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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_MailEndCompose"><span style='color:#1F497D'>Hi Everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Conchita Hernandez has asked me to share information about the Braille Regional Challenge on February 9, 2019 at the Maryland School for the Blind. The registration form is attached. </span><span style='color:#1F497D'>Conchita </span>will be leading the BELL program for students who are new to braille. <span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Conchita has also asked me to share some resources that may be useful to families this holiday season.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The Winter Holiday season is a bright and joyful time for many. But for some families winter brings cold weather and questions about how, or if, they can afford their heating costs. Did you know that the Maryland Fuel Fund is available to help with this need? Requirements and the application can be found at </span><a href="https://fuelfundmaryland.org/"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>https://fuelfundmaryland.org/</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The holidays are also a time where many families gather for meals with extended family and friends. However, hunger and food insecurity effect many families and the Maryland Food Bank has an excellent tool to help locate your local partner food pantry. If you, or someone you care about, is in need of food just visit </span><a href="https://mdfoodbank.org/find-food/"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Maryland Foodbank</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> to find the location of a pantry near you!</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>