[Iabs-talk] Fw: [leadership] Press Release: Dollar General's New Point of Sale Equipment Praised by Blind Community

[Connie Davis]

Colleagues, please assist us in getting the folloing press release
distributed to your various state media sources, especially in those
areas
where there are Dollar General stores.  

Ron M. (Chair, PR Committee)

*****

For Immediate Release

Dollar General's New Point of Sale Equipment Praised by Blind Community 

Tactile Devices will protect financial privacy  
Goodlettsville, TN [December 10, 2008]: Dollar General, one of the
nation's
largest discount retailers, today announced that it has begun installing
new point of sale equipment that will protect the privacy of Dollar
General
shoppers with visual impairments.  The new devices have tactile keys
arranged like a standard telephone keypad.  They will allow Dollar
General
shoppers who have difficulty reading information on a touchscreen to
privately and independently enter their PIN and other confidential
information.

Dollar General has installed the first tactile devices at several stores
in
Texas.  The new equipment will be installed in all of Dollar General's
8,300 stores in the United States in less than eighteen months. 

Today's announcement is the result of collaboration between Dollar
General
and the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and the American Foundation
for
the Blind (AFB).  Melanie Brunson, Executive Director of the
Washington,
D.C. based ACB, praised Dollar General's actions:  "Dollar General has
recognized that customers with visual impairments should not be asked to
disclose their PIN and other confidential information when purchasing
products and services.  We applaud Dollar General's announcement and
recognize the company's leadership in acknowledging the needs of blind
shoppers." 

Lela Behee, a blind Dollar General shopper from Texas, was excited about
the company's announcement:  "I really enjoy shopping at Dollar General,
and now feel confident that I can enter my PIN myself, even though I
cannot
see the touchscreen.  I wish more retailers would follow Dollar
General's
example."

Dollar General operates discount stores in 35 states.
"Making our stores and services accessible strengthens our mission to
serve
others," said Kathleen Guion, division president of store operations and
store development. "This is another step in meeting our customers' needs
and helping set a higher standard of customer service."

About Dollar General

Dollar General is a leading discount retailer with more than 8,300
neighborhood stores. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time, Save
money(R)
by offering national branded items that are frequently used and
replenished
such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic
apparel, house wares and seasonal items at everyday low prices in
convenient neighborhood stores. Dollar General is among the largest
retailers of top-quality products made by America's most trusted
manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, PepsiCo,
Unilever,
Kellogg's, General Mills, Nabisco and Fruit of the Loom.

About American Council of the Blind (ACB) 

American Council of the Blind is a national consumer-based advocacy
organization working on behalf of blind and visually impaired Americans
throughout the country with members organized through seventy state and
special interest affiliates. ACB is dedicated to improving the quality
of
life, equality of opportunity and independence of all people who have
visual impairments. Its members and affiliated organizations have a long
history of commitment to the advancement of policies and programs which
will enhance independence for people who are blind and visually
impaired.
More information about ACB can be found by visiting www.acb.org.

About American Foundation for the Blind

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that
expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities
include
broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information
and
tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and
promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by
providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources.
AFB
is also proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and honor the over
forty
years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB. For more information
visit www.afb.org.
.



CONTACTS:

For Dollar General

Tawn Earnest
615-855-5209
tearnest at dollargeneral.com

For the ACB, CCB and AFB 

American Foundation for the Blind
Caitlin McFeely, Communications Specialist
cmcfeely at afb.net
212-502-7674

American Council of the Blind
Melanie Brunson, Executive Director
Tel. (202) 467.5081


# # # # 

Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, Professor of Marketing, Western Kentucky
University

        **Chair, ACB Public Relations Committee
**Chair, ACB Monthly Monetary Support Program (MMS) Committee
    


-- 
Join the Monthly Monetary Support program (MMS) and help improve
tomorrow
today in ACB.
For details, contact Dr. Ron Milliman, MMS Program Committee Chair, by
e-mail:
rmilliman at insightbb.com or by phone at 270-782-9325 and get started
making
tomorrow look brighter today in ACB!

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