<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"><base></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><base class=""><div class="Apple-Mail-URLShareUserContentTopClass"><br class=""></div><div class="Apple-Mail-URLShareWrapperClass" style="position: relative !important;"><blockquote type="cite" style="border-left-style: none; color: inherit; padding: inherit; margin: inherit;" class=""><div class=""><div class="original-url"><a href="http://nfbcommunityservice.org/about" class="">http://nfbcommunityservice.org/about</a><br class=""><br class=""></div><div id="article" role="article" style="-webkit-locale: en; border-bottom-width: 0px;" class="">
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<div class="page"><h1 class="title">Who We Are</h1><p class="">The National Federation Of The Blind Community Service Division is a Proud Division of the <a target="_blank" href="http://nfb.org/" class="">National Federation of the Blind</a> (NFB), the oldest, largest, and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States.</p>
<h2 class="">Our Purpose</h2><p class="">The purpose of the Division is to promote jointly the positive philosophy of the NFB and the benefits of community service by educating the blind about how to become involved in service, educating the sighted about the true abilities of the blind via involvement in service, and encouraging such involvement for all blind people, including members, chapters, and affiliates of the NFB. We acknowledge the positive effects of community service and service learning with our assertion that service is not only a path to employment and a way to educate, but also a way to learn about oneself and the issues faced in one’s community and country.</p>
<h2 class="">What We Do</h2><p class="">We work to promote and encourage community service and service learning for all blind people and at the local, state, and national levels of the NFB and to advance the goal of full integration for the blind on the basis of equality. We coordinate service projects that develop confidence in blindness and the alternative techniques that the blind use, create workshops and trainings that develop competent leaders, serve as a resource for the blind and sighted alike about the service field with an emphasis on how the blind can contribute, and promote a positive philosophy of blindness through action and service.</p>
<h2 class="">What We Believe</h2><div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div id="safari-reader-element-marker" style="position: relative; top: 79%;" class=""></div>Through these means, we aim to change the perception that the blind are passive recipients of service rather than active providers of service. In order to do this, we must challenge ourselves and others to rethink what service-related activities the blind can do with the proper basic training and understanding of the given service project and the proper non-visual techniques. We believe that taking on projects that allow us to look beyond blindness is instructive both for ourselves and the community. The group thrives with the collective efforts of all who believe in service, the NFB, and the power that comes with collective action and the belief that we can address our country’s most pressing problems alongside our sighted friends, family, and neighbors. Ultimately, we wish to participate in service not as blind people, but as citizens of our communities with the ability and desire to give back.<div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>
<h2 class="">Who Can Get Involved</h2><p class="">Our membership consists of people at all levels of service, from those who have a wealth of service experience, to those who serve from time to time, to those who are interested in serving but may feel nervous or uncertain about getting involved in projects or may not know how to get involved. We strive to meet everyone where they are in their service experience and to serve as a network and support system for those who have a common interest in serving their communities. We also actively seek and welcome partnerships and collaborations with agencies, organizations, and individuals who share our philosophy and our belief in the ability of the blind to participate in community service.</p>
<h2 class="">How to Get Involved</h2><p class="">We hold periodic conference calls during which we present a topic for discussion or have a guest speaker talk about his or her community service experiences. We also have a <a href="http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog" class="">blog</a> that is updated with summaries of conference calls and personal stories about the service work of our members. Finally, we operate a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/community-service_nfbnet.org" class="">listserv</a> where members can connect, share stories, ask questions, and post articles and announcements about service-related topics of interest. If you are interested in joining the group or you have any questions, please <a href="/contact" class="">contact us</a> or visit our <a href="/leadership" class="">leadership page.</a></p></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""><br class=""><div apple-content-edited="true" class="">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">Darian Smith</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">President, National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">Web: <a href="http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org" class="">www.nfbcommunityservice.org</a></div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">Twitter: @NFBCSDivision,@goldengateace</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">Facebook: search for “National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division"</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(71, 135, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="text-decoration: underline;" class="">E-mail: <a href="mailto:president@nfbcommunityservice.org" class="">president@nfbcommunityservice.org</a></span></div><p style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""> </p><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">(415)215-9809</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 14px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">blindness is not what holds you back.</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""> “We need your service, right now, at this moment - our moment - in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history” — Barack Obama </div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""> Help drive change for the blind .</div><div style="margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">Donate your car to the National Federation of the Blind today!</div><div style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(87, 86, 214); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(87, 86, 214); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">For more information, please visit: <a href="http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org/" class=""><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(71, 135, 255);" class="">www.carshelpingtheblind.org</span></a> or call 1-855-659-9314</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Times; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class="">“</div></div>
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