<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Georgia;
panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.footer-column
{mso-style-name:footer-column;}
span.footer-mobile-hidden
{mso-style-name:footer-mobile-hidden;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor="#E6E6E6" lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> nfb-indiana@googlegroups.com <nfb-indiana@googlegroups.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Ron Brown<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, December 27, 2020 9:59 PM<br><b>To:</b> nfb-indiana@googlegroups.com<br><b>Cc:</b> indiana-bep@googlegroups.com<br><b>Subject:</b> [nfb-indiana] FW: FROM NABM: CONGRESS APPROPRIATES $20 MILLION TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO BLIND ENTREPRENEURS<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> RSA Management Group <<a href="mailto:claudial@rsamanagementgroup.com">claudial@rsamanagementgroup.com</a>> <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 23, 2020 3:35 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:rb15@iquest.net">rb15@iquest.net</a><br><b>Subject:</b> FROM NABM: CONGRESS APPROPRIATES $20 MILLION TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO BLIND ENTREPRENEURS<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div id=preheader><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;mso-line-height-alt:.75pt'><span style='font-size:1.0pt'>You don't want to miss this. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;mso-line-height-alt:.75pt'><span style='font-size:1.0pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'><img border=0 width=100 height=100 style='width:1.0416in;height:1.0416in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:~WRD159.jpg" alt="Image removed by sender."></span><span style='font-size:1.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></td></tr><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:#E6E6E6;border-collapse:collapse;min-width: 100%'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=612 style='width:459.0pt;border-collapse:collapse;min-width: 100%'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:11.25pt 3.75pt 11.25pt 3.75pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td valign=top style='background:#869198;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:#869198;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td valign=top style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:7.5pt 0in 7.5pt 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'><img border=0 width=152 height=152 style='width:1.5833in;height:1.5833in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D6DC9B.7C4A6420" alt="Image removed by sender."></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse;min-width: 100%'><tr><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse;min-width: 100%'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:7.5pt 15.0pt 7.5pt 15.0pt'><div><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#EB4C39'>CONGRESS APPROPRIATES $20 MILLION TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO BLIND ENTREPRENEURS </span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#EB4C39'> </span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#EB4C39'>AN OPEN LETTER TO THE RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD COMMUNITY </span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'> </span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>Dear Randolph-Sheppard Stakeholder: </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#222222'></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>We were both excited and relieved when we learned last night that Congress had included our $20 million in the 2021 Appropriations Bill to provide much needed relief to our blind entrepreneurs. It was indeed an early Christmas present to our hard-working men and women, many of whom have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress heard our message and responded with what many thought was impossible – a direct appropriation for Randolph-Sheppard. </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#222222'></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>When the effects of the Coronavirus first became evident in March, the National Association of Blind Merchants, in concert with our parent organization the National Federation of the Blind, developed a multi-pronged strategy to help our blind entrepreneurs. A direct appropriation was the centerpiece of that effort. We knew it was an uphill climb and we ignored those who said it was impossible. It just goes to show again the power of the collective voices of our blind entrepreneurs and the influence of the National Federation of the Blind. </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#222222'></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>I cannot begin to thank or give credit to everyone who had a hand in this effort. It was a team effort with NABM working closely with the NFB’s Advocacy and Policy Office to get our message to members of Congress. Credit also goes to the hundreds of blind entrepreneurs who used the website we created to send letters to members of congress. A special note of appreciation to our blind entrepreneurs in Connecticut, New York, and California who leveraged relationships with members of Congress and/or staffers to help get us meetings and personally engaged in explaining to their members the situation in which we found ourselves. I don’t want to start mentioning individual names but you know who you are. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#222222'></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>At this point, many of you have questions. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of answers. This is what we do know. RSA will allocate the funds. What that process will be, we don’t know. Nor do we know how long it will take to make the money available. We do know that each state will receive approximately $11,000 per blind vendor as reported on the RSA-15. We also know that the intent is to provide financial relief to blind entrepreneurs. It will be up to the SLAs and the Committees of Blind Vendors to determine what makes sense for their respective states. We are urging the SLAs and Committees to work collaboratively toward that end. </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#222222'></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>This appropriation is a major victory but NABM realizes it will not come close to offsetting losses experienced by our blind entrepreneurs. But it is a start. Our pledge is to continue to advocate on behalf of blind entrepreneurs and the Randolph-Sheppard Program and to do our part to enhance opportunities for the blind. </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your families. I look forward to seeing you at our first informational training on January 7 at 3:00 EST.</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>Sincerely, </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>Nicky Gacos</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'>President </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222'> </span><i><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#EB4C39'>The National Association of Blind Merchants is a division of the National Federation of the Blind. The National Federation of the Blind 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></i><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#403F42'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:12.0pt 0in 12.0pt 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=580 style='width:435.0pt;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:3.0pt 0in 3.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span class=footer-column><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'>RSA Management Group</span></span><span class=footer-mobile-hidden><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'> | </span></span><span class=footer-column><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'>RSA PO Box 697</span></span><span class=footer-mobile-hidden><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'>, </span></span><span class=footer-column><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'>Greenlawn, NY 11740</span></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:7.5pt 0in 7.5pt 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:3.0pt 0in 3.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'><a href="https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001EVPrdU6AF5j9ISVwae1ItA%3D&ch=4e3d4ee6-6c3d-11e9-963d-d4ae528eab9a&ca=01d73f17-9231-4a6a-8f73-a5bcccfe5cc5"><span style='color:#5D5D5D'>Unsubscribe rb15@iquest.net</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:3.0pt 0in 3.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'><a href="https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001EVPrdU6AF5j9ISVwae1ItA%3D&ch=4e3d4ee6-6c3d-11e9-963d-d4ae528eab9a&ca=01d73f17-9231-4a6a-8f73-a5bcccfe5cc5"><span style='color:#5D5D5D'>Update Profile</span></a> | <a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/legal/service-provider?cc=about-service-provider"><span style='color:#5D5D5D'>About our service provider</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:3.0pt 0in 3.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'>Sent by <a href="mailto:claudial@rsamanagementgroup.com"><span style='color:#5D5D5D;text-decoration:none'>claudial@rsamanagementgroup.com</span></a> <span class=footer-column>powered by</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:3.0pt 0in 3.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF19_3GE"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=160 height=160 style='width:1.6666in;height:1.6666in' id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D6DC9B.7C4A6420" alt="Image removed by sender. Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today."></span></a><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:200%'><span style='font-size:7.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#5D5D5D'><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF19_3GE"><span style='color:#5D5D5D;text-decoration:none'>Try email marketing for free today!</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>-- <br>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NFB Of Indiana" group.<br>To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to <a href="mailto:nfb-indiana+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com">nfb-indiana+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com</a>.<br>To view this discussion on the web visit <a href="https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nfb-indiana/86ec01d6dcc5%2469774320%243c65c960%24%40iquest.net?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer">https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nfb-indiana/86ec01d6dcc5%2469774320%243c65c960%24%40iquest.net</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>