[IABS-Talk] President Riccobono's notebook for the week of May 5

Thu May 5 14:14:48 UTC 2022

Critical Information

Joseph J. Ruffalo, Jr.

July 6, 1949 - May 3, 2022

Visitation: Saturday, May 07; 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Service: Saturday, May 07; 4:00 p.m.

O'Boyle Funeral Home
309 Broad Street
Bloomfield, NJ 07003

For those who are unable to attend, you are invited to join the Zoom
livestream

 <https://zoom.us/j/6477660103?pwd=MUl1dnZQU1JxMkhUemdCSHZUM21HUT09>
https://zoom.us/j/6477660103?pwd=MUl1dnZQU1JxMkhUemdCSHZUM21HUT09

One tap mobile:

+16468769923,,6477660103#,,,,*460994# US (New York)

+13017158592,,6477660103#,,,,*460994# US (Washington DC)

Meeting ID: 647 766 0103

Passcode: 460994

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made by check, PayPal, or debit/credit
card to Joe's favorite organization, the National Federation of the Blind of
New Jersey (NFBNJ). To donate by check please make payable to NFBNJ, write
Ruffalo in the memo and mail to:

NFBNJ

7 Mayfair Road

Southampton, NJ 08088

To donate by PayPal or debit/credit card use secure link:

News:

Honor Roll Call:

Convention time is when affiliates and national divisions make contributions
to our four sustaining funds: Kenneth Jernigan Fund, SUN Shares, White Cane
Fund, and Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Fund. To make your 2022 contributions,
please send a check payable to National Federation of the Blind. 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  <mailto:rollcall at nfb.org> rollcall at nfb.org detailing the amount to
go to each fund and the name of the organization so that we record the
contributions correctly. If your organization is making a pledge to be paid
later this year, please send an email to  <mailto:rollcall at nfb.org>
rollcall at nfb.org telling us how much is being pledged for each fund and when
we can expect the check. All pledges should be fulfilled by August 31.

Important Upcoming Dates Regarding #NFB22:

National convention is two months away. Here are some attendee reminders for
upcoming deadlines:

*         Last day of registration is May 31.

*         Submissions for resolutions in final form are due to the committee
chair by June 6. Details in the May Braille Monitor.

*         Convention career fair registration is opening May 10 and will
close June 21. 

Learn more at  <https://nfb.org/convention> https://nfb.org/convention. 

"We're With U!" Global Benefit Concert for Ukraine Update:

Congratulations to the global blind community for making a huge difference
to support the blind of Ukraine. The "We're With U!" concert was April 16
and had over one hundred blind performers. With the active participation of
the National Federation of the Blind, World Blind Union, and Mushroom FM we
raised over $100,000. The concert is available on demand at
<https://mushroomfm.com/> MushroomFM.com or you can find it at
<https://nfb.org/blindwithu> https://nfb.org/blindwithu.

May Braille Monitor Available:

The latest issue of the National Federation of the Blind flagship
publication is now available. Read about the 2022 Jacobus tenBroek Law
Symposium, the Blind Driver Challenge, the quest for an accessible COVID-19
test, and stories from members.
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm22/bm2205/bm2205tc.htm> Access
the Braille Monitor now.

Upcoming Event: Reprise of the Workplace/Employment:

Learn about the technologies blind and low-vision professionals use in the
workplace on a daily basis. Join us on May 31, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
eastern.  <https://nfb.org/form/accessibility-boutique-reg> Register for the
May accessibility boutique.

Give $20 Convention Drawing Now Open:

The Give $20 Campaign is a way for individuals to support the three major
funds of the National Federation of the Blind and the Jacobus tenBroek
Memorial Fund and potentially win the grand prize. Individual donors are
eligible for the drawing; donations from affiliates, affiliate divisions,
and national divisions, and local chapters are not eligible for the Give $20
Campaign. This drawing will support:

*	White Cane Fund
*	KJ Fund (Kenneth Jernigan Fund)
*	SUN Fund
*	tenBroek Fund

And that is not all. Thanks to a generous donation from HumanWare, each
dollar donated will by matched up to $50,000!
<https://nfb.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=45> Donate online on
the dedicated Give $20 contribution Form or call 410-659-9314, extension
2430; please be sure to indicate that it is a Give $20 contribution and
which fund you select. You can select multiple funds.  

Social Security Administration Kiosks:

The NFB continues to monitor the Social Security Administration's (SSA)
implementation of our 2020 settlement agreement regarding
visitor-intake-processing kiosks. With SSA field offices recently reopening,
we are gathering information about the accessibility of SSA's current
visitor-intake-processing methods. If you have visited an SSA field office
since their reopening in April 2022, please contact Valerie Yingling at
410-659-9314, extension 2440, or  <mailto:vyingling at nfb.org>
vyingling at nfb.org to share your experience. We are specifically gathering
information on whether the field offices are using kiosk, web-based, or
human check-in processes, and whether these processes are accessible to
blind individuals. 

At-Home COVID-19 Test Template Letter:

The NFB has created a sample letter members can use or modify when
advocating at the state level for distribution of accessible, at-home
COVID-19 tests. The template letter is available at
<https://nfb.org/resources/covid-19-resources/covid-19-home-test-information
>
https://nfb.org/resources/covid-19-resources/covid-19-home-test-information.
Please coordinate with your affiliate and chapter president if you intend to
send a letter to your local government officials.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

*	May 31:  <https://nfb.org/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=479>
Convention registration closes
*	June 6: Resolutions are due to the committee chair
*	June 21: Convention career fair registration closes
*	July 5-10: 2022  <https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention>
National Convention, New Orleans

Marilyn Green, President

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

312-343-8396

 <mailto:president at nfbofillinois.org> president at nfbofillinois.org

 <http://www.nfbofillinois.org> www.nfbofillinois.org

Live the life you want!

The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois is a community of members
and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every
day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.