<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:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" 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=us-ascii"><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:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@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;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:944921122;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-357412104 67698699 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0D8;
mso-level-tab-stop:.25in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.25in;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></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 lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Dear Federation Members and Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>As we complete 58 years of service to blind persons in Maryland, I am asking for your support of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland with a special holiday tax-deductible donation. We accomplished a great deal this year. To continue our work in the coming year, we urgently need your support. In 2024 we:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Worked with members of the Maryland General Assembly to enact legislation to expand access to textbooks and instructional materials for blind and low vision k-12 students, ensuring that blind and low vision students receive their instructional materials on time and in the formats they need.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Worked with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy to promulgate regulations to ensure that pharmacies make labels on prescription medications accessible using alternate formats to standard print so that blind and low vision patients can safely and independently dispense their own medications.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Awarded scholarships to blind college students and offered paid internships to those seeking work experience early in their careers.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Provided people with diabetes and vision loss with information managing the complications of their disease.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Helped blind seniors and those who lost vision recently to live independently with blindness training.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>This summer, we served 30 Maryland children through the 17th Braille Enrichment Literacy and Learning Academy for blind children ages 4 to 12 who have limited vision at three different locations throughout Maryland. Learning to read and write Braille is vital for these children because any limited vision they may have is likely to deteriorate as they mature into adulthood. We engaged in significant advocacy casework for parents, students, seniors, employees, and those who recently lost vision in order to ensure equal access to Maryland programs and services. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>We advocated on behalf of dozens of blind and low vision students related to special education. We helped many blind and low vision employees navigate the job search process and advocated in several disability discrimination cases. We provided training and mentorship for those who work in the blindness field and for families, friends, and companies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Much more remains to be done. Your donations enable us to do more field work to locate blind persons who need help and encouragement so they can live the lives they want. Please make checks payable to NFBMD and mail them to the address below. You may donate by check, or <span style='color:black'>via Zelle using </span></span><a href="mailto:President@nfbmd.org"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>President@nfbmd.org</span></a><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> </span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>, or via credit card or PayPal by visiting https://nfbmd.org/donate.<span style='color:black'> I</span>f you already donated this year, we thank you again for your generous support. Please remember, donations are welcome any time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><img border=0 width=185 height=37 style='width:1.9236in;height:.3819in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DB433F.C4A54E10"></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Ronza Othman, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>1800 Johnson Street<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Suite N1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Baltimore, MD 21230<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</span><o:p></o:p></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>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>