[NFBNJ] NFB President’s Notebook - week of 12/04/2017

Tue Dec 5 02:50:57 UTC 2017

Greetings to all!
I have forwarded President Riccobono’s notebook for December 4, 2017.
Please read and share.

We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President 
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey 
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
        Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking 
www.carshelpingtheblind.org 
or call 855 659 9314

**

Subject: NFB President’s Notebook - week of 12/04/2017

President’s Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org
(410) 659-9314

Dear Fellow Federationists,

The spirit of the holidays is being felt at our national headquarters. During the past week our staff decorated for the season, making the place look spectacular—as always. Last Thursday we held a dinner for our partners and supporters that included hot cider, making the fourth floor smell just like the best of your family holiday dinners. Before our supporter’s dinner, I and other Federation leaders spent time with some of our key partners discussing what we might do together in 2018. Those meetings were taking place as the earthquake centered in Delaware rolled through the building. Some of you have asked if we were impacted. The fact that some in the building felt the quake and others were surprised that it happened is an indication that the quake was only a minor event in Baltimore. During our dinner Thursday night we showed our thank you video, which can be found at this page. This is a great link for you to share with those in your local affiliate who have contributed to the work of our organization this year.

On Friday and Saturday, the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind met to review our progress and make plans for the next year. This jam-packed meeting included the Federation Thanksgiving—a gathering where our leaders and our staff come together to share food and fellowship. On Friday, over two hundred letters were shipped out as part of our partnership with Santa Claus to provide Braille letters from the jolly old fella. This is only the first shipment of letters—there is still a little time to get requests in. This partnership might be the reason that the guy in the red suit left some packages for our young participants in the Federation Thanksgiving. 

The year is not yet over. We have a lot of work to do before the holidays come. This includes some advocacy in Washington, DC. Please continue to keep up on the notes that are coming to you and help to amplify our calls for action. Those affiliate presidents who registered to come to the retreat on January 27-28 in Baltimore will receive a survey in the next twenty-four hours. Please complete this survey before the week is over. If you do not receive the link, it means that we did not receive notice that you are coming. 

Critical Actions This Week:
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Upcoming Action:
The Senate passed their version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act early Saturday morning. The bill will go to conference committee today, and we will be distributing the list of conference committee members later today or tomorrow. The Senate version maintains the additional standard deduction for the blind and the House version does not. The difference means that this will be one of the items that needs to be resolved in conference. The National Federation of the Blind remains concerned about the possibility that the bill could trigger “PAYGO” rules that could result in dramatic cuts to vocational rehabilitation and IDEA funding. Read our press release from last week to learn more about this item. We will need to flood the conference committee with our messaging so keep a lookout for our next legislative alert.

News:
December Presidential Release: 
Presidential Release #467 is now available. You can find it, and all the Presidential Releases, on this page of the NFB website. President Riccobono records the release each month to share Federation news with local chapters. Please remind chapter leaders to share it at chapter meetings.

Donor Appreciation Video:
We have released a new video to share with our supporters to thank them for their generosity and let them know what their contributions have helped us accomplish in 2017. The video is now on our home page and also on YouTube. Please share it with donors in your state and local area.  

Website Maintenance:
The National Federation of the Blind website will be down for maintenance starting the evening of Wednesday, December 6, and is expected to be back online by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 7.

Updated NFB Connect App:
If you haven’t already, visit the iTunes App Store and download the updated NFB Connect app. Among other performance improvements and enhancements, you will now receive notifications when new content is posted to the Voice of the Nation’s Blind Blog and be able to access our Twitter feed right from the app. You can download the improved NFB Connect app by copying and pasting this link into Safari on your iOS device: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nfb-connect/id968434124?mt=8. Also, please give us feedback about the app so that we can continue to make improvements and add new features.

DYDIC Screenings:
Thank you to the twenty-one affiliates who have screened the film Do You Dream in Color in their communities during Meet the Blind Month and beyond. This film is a powerful way to amplify our messages about the ability of blind people to live the lives we want, and the importance of equal educational access and opportunities for blind students. During October and the early part of November, screenings took place in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. The reports we have received indicate that many positive discussions with students, parents, educators, community leaders, and the general public have been sparked by this film. In addition, we have heard that blind people have been inspired to pursue their own dreams that push the boundaries of traditional expectations. To learn more about the film, visit www.doyoudreamincolor.com.

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