[NFBA-Phoenix] Fwd: Fw: [Arizona-News] Next immediate call to action: SB 1130

[Sharonda Goode]

This is from Kimberly about the email refered earlier with all the members
of the Appropriations committee members.

Hello everyone,



This is an immediate call to action regarding SB 1130 adding one-million
dollars  ($1,000,000) to the DES independent living program budget.



We first want to thank all of you who attended, testified, sent emails/
calls and who supported in any way in the previous Health and Human
Services committee hearing.





Tuesday, February 4th,  at 2:00 PM This bill will now be read and voted on
in the Senate Appropriations committee. This is the next step on the
journey to becoming law and added into our Older Blind budget for services
for our Blind Seniors.





WE need your help.



Please send an email or leave a call with each of the members of this
committee listed below. You will find a sample email or message for your
convenience.

*Name*

*District*

*Party*

*Email*

*Phone*

Lauren Kuby

8

D

lkuby at azleg.gov

(602) 926-4124

Lela Alston -- Minority Caucus Chair

5

D

lalston at azleg.gov

(602) 926-5829

Denise “Mitzi” Epstein

12

D

mepstein at azleg.gov

(602) 926-4870

John Kavanagh Chair

3

R

jkavanagh at azleg.gov

(602) 926-5170

David C. Farnsworth Vice Chair

10

R

dfarnsworth at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3387

Mark Finchem

1

R

mfinchem at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3631

Carine Werner

4

R

cwerner at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3673

Venden "Vince" Leach

17

R

vleach at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3694

Brian Fernandez

23

D

bfernandez at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3098

Hildy Angius

30

R

hangius at azleg.gov

(602) 926-5051



A sample letter or phone message is below. We need as many letters and
voicemails as we can get by 9:00 AM tomorrow.







*Dear Senator ---,*



Currently there are 78,000 older individuals living in Arizona living with
age related Vision loss. This number will double by 2030. The DES
Independent living program is the only place to receive rehabilitation
services to learn how to live independently with blindness. Bline Arizonans
are waiting over one year to receive services causing them to resort to
moving out of their homes into assisted living facilities, nursing homes,
and to rely on in-home health services when learning the skills of
blindness will allow them to live out the goals, they set for themselves as
retired citizens. The ILB program has not received a funding increase since
2008. This additional funding would allow them to hire more instructors and
offer more services through contracted providers so that older blind
Arizonans can receive the training they need to live successfully and
independently.



Then you may write a small paragraph describing either the benefits you
received from blind training, the difficulties you have faced waiting for
services, or the benefits you have observed from quality blindness training.



End your email or call with Please support SB1130 so older blind Arizonans
can have the opportunity to live the lives they want.









We thank you for your continued support to help get training for blind
seniors.











Amy Porterfield, She/Her



President,

Saavi Services for the blind

520-795-1331 EXT 321

aporterfield at saavi.us

www.saavi.us



Expect More,

Achieve More,

Become more
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