[NFBC-SFV] Minutes of the April 2020 meeting

Mon May 4 06:17:22 UTC 2020

Greetings.

Below is our minutes for the April 2020 meeting. We would like to thank
Racquel Decipeda for doing the recordings for the conference calls. 

 If you have any additions and/or correction, please let me know.

Otherwise, hope to hear you at our Chapter conference call this Saturday,
May 9. 

Keep safe. Be healthy and stay home.

Best.

Sheila Marie B.C.

Cell: 818-404-7646 

Chapter Secretary 

April, 2020 Chapter Meeting

The National Federation of the Blind of California 

San Fernando Valley Chapter 

The meeting was  called to order at 10:04 a.m.  Began with the Pledge of
Allegiance, the NFB Pledge and the 1 minute message. 

Question for the day: Mention One thing that you've been doing to keep
yourself occupied during this time of "stay at  home".   

In attendance: 26 attendees.

1 guest and 25 members.  

Nancy and John Albarran, Julian Vargas, Jaymee Castillo, Betsy Estrada,
Rochelle Yohai, Sharon Watson, Joe O'toole, Racquel Decipeda, Keith Cabala,
Anthony Melena, Jane Suh, Juanita Herrera - Vice President, Malik -
Treasurer, Ron Hilliard - Member-At-Large, David and Valerie Delawder,
Tiffany Johnson-guest  , Candace Luther, Portia Mason, Karen Elo, Joy
Stigile, Lynne Nishihara, Lindsay Kerr, Sheila Biglang-awa - Secretary and
Robert Stigile - President. 

Announcements: 

Julian has been working on a page out of his website that is dedicated to
keeping a running list of useful resources to deal with covid19/coronavirus
for blind and low vision  people.  It has important items such as NFB page,
ACB page and other agencies. He also put links directly to Social Security
and IRS to deal with the economic impact payments because a lot of people
have questions.  He also added the information that Lynne had sent out on
the list serve about the emergency / critical deliveries of the County's
offering with it's brief synopsis, phone number as well as the fact sheet
that you can download.  He also added webinars of Humanware and HIMMS, a
link of Freedom Scientific.  They are temporary giving a software  making it
available to be used for learning at home and working at home.  It has even
information about food delivery, groceries and entertainment where you can
get information on program with audio description that are available on TV,
DVD or Internet.  To see all these, go to his website at www.techjv.
<http://www.techjv.%20%20com>  com and look for the link that says
covid19/coronavirus resources.  If anyone have things that you think that
should be in the site that might be useful, you can find a link on that page
that links to his email address and you can send him the information so he
can post the updates on his site.  He will keep this going for the duration
of the restrictions due to the Corona virus.

Joe shared an ap information called OTTER.  It's a recorder and it also
translates text from the recordings.  For those who may be using Zoom, you
can actually link your Otter account to any Zoom meetings.  They give you
600 hours free a month.  Then you have to pay after consuming the free 600
hours recording time.

Joy announced that the Braille Institute Library budget for the 2020-2021
fiscal year has drastically been cut by the State of California.  She will
be sending out an email to our Chapter's list serve  about how you can help
either by sending an email to a website that will let Governor  Gavin Newsom
know you are actively using the library and it will really hinder your
future or by text.  If you all will take a minute or so to read through the
email about the budget cuts  that I am going to send to you that will be
appreciated. 

Robert talked about the Critical Delivery Service Program.  It is a service
where senior citizens and people with disability can use for groceries,
household items and other necessities. Lynne actually posted it on our list
serve.  You can only order or do scheduling of groceries between 8 and 5
p.m.  from Monday to Friday. The delivery is 24/7.

His next announcement is about the NFB of California list serve, as well as
the National membership list and that he would encourage all to sign up for
the list.  Things have been changing on a daily basis and they are posting
the information immediately.  To sign up for either list, go to nfbnet.org
and select list serv.  You can actually sign up for any list serve.  Robert
will help you to walk you through with the process. 

His next announcement is that a member of the Bakersfield   Chapter is
making mask. Each is between $6 or $7.        

 If you are interested, you can send an email to the Chapter President
Veronica Martinez.  Put your information in and how many mask you need. Her
email is  <mailto:veronica38martinez at gmail.com>
veronica38martinez at gmail.com.

The next thing that Robert announced if you are interested to hangout in our
Chapters fun phone line on  Friday evenings at 7 p.m.  We just hang-out
since we can't get together and talk, ask questions /or answer anything
about guide dogs and etc. So, look out for a reminder in the list serve. 

Lastly, Robert knows a person in the NFB, Brian Miller who has been in ICU
suffering from the covid19 and has been on a ventilator. His vital  signs
have been getting better but, please keep him and his family in your
thoughts and prayers.

Joe inserted that while reading from the NFB's Newsline for the blind, the
New York Times in the business section has an article  on Google and Apple
developing a tracking system for the  corona virus.  So, if anybody
subscribes the Newsline for the blind under the business financial section,
there's a number of different articles about covid19. 

Committee  Report

Secretary Report.

Nancy corrected the word list, it was typed as list.

Malik made a motion to approve the March minutes as corrected, seconded by
Julian and the motion carries. 

Treasury Report 

Malik does not have an update for the report.  He will be sending it out
later.

Robert remembered that there was a $32 from Candace for See's candy.  So,
the current balance$6,472.  And change.

Robert would like to let everyone know that the National Center, our NFB
Headquarters is closed at this time.  But, they are still shipping the
straight white canes if you order on-line and its free of charge.  If you
need someone to get a hold of, you can call the National Center and get
their extension and leave a voice mail.  But its best to send an email
because they get the email much quicker and will be able to respond back to
you by email.

The NFB is actively working in the process with our Congressional members to
make the voting for the November elections this year accessible.  

Robert mentioned about the stimulus check is coming. If you file taxes
either in 2018 or 2019, this will allow for you to receive it.

He also discussed the NFB Newsline.  There are breaking news aps or papers
that you can put it on your favorites.  For the next few months, they are
making it available in every State.  If you are not a subscriber to the NFB
Newsline you can join by calling 866-504-7300 or you can go online to the
NFB website which is nfb.org.

He asked everyone to remember especially around this time that the NFB needs
assistance monetarily to keep programs going.  If you have the resources,
you can sign up for the PAC plan (Pre-Authorize Contribution Program) and
give a donation.  They need money to continue the programs that they are
doing. 

Lastly, there will not be a National Convention this year, it will be a
virtual convention most likely on the Zoom platform.  If you have reserved
the hotel room, the hotels will be contacting those who paid their first
night deposit.  The hotels will be contacting you to verify the amount and
will find the best way to refund you. 

If you pre-registered already for National Convention and paid the Banquet
fee of $70 with the registration fee of $25, you will be contacted by the
National Office to discuss a refund.  They will definitely be refunding the
Banquet fee but there has been some discussion that they may not be
refunding all of the registration fee.  However, if you have not registered
for convention yet, please do so.  They do ask people to register even
though the registration is free.  The reason why you need to register, so
that they can plan the appropriate platform of Zoom.  If you need some help
in registering, Robert is willing to assist you with the registration.  

At the end, Julian made a motion to have Tiffany back as a member,
Seconded by Malik.  Juanita made a motion to vote Anthony back in as a
member, seconded by Malik.

Robert ended the meeting by saying to be safe, be  healthy and  stay home.

Julian made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Ron seconded it. 

Meeting was adjourn at 11:26 a.m.  

Recorded by: Racquel

Respectfully submitted by, 

Sheila Marie B.C.

Cell: 818-404-7646

Chapter Secretary and 

Chair of Fundraising Committee 

San Fernando Valley Chapter

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