[nfbmi-talk] list of current nac accredited agencies fyi

Mon Nov 24 17:45:44 UTC 2014

Terry, I am humbled by your kind words and recognition here.  I have just written to the Pennsylvania affiliate to inquire about when so many agencies in that state became accredited by NAC.  I do not recall there being so many when I was there, but I am getting older…LOL 

At any rate, just as an FYI, Pennsylvania has a kind of parent agency called the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, or P.A.B.  Every agency listed there excepting one, is actually a “member agency” of the PAB, which is now directed by one Elaine Welch.  Elaine is the wife of the late Richard Welch, a NAC fan since way back.  So it is no surprise that she presides over a system that is infested by this incidious threat to the well-being of people who are blind & visually impaired.  
Kind Regards to all, 
Christine

> On Nov 24, 2014, at 10:41 AM, Terry D. Eagle via nfbmi-talk <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> AMEN!  Fred, I share your sentiments.  I too briefly had a fleeting
> Christ-like moment about an attempt to seek appointment to NAC, then the
> refresher information posted by Terri and Joe brought me back to reality and
> my senses.  I vaguely recall my early adult NFB years where we NAC-tracked,
> to remove the barriers to quality service and independence for we the blind,
> in addition to having a seat, and more importantly, a meaningful voice in
> what and how quality services leading to independence and self-choice and
> self-sufficiency
> Are brought about and maintained in any given state.
> 
> In part, I was jerked to reality by the simple fact that we are still,
> nearly 50 years down the road, are still fighting for such values as minimum
> wage for persons working in NAC and non-NAC sheltered workshops, among other
> values such as a meaningful voice at the table of government.  Talk about
> walking in the desert for 40 years!
> 
> For ne, to attempt to join the NAC board would be equivalent to  me seeking
> appointment to the impotent BS4BP Advisory Commission.  And yes, I wrote
> i-m-p-o-t-e-n-t, not important BS4BP advisory commission.  Talk about
> tokenism as stated and experienced by Dr. Jernigan!
> 
> Given the list of NAC accredited agencies serving the blind persons, it is
> no wonder that one of our beloved members and public servants, a former MCB
> and BS4BP administrator, had such a rocky road as an administrator in
> Pennsylvania, in addition to The challenges and barriers placed in the path
> by MCB, BS4BP, and LARA administrators, to frustrate and block achievement
> of quality rehabilitation services for we the blind of Michigan, through the
> well qualified and competent leadership in vocational rehabilitation and the
> law, of our beloved member Christine Boone. 
> 
> In summary, given the current state of vocational rehabilitation services to
> blind citizens of Michigan, in addition to barriers erected by the practices
> and policies of the state, to achieve a level field to equal employment
> opportunities, and something as basic as the dignity and respect for
> individuals to be paid minimum or livable wage, I ask the question:  Need we
> roam the barren vocational rehabilitation and equal employment desert for
> another half century and beyond, to achieve equality, opportunity, security
> and independence as blind persons, in the greatest  nation founded and
> blessed with opportunity for all to achieve our values and dreams?
> 
> The answer, as I view it, presumes that the work and leadership of the NFB
> over the past 75 years has not been without a vision and map, and road well
> traveled  to get where we desire to arrive.  my question only points out
> that the road to our destination outlined above is very long, with potholes
> that temporary slow our progress, is peppered with thieves whose desire is
> to rob us of our dreams, and possess many unseen curves, twist and turns,
> and detours along the way, however, given a clear destination, a flexible
> schedule and map (GPS for some), we can overcome the rough road,
> distractions, barriers, and unforeseen storms, to arrive at our desired
> destination, perhaps a bit dusty, weary, and perhaps a bit or a lot tired,
> but overjoyed and rejoicing that we have arrived at our desired destination;
> a more seasoned and better prepared traveler for the future road to a
> desired destination, because of the challenges and barriers placed in our
> path.
> 
> Finally, we must not forget or reject that there exists several paths or
> roads to travel and arrive at the same desired destination.  To appreciate
> and respect the avenue by which any one of us choose to travel to arrive at
> a mutually desired destination is key to all of us exercising our freedom of
> choice to utilize our personal resources of skills, talents, and treasure to
> travel our personal path to arrive at our mutually desired destination.  My
> point is there is not a single or correct path to a desired destination
> within our NFB affiliate
> 
> .  
