[Massachusetts-NFB] MAPBC: Meeting minutes for April

[Hai Nguyen Ly]

Good morning Federation friends and Happy Friday!
Please find attached the meeting minutes from the MAPBC for April. I’ve also pasted it below for reference. 

***
MAPBC Meeting Minutes – April 10, 2025
Massachusetts Association of Parents of Blind Children (MAPBC)
Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Virtual Meeting

Minutes submitted by Hai Nguyen Ly (Vice President)



1. Members in attendance included:

Hai Nguyen Ly 
Youme Nguyen Ly 
Stephanie Barrera  Valdes
Ellen Bartelt
Kobena Bonney
John Wetzel (A sighted parent with a blind child)


2. Call to Order and NFB Pledge  

Stephanie called the meeting to order at 6:05 PM and led attendees in the NFB pledge.



3. The March meeting minutes were mentioned and unanimously approved.



4. Welcome and Introduction of New attendee

We all wen around and introduced ourselves and  welcomed John, the parent of an 8-year-old child who is blind. Youme offered ongoing support and encouraged connections outside monthly meetings.



Discussion Items:


4. Secretary/Treasurer Role and Election  

The division discussed the need to fill the Secretary/Treasurer position. Ellen expressed interest in serving. Stephanie will circulate a call for additional interested candidates via the NFBMA Listserv. Elections for the position or positions will take place at the May 8 meeting.



5. Treasurer's Report and Fundraising

Stephanie reported that $421.50 was raised for the BELL Academy during The recent popcorn fundraiser. The store sold a total of $543 from which $271.50 will be donated to the NFB BELL Academy of Massachusetts. In addition, we received a total of. $150 in direct donations to the NFB BELL Academy of Massachusetts. Stephanie will contact Liz for the latest treasury balance for mAPBC. Everyone agreed on the importance of creating a standardized process for keeping track of division funds. A follow-up meeting will be scheduled with the new treasurer to go over procedures after elections.



6. Mentorship Program Initiative  

Stephanie proposed a mentorship program pairing blind adults with blind youth, similar to Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Hai raised concerns around logistics and background checks, recommending that a process be documented for the affiliate and perspective parents who might be interested in such a program. Stephanie and Ellen mentioned leveraging NFB’s background check program being used for BELL to help wit this. Kobena suggested a structured orientation for mentors and parents that could be attended virtually. Ellen shared insights from Illinois where in-person mentoring was more effective as part of their Freedom Link program. Hai and Stephanie agreed to draft a program outline to flesh out the idea in more detail. Hai will explore documentation from the NFB of Illinois and contact Debbie Stein about the Freedom Link program.



7. Disabled Parents Rights Bill  

The Bill to Protect Disabled Parents' Rights is being reintroduced at the state level. Stephanie will reach out to Kathryn Gatuslao <mailto:kgatuslao at mhlac.org> to confirm whether anything has changed in the bill to determine whether we can recommend affiliate support. She will also share any new information with the board and involve Kira, the affiliate legislative  lead, for next steps.



9. Bell Academy Updates

The 2025 Bell Academy will be held in Waltham at a center with indoor and outdoor facilities. Precious will serve as the lead instructor. This year, a $75 program fee will be introduced as recommended by NFB national due to budget constraints. Students who complete the full program will receive a free cane, slate, and other materials. We all discussed the feasibility of expanding the BELL program into New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut. Stephanie will contact local NFB leaders in those states to gauge interest in partnering.



10. Additional Fundraising Opportunities  

John recommended connecting with local disability commissions, Lions Clubs, and municipal grants for additional fundraising. The group agreed to explore grant funding and emphasized the importance of leveraging personal connections. Stephanie will initiate an email thread with John and Hai to brainstorm ideas.



Next Steps and Action items:



Review NFB of Illinois documentation (Freedom Link): Hai  
Contact Debbie Stein for program details: Hai  
Draft outline for mentorship initiative: Hai and Stephanie  
Confirm status with Kathryn Gatuslao <mailto:kgatuslao at mhlac.org>
 on Bill to Protect Disabled Parents' Rights: Stephanie  

Share bill updates with Board: Stephanie  
Loop in Kira (legislative lead): Stephanie  
Email affiliate Listserv to recruit Secretary/Treasurer candidates for mAPBC: Stephanie  
Retrieve current treasury balance from Liz: Stephanie  
Schedule session with new Treasurer to explain donation tracking: Hai or Stephanie  
Coordinate fundraising email thread: Stephanie  
Contact NFB leaders in neighboring states (Bell expansion): Stephanie


11. Adjournment  

The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:15 PM.  

Next Meeting: Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM


Respectfully submitted,
Hai Nguyễn Ly, Vice President, MAPBC
hnguyenly at gmail.com <mailto:hnguyenly at gmail.com>

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