[Nfbn-announce] Give to Lincoln

[Amy Buresh]

With 2 ½ hours left, 14 donors, $1400 raised, our goal of $1500.00 is
attainable!

 

I want to sincerely thank those who have already contributed. We couldn’t
conduct the successful programs we do without your generous help and
support.

 

 The National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska is participating in Give
to Lincoln Day. This is an opportunity to help the NFBN with your donation
while giving us a shot at a portion of a $200,000 matching grant from the
Lincoln community foundation. 

 

 

 

Don’t wait! Go now to http://j.mp/g2lnfbn and help spread the truth about
blindness.

 

The Voice of Nebraska's Blind; empowering the blind by reducing blindness to
a characteristic, not a debilitating condition

Imagine a world where ninety percent of children were never taught to read,
where seventy percent of adults were unemployed, and where your children can
be taken away with no warning. If you are blind in America today, that world
is your reality. The National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska is
changing what it means to be blind by fighting for children’s' rights to be
literate and learn the only method of reading for the blind, Braille. We are
fighting for jobs by educating employers that the blind are capable and
hard-working employees. We are fighting to make sure that blind parents do
not lose their children because a social services agency believes the many
misconceptions about blind people's ability to raise their children safely.

As a state affiliate of the nation's oldest and largest consumer
organization of the Blind, the NFB of Nebraska advocates for Nebraska's
blind through its five local chapters, including one in Lincoln. The NFBN is
responsible for many activities throughout the state from advocating with
local school districts to get blind children taught Braille, to meeting with
legislators to promote changes in state laws to increase opportunities for
blind Nebraskans, to conducting seminars and conferences to educate, inform,
and empower blind adults, students, parents, and seniors.

This July, the NFB of Nebraska is one of ten states participating in a
national program to provide children ages 4-12 two weeks of intensive
instruction in Braille. The Braille Enrichment Literacy and Learning (BELL)
program will provide children an opportunity to be exposed to Braille, the
only true method of literacy for the blind. While this program is not taking
place in Lincoln, your donation can be used to help bring children to the
program every day where they will learn to read. While it may seem obvious
that all children should be taught to read, this is not always the case for
those who are blind. In this country today, ninety percent of blind children
do not receive instruction in Braille. When you consider that of the thirty
percent of blind adults who are employed ninety percent are Braille
literate, you can see the critical connection between literacy and
employment.

Supporting the NFB of Nebraska will also support our efforts to educate
parents of blind children and help them advocate for their child's needs.
Most parents of blind children don't know the truth about blindness; they do
not know that with proper training and education their children can live
full lives and contribute to society. The NFBN conducts seminars and other
events to connect parents with positive blind role models and help them
understand that what their children need is exposure to the alternative
skills of blindness.

The Student division of the NFBN also works directly with students of any
age to give them the skills they need to be successful in their educational
pursuits. Using workshops, seminars, one on one mentoring, social media, and
a variety of other methods to connect with students, this part of the
organization needs your support to continue outreach efforts and mentoring
programs to students at UNL and show them a positive philosophy about
blindness.

Thank you for considering the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska.
We recognize money is tight and you are carefully considering where your
donation can do the most good in the community. Your donation to the NFBN
will benefit blind citizens in Lincoln by allowing the NFBN to continue our
efforts, and show both the blind and sighted members of the community that
with the proper training and opportunity blindness can be reduced to a
physical characteristic and occasional nuisance, not a debilitating
condition.

 

Sincerest Thanks:

 

Amy Buresh, President, NFBN

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