[nfbmi-talk] If you Had 20 million Dollars, What Would You Do To help blind People Get a Job?

[Fred wurtzel]

Hi,

So Tonya, you told me all the problems, the question is if you had $20
million and 100 people to work for you, what would you do to make things
better?

Warm Regards,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Tonya Smith
Sent: None
To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] If you Had 20 million Dollars, What Would You Do
To help blind People Get a Job?

Hi Fred, this is Tanya.  You know actually I've been in a situation where, I
have been, well, and I guess that I had a rehab counselor, actually it was a
job coach.  She told me that not many companies will hire blind people and I
say "Why?"  and she said because they don't know how to deal with them.  And
they don't want them to become a safety hazard or having to watch out for
them and most work places are not laid out in a way where the blind person
could easily get around successfully.  You know, because I used to work in
two jobs and it was pretty easy for me to get around, but she said well
that's because your mom helped you and she used to work at one of those
places in Bangor, Michigan and so she was a big help to me, but I guess the
job coach is right that most places are not geared towards blindness and how
to deal and the lay out and the patience for that matter.

Tonya Smith sent you this voice-to-text generated email using Voice on the
Go.
To listen, click on the voice message link or open the attachment.
http://vemail2.whitelabelapp.net:8080/enterprise/Recordings/eAqGFIVQ-2011022
7-1714.wav


> Original Message:
> ---------------------------------
> 
> From: Fred Wurtzel <f.wurtzel at att.net>
> Sent: February 27, 2011 4:47:13 PM
> To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List' <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] If you Had 20 million Dollars, What Would You Do To
help blind People Get a Job?
> 
> hello,
> 
>  
> 
> There is a MCB meeting com9ing up march 18.  What would happen if we 
> all showed up and gave our ideas of ways to spend $20 million, the 
> Commission Budget, to help blind people go to work.  If you live in 
> Detroit or kalamazoo, or Traverse City or Allpena or Ishpeming, what 
> would you do?  if you had 100 people on your staff what would you have 
> them do?  Where would you send them.  What would you have them say to
blind people?
> 
>  
> 
> Just think of it.  $20 million dollars.  To me, that is a lot of 
> money.  100 people or so, that is a large staff.  The possibilities 
> seem very bigg.  If those 100 people called 1 employer a week and 
> asked if they were willing to hire a blind person, how many job 
> openings could we find?  If we created a competition to create an 
> accessible way to use Facebook with a chas prize and publicity how much
would that help blind people find work?
> 
>  
> 
> If we turned counselors into mentors what difference would that make.  
> What would happen if we had brainstorming groups meet around the state 
> to think up ideas of ways to make their communities more accessible 
> what woudld happen to those communities?  What if the Commission 
> actually collaborated with consumer groups to solve problems slowing 
> down blind people from getting good jobs?
> 
>  
> 
> I encourage you to put march 18 on your calendars and go to lansing to 
> the ottawa building at pine and ottawa to use your public comment to 
> let the Coommission how you think $20 million dollars could help blind 
> people in Michigan.  This is a lot of money, despite the constant 
> complaining that
> MCB- is broke.  it is not broke, it has 20 million dollars generously 
> appropriated by congres and the Michigan legislature to help blind 
> people go to work.  We can make a difference.
> 
>  
> 
> Warmest Regards,
> 
>  
> 
> Fred
> 
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