<html>
<body>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><br>
The following comes via Anya Fuller, a federation member, ELL instructor
at BLIND Inc., and former participant in this program.<br>
<br>
Greenheart International, a nonprofit agency, works in the field of high
school foreign exchange and helps to administer the exceptional US State
Department sponsored FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange) scholarship for
exchange students from the former Soviet Union, as well as a few newer
country additions to the scholarship as well. The scholarship
brings students to the US to live with a volunteer host family, and
attend a local public school for an academic school year. The
scholarship actively invites people with disabilities to apply for this
life-changing experience, including students who are seeing
impaired. The goals of the program are to improve diplomatic
relations between these countries and the US, promote leadership
capabilities, and encourage the spirit of volunteerism. As a Local
Coordinator in the Twin Cities area, I actively introduce people to the
program, educate folks about the opportunity to host these exceptional
students, and provide monitoring support to the students while on
program. Each spring we receive applications from students with
disabilities and those without disabilities. We are currently
working to identify families who might be interested in hosting one of
our students, and would like to encourage folks to reach out to me to get
further information. I would like to encourage families with or
without disabilities to consider applying to be a volunteer host
family. We have also received applications in the past from
students who utilize a wheelchair, so if there are families who might
have a handicapped accessible home, I would especially be interested in
talking with you. Most students do not have need for a handicapped
accessible home, but sometimes this occurs. Volunteer host families
provide a room (may be shared), meals, and a caring environment for their
student. The student attends the local public high school, performs
volunteer service while on program, and receives a stipend to cover their
personal expenses. There are some additional funds available to
assist the students with disabilities for things such as assistive
technology, or large print text books for example. For more
information, please contact Mary Armstrong at 952-657-3406 / email:
<a href="mailto:armstrong.mary@mac.com">armstrong.mary@mac.com</a> /
website: <a href="http://www.greenheart.org">www.greenheart.org</a> <br>
<br>
We always have a nice group of students in the greater Minneapolis-St.
Paul area, and we get together for group orientations and enhancement
activities. I have been working with these students almost 20 years
both in the capacity of a Local Coordinator as well as a volunteer host
family. I’d love an opportunity to introduce you to some of our
successful current students as well as alumni in the area!<br>
<br>
I’d love a chance to come up again to visit and present the program to
folks who might not know about it. I’m often in Minneapolis as my
son, who is seeing impaired, resides there.<br>
<br>
Best regards,<br>
<br>
Mary Armstrong<br>
Local Coordinator<br>
Greenheart International<br>
5158 167th Street W<br>
Lakeville, MN 55044<br>
TEL 952-657-3406</blockquote></body>
</html>