[Iabs-talk] National Federation of the Blind and Wal-Mart Foundation Partner to Promote Braille Literacy

[Freeh, Jessica]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org



National Federation of the Blind and Wal-Mart Foundation
Partner to Promote Braille Literacy





Wal-Mart Foundation to Sponsor Web Site
  for Exchange of Braille Reading Materials



Baltimore, Maryland (February 2, 2009): The National Federation of 
the Blind, the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the 
United States and the country's leading advocate for Braille 
literacy, and the Wal-Mart Foundation are partnering to bring Braille 
reading materials to those who need them.  The Wal-Mart Foundation is 
sponsoring NFB ShareBraille, a Web site to facilitate the exchange of 
Braille books through a community-run library.   NFB ShareBraille 
will help connect those who want Braille with those who want to give 
Braille away, thus increasing the life of Braille materials.  The Web 
site is located at <http://www.nfbsharebraille.org/>www.nfbsharebraille.org.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
said: "There are many contributing factors to the decline in Braille 
literacy among the nation's blind children and adults, but access to 
Braille reading materials is one such factor.  That is why the 
National Federation of the Blind has launched NFB ShareBraille to 
help students, professionals, and avid readers find the Braille 
materials they need for enlightenment, productivity, and success.  We 
deeply appreciate the Wal-Mart Foundation sponsoring this important effort."



Crosby Cromwell, manager of disability markets for Wal-Mart Stores, 
Inc., said: "Literacy is critically important to a fulfilling and 
productive life, and this is no less true for the blind than it is 
for anyone else.  That is why we are proud to work with the National 
Federation of the Blind to increase the availability of Braille books 
and to support literacy for all blind Americans."



NFB ShareBraille is part of the NFB's Braille Readers are Leaders 
campaign, a national initiative to promote the importance of reading 
and writing Braille for blind children and adults.  One of the 
campaign goals is to make Braille resources more available through 
online sharing of materials, enhanced production methods, and 
improved distribution. NFB ShareBraille is designed to help in 
meeting this goal by encouraging blind people to trade Braille books 
and build their <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = 
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />personal 
libraries.  Frequently, Braille materials in good condition are 
discarded because a new home for the materials cannot be found. NFB 
ShareBraille now offers a way for a community to close that gap and 
keep Braille reading materials circulating.



The Braille Readers are Leaders campaign kicked off in July of 2008 
with the unveiling of the design of a commemorative coin to be minted 
in 2009 in recognition of the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth 
of Louis Braille.  The coin, which will feature the word "Braille" 
written in tactile Braille, will be released on March 26, 2009.  The 
Wal-Mart Foundation plans to support other aspects of the Braille 
Readers are Leaders campaign in addition to sponsoring NFB 
ShareBraille.  For more information about the campaign, please visit 
<http://www.braille.org/>www.braille.org.



###







About the National Federation of the Blind



With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind 
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind 
people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives 
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs 
encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading 
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's 
blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the 
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in 
the United States for the blind led by the blind.