, world changing blind clients will not have a voice in our 
corporation. Unless, of course, that blind person is a donor. Do you know 
fidelco is the only guide dog training program I know of with a means test. 
You must submit your financial records during the application process. Is 
this because Fidelco’s business model is that they will only give a guide 
dog to someone who might donate to them? What other strings come with the 
“gift” Fidelco says they give?

As members of the National Federation of the Blind, we believe the obstacles 
of low expectation are the barriers that stand between blind people and our 
dreams. No other guide dog program exemplifies the opposite position to our 
message than Fidelco for they believe they know what is best for us and will 
exercise that paternalistic behavior at their sole an absolute discretion!

Marion Gwizdala, President

National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU)

National Federation of the Blind

(813) 626-2789

President at NAGDU.ORG

Visit our website <http://nagdu.org/>

Follow us on Twitter <http://twitter.com/nagdu>

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the 
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise 
expectations because low expectations create barriers between blind  people 
and our dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is not what holds 
you back.

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