<div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large">Greetings all,</span><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">To help stay connected with our National Office and with
the work of our organization I am sharing some of President Riccobono's weekly
notebook, National Items of Interest and Dates to Keep in Mind.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Warmly,<br>
Linda Melendez, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>
732-421-7063<br>
Email: <a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">president@nfbnj.org</a><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></span></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a name="m_-1202888392920775610_m_5476829241592569098_m_-1604470786915778690_m_-3918590843127836222_OLE_LINK9" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">President’s
Notebook</a><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br>
Mark A. Riccobono<br>
410-659-9314<br>
<a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Dear
Federation Family,<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">As the crisp air of fall moves in and snow begins to touch
certain parts of our country, I am feeling the familiar sense of the fall
Federation convention season. I will be visiting some in-person conventions in
the coming weeks and hope to drop in on some virtual gatherings. In contrast to
the cooler weather, our advocacy work at the federal level is heating up.
Please continue to keep the local members engaged and pushing on our
priorities. I am optimistic that our efforts will put us over the line with ATAA
in the coming weeks.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large">Thank you to Denise Valkema and Ron Brown who have recently
transitioned out of their affiliate presidencies and are now supporting our
newest presidents. We appreciate your service and your modeling of the
effective continuation of the chain of leadership at the local level.</span><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Friday is White Cane Awareness Day! Thank you for your work to
build equality and opportunity for the blind every day. Let’s celebrate
independence and freedom because of our collective work in the organized blind
movement. Take a walk, demonstrate the Federation spirit in action, and use the
hashtag #BlindMonth when you share it on social media.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">News:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Double Your Dollars: Matching Gift Opportunity:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">A generous supporter of the National Federation of the Blind has
pledged to match the first $50,000 in contributions made during Blind Equality
Achievement Month. Double your dollars and help turn dreams into reality with
employment and beyond. Thank you for helping us continue our important work to
raise expectations.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Three ways to give:</font></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> </span>Online at <a href="https://nfb.org/donate" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">nfb.org/donate</a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> </span></font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Mail a check to National Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells
Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> </span></font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Contribute by phone using a credit card by calling 410-659-9314,
extension 2282</font></li></ul><p></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Where the Blind Work Webinar:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">In celebration of Blind Equality Achievement Month, this
upcoming webinar is a panel discussion with blind and low-vision professionals.
On Thursday, October 14, at 8:00 p.m., eastern, hear about what a typical day
looks like, discover elements that prepare for career success, learn about
alternative techniques and strategies used to do these jobs, as well as how to
advocate for accommodations on the job. <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23101&qid=" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">Register
for the webinar today</a>.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Share the Free White Cane Program:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/blind-equality-achievement-month/white-cane-awareness-day" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">October
15 is White Cane Awareness Day</a>. Each year the National Federation of the
Blind distributes free white canes across the county. Any blind individual in
the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico can request a cane
for their personal use. Requests can be made as often as every six months.
Celebrate October 15 and share the <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/free-white-cane-program" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">Free
White Cane Program</a>.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">AbilityOne NPRM:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">On October 7, the AbilityOne Commission held a virtual public
meeting. At that meeting they discussed a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
that would be published in the Federal Register on October 12. The NPRM was
published and is twenty-seven pages long and is entitled “<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/10/12/2021-22118/prohibition-on-the-payment-of-subminimum-wages-under-14c-certificates-as-a-qualification-for" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">Prohibition
on the Payment of Subminimum Wages Under 14(c) Certificates as a Qualification
for Participation as a Nonprofit Agency Under the Javits Wagner O'Day Program</a>.”
As the title indicates, the proposed rule phases out subminimum wages on all
AbilityOne contracts. We are working on our comments and hope to officially
submit them and then publish them on our website within the next two weeks. We
will then have additional information about how we can all bolster those
comments.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Scholarship Program Update: Applications Opening December 1:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" dir="auto"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The National Federation of the Blind's annual scholarship
program is the largest of its kind in the nation. Every year, we award
thousands of dollars to blind scholars across the country. Save the date: the
2022 scholarship program application will open December 1, 2021. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="https://nfb.org/scholarships" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">https://nfb.org/scholarships</a><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">New Group: NFB in the Kitchen:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Welcome to our newest National Federation of the Blind group,
NFB in the Kitchen, chaired by chef Regina Mitchell. This group is intended to
serve as a resource for blind individuals with any level of cooking experience,
as well as to serve as an advocacy resource within the Federation to advance
the accessibility of online cooking resources and important home
appliances. <a name="m_-1202888392920775610_m_5476829241592569098_m_-1604470786915778690_m_-4121480323544713009__Hlk84926135" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The listserv is
coming soon</a>. <a href="https://nfb.org/about-us/divisions-committees-and-groups/groups" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">Learn more about all of our Federation groups</a>.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Blind Equality Achievement Month Twitter Chat, October 21:<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Join the National Federation of the Blind on Twitter to discuss
employment and Blind Equality Achievement Month on October 21 at 1:30 p.m.,
eastern. A Twitter chat is a scheduled, organized, topical conversation on
Twitter centralized around a specific hashtag. For this chat, we will be using
#BlindMonth. The questions will be shared in advance. <a href="https://nfb.org/get-involved/twitter-chats" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">Learn more
about Twitter to prepare for the chat</a>.<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></p>
<h1><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Dates to Keep in Mind: (all times eastern)<span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></font></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt"></p><ul><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">October 14: <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/blind-month/2021_where_the_blind_work_webinar" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">Where the Blind Works Webinar</a>, 8:00 p.m.</font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">October 15: <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/blind-month/2021_where_the_blind_work_webinar" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">White Cane Awareness Day</a></font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">October 21: Blind Equality Achievement Month Twitter Chat, 1:30
p.m.</font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">November 1: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.</font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">November 18: NFB Training Centers Meeting, 8:00 p.m.</font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">December 1: <a href="https://nfb.org/scholarships" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif" target="_blank">NFB Scholarship Program</a> applications open</font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">December 2: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.</font></li><li><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">July 5-10, 2022: National Convention, New Orleans</font></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br></span></font><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"></span></span></font></div><div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"></font></div></div></div></div></div>
</div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br></span></font><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span></span>Warmly, <br>Linda Melendez, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>732-421-7063<br></span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">Email: </span><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">president@nfbnj.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"></span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br><i>Website: </i></span><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">www.nfbnj.org</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Facebook: </i><a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Twitter: </i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">@NFBNewJersey</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>YouTube: </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">NFBNJTransformDreams</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Live the life you want.<br></i><br style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1">The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Everyday we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</font></i></span></font><br></div><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1"><br></font></i></span></font></div><div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font color="#888888"></font></div></div>