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Fred
> Wurtzel via nfbmi-talk
> Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2014 1:44 PM
> To: 'joe harcz Comcast'; 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] list of current nac accredited agencies fyi
> 
> Hi Joe,
> 
> Thanks for this list.  I feel sorry for blind people in Pennsylvania and
> Florida.  Check out some of these names.  Names like Sight Center or Vision
> Rehabilitation or Center for Sight Enhancement.  It is clear why we object
> to NAC.  They don't have much respect for blind people, since they want to
> rehabilitate our non-existent vision.  
> 
> I am pleased that we only have 1 in Michigan, though, I would rather we had
> none, like a vast majority of states.  There must be  a state law in
> Pennsylvania and Florida  or something which compels so many places to be
> NAC accredited.
> 
> I applaud Lydia's optimism.  I think we have a snowball's chance in August
> of being accepted, but it would be interesting to know what would happen.  
> 
> This is a great thread.  Thank you Lydia.  Also thank you to Terri for
> posting some background information about our thinking about NAC.  As a
> person who has NAC Tracked in Illinois, Georgia, Washington, DC and some
> places I forget, I am not sure I could bring myself to consider giving them
> any credibility by applying.  I must admit I feel conflicted about this
> attitude from my Christian point of view, since I need to be forgiving and
> know that God loves everyone.  Just shows that I am still a sinner, I guess.
> 
> Warmest Regards,
> 
> Fred 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joe
> harcz Comcast via nfbmi-talk
> Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2014 9:55 AM
> To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] list of current nac accredited agencies fyi
> 
> Accredited Agencies
> 
> 
> 
> Alphapointe Association for the Blind
> 
> 7501 Prospect Avenue
> 
> Kansas City, MO  64132-2103
> 
> www.alphapointe.org
> 
> 
> 
> Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
> 
> 456 Cherry Street SE
> 
> Grand Rapids, MI  49503
> 
> www.abvimichigan.org
> 
> 
> 
> Beaver County Association for the Blind
> 
> 616 Fourth Street
> 
> Beaver Falls, PA  15010
> 
> www.bcblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Vision Resource Center of Berks County
> 
> 2020 Hampden Boulevard
> 
> Reading, PA  19604
> 
> www.berksblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Blair/Clearfield Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
> 
> 300 Fifth Avenue
> 
> Altoona, PA  16602
> 
> www.bcabvi.org
> 
> 
> 
> Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh
> 
> 1800 West Street
> 
> Homestead, PA  15120
> 
> www.bvrspittsburgh.org
> 
> 
> 
> The Blind Association of Butler & Armstrong Counties
> 
> 322 N. Cedar Street
> 
> Butler, PA  16001
> 
> www.butlercountyfortheblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Bucks County Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired
> 
> 400 Freedom Drive
> 
> Newtown, PA  18940
> 
> www.bucksblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Cambria County Association for the Blind & Handicapped
> 
> 211 Central Avenue
> 
> Johnstown, PA  15902
> 
> www.ccabh.com
> 
> 
> 
> Center for the Visually Impaired, Inc.
> 
> 1187 Dunn Avenue
> 
> Daytona Beach, FL  32114-2403
> 
> www.cvicentralflorida.org
> 
> 
> 
> The Center for the Visually Impaired
> 
> 739 West Peachtree Street NW
> 
> Atlanta, GA  30308-1137
> 
> www.cviga.org
> 
> 
> 
> Center for Vision Loss of Lehigh, Northhampton and Monroe Counties
> 
> 845 West Wyoming Street
> 
> Allentown, PA  18103
> 
> www.centerforvisionloss.org
> 
> 
> 
> Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired (CBVI)
> 
> 100 West 15th Street
> 
> Chester, PA  19013
> 
> www.cbvi.net
> 
> 
> 
> Central Susquehanna Sight Services, Inc.
> 
> 348 Market Street
> 
> Sunbury, PA  17801
> 
> www.cssight.org
> 
> 
> 
> Centre for Sight Enhancement/Low Vision Services
> 
> School of Optometry & Vision Science
> 
> University of Waterloo
> 
> 200 University Ave. W.
> 
> Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
> 
> https://uwaterloo.ca/sight-enhancement/
> 
> 
> 
> The Chicago Lighthouse
> 
> 1850 West Roosevelt Road
> 
> Chicago, IL  60608-1298
> 
> www.chicagolighthouse.org
> 
> 
> 
> Children's Center for the Visually Impaired
> 
> 3101 Main Street
> 
> Kansas City, MO  64111-1921
> 
> www.ccvi.org
> 
> 
> 
> Cincinatti Association for the Blind
> 
> 2045 Gilbert Avenue
> 
> Cincinatti, OH  45202-1490
> 
> www.cincyblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Community Services for Sight
> 
> 109 West Broad Street
> 
> 2nd Floor
> 
> Hazleton, PA  18201
> 
> www.communityservicesforsight.org
> 
> 
> 
> Ensight Skills Center
> 
> 3307 South College Avenue, Suite 108
> 
> Fort Collins, Colorado  80525
> 
> www.ensightskills.org
> 
> 
> 
> Fayette County Association for the Blind
> 
> 48 Bierer Lane
> 
> Uniontown, PA  15401-5516
> 
> 
> 
> Florida Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
> 
> 7634 South West 60th Avenue
> 
> Ocala, FL  34476
> 
> www.flblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Florida Lions Conklin Centers for the Blind
> 
> 405 White Street
> 
> Daytona Beach, FL  32114
> 
> www.conklincenter.org
> 
> 
> 
> Florida School for the Deaf and Blind
> 
> 207 N. San Marco Avenue
> 
> St. Augustine, FL  32084-2799
> 
> www.fsdb.k12.fl.us
> 
> 
> 
> Florida Outreach Center for the Blind
> 
> 2315 South Congress Avenue
> 
> Palm Springs, FL  33406
> 
> www.flblindcenter.org
> 
> 
> 
> Greater Wilkes-Barre Association for the Blind
> 
> 1825 Wyoming Avenue
> 
> Exeter, PA  18643
> 
> www.wilkesbarreblind.com
> 
> 
> 
> Independence for the Blind of West Florida, Inc.
> 
> 3107 North Davis Highway
> 
> Pensacola, FL  32503
> 
> www.ibwest.org
> 
> 
> 
> Independence with Low Vision, ElderCare of Alachua County
> 
> 5701 N.W. 34th Street
> 
> Gainesville, FL  32653
> 
> www.eldercare.ufandshands.org
> 
> 
> 
> Independent Living for Adult Blind
> 
> 101 West State Street, Room A-2140
> 
> Jacksonville, FL  32202
> 
> 
> 
> The Iris Network
> 
> 189 Park Avenue
> 
> Portland, Maine  04102
> 
> www.theiris.org
> 
> 
> 
> Keystone Blind Association (KBA)
> 
> 1230 Stambaugh Avenue
> 
> Sharon, PA  16146
> 
> www.keystoneblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lackawanna Pennsylvania Association for the Blind
> 
> 228 Adams Avenue
> 
> Scranton, PA  18503
> 
> www.lackawannablind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse Central Florida, Inc.
> 
> 215 East New Hampshire Street
> 
> Orlando, FL  32804
> 
> www.lighthousecentralflorida.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse for the Blind of the Palm Beaches
> 
> 1710 Tiffany Drive East
> 
> West Palm Beach, FL  33407
> 
> www.lighthousepalmbeaches.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind
> 
> 8610 Galen Wilson Boulevard
> 
> Port Richey, FL  34668
> 
> www.lvib.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse of Broward County
> 
> 650 North Andrews Avenue
> 
> Fort Lauderdale, FL  33311
> 
> www.lhob.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse of Collier, Inc.
> 
> 2685 Horseshoe Drive S
> 
> Naples, FL  34104
> 
> www.lighthouseofcollier.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse of Pinellas, Inc.
> 
> 6925 112th Circle North, Suite 103
> 
> Largo, FL  33773
> 
> www.lhpfl.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse of the Big Bend Guiding People Through Vision Loss
> 
> 3071 highland Oaks Terrace
> 
> Tallahassee, FL  32301
> 
> www.lighthousebigbend.org
> 
> 
> 
> Looking aHead
> 
> 21700 Cedar Road
> 
> Beachwood, OH  44122-1156
> 
> www.menorahpark.org
> 
> 
> 
> Lighthouse of Manasota
> 
> 7318 North Tamiami Trail
> 
> Sarasota, FL  34243
> 
> www.lighthouseofmanasota.org
> 
> 
> 
> The Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
> 
> 601 SW 8th Avenue
> 
> Maimi, FL  33130
> 
> www.miamilighthouse.org
> 
> 
> 
> Montana School for the Deaf and Blind
> 
> 3911 Central Avenue
> 
> Great Falls, MT  59405
> 
> www.msdb.mt.gov
> 
> 
> 
> Montgomery County Association for the Blind, Inc.
> 
> 212 N. Main Street
> 
> North Wales, PA  19454-3117
> 
> www.mcab.org
> 
> 
> 
> New Hampshire Association for the Blind
> 
> McGreal Sight Center
> 
> 25 Walker Street
> 
> Concord, N.H.  03301
> 
> www.sightcenter.org
> 
> 
> 
> New Vision for Independence
> 
> 9501 US Hwy 441
> 
> Leesburg, FL  34788
> 
> www.newvisionfl.org
> 
> 
> 
> NuVisions Center
> 
> 658 Valley St.
> 
> Lewistown, PA  17044
> 
> www.nu-visions.net
> 
> 
> 
> North Dakota Vision Services, School for the Blind
> 
> 500 Stanford Road
> 
> Grand Forks, ND  58203-2799
> 
> www.ndvisionservices.com
> 
> 
> 
> Pennsylvania Association for the Blind
> 
> 555 Gettysburg Pike, Suite A300
> 
> Mechanicsburg, PA  17055-5202
> 
> www.pablind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Rehabilitation Support Services, Inc.
> 
> P.O. Box 1492
> 
> Akron, OH  44309
> 
> www.rrs-inc.org
> 
> 
> 
> Sight Center of Northwest PA
> 
> 2545 West 26th Street
> 
> Erie, PA  16506
> 
> www.sightcenterwpa.org
> 
> 
> 
> The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio
> 
> 1002 Garden Lake Parkway
> 
> Toledo, OH  43614
> 
> www.sightcentertoledo.org
> 
> 
> 
> South Central Blind Association
> 
> 202 South Julianna Street
> 
> Bedford, PA 15522
> 
> 
> 
> Southeast Ohio Sight Center, Inc.
> 
> 358 Lincoln Avenue
> 
> Lancaster, OH  43130
> 
> www.orgsites.com/oh/seohiosightcenter
> 
> 
> 
> Spectrios Institute for Low Vision at Deicke House
> 
> 219 E. Cole Avenue
> 
> Wheaton, IL  60187
> 
> www.spectrios.org
> 
> 
> 
> Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind
> 
> 1106 West Platt Street
> 
> Tampa, FL  33606
> 
> www.tampalighthouse.org
> 
> 
> 
> Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
> 
> 742 Harrison Boulevard
> 
> Ogden, UT  84404
> 
> www.usdb.org
> 
> 
> 
> Venango County Association for the Blind
> 
> 3035 Rt. 257
> 
> P.O. Box 515
> 
> Seneca, PA  16346
> 
> www.venangoblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania
> 
> 1130 South 19th Street
> 
> Harrisburg, PA  17104-2912
> 
> www.vrocp.org
> 
> 
> 
> Vision Rehabilitation Services of Georgia
> 
> 3830 South Cobb Drive, Suite 125
> 
> Smyrna, GA  30080
> 
> www.blvsgeorgia.org
> 
> 
> 
> Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida
> 
> 35 West Mariana Avenue
> 
> North Fort Myers, FL  33903
> 
> www.lighthouseswfl.org
> 
> 
> 
> Washington-Greene county Blind Association
> 
> 566 East Maiden Street
> 
> Washington, PA  15301
> 
> www.wgcba.org
> 
> 
> 
> World Services for the Blind
> 
> 2811 Fair Park Blvd.
> 
> Little Rock, AR 72204
> 
> www.wsblind.org
> 
> 
> 
> Copyright C 2014
> 
> National Accreditation Council
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