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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults <outreach@actionfund.org> <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 16, 2026 1:05 PM<br><b>To:</b> Jacob Struiksma <jacobstruiksma@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Sharing Information and Opportunities with the Blind Community<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:#018033;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img width=600 height=28 style='width:6.25in;height:.2916in' id="_x0000_i1030" src="https://actionfund.org/sites/default/files/Emails/aff-email-header-top-bar-dark-green.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:10.0pt 10.0pt 10.0pt 10.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=588&qid=42118"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=432 height=153 style='width:4.5in;height:1.5972in' id="_x0000_i1029" src="https://actionfund.org/sites/default/files/Emails/aaf-logo-email-header.jpg" alt="The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults logo"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt;border-color:initial'><h1><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Catch Up with the American Action Fund</span><o:p></o:p></h1><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults (Action Fund) advances the fundamental importance of independence, Braille literacy, tactile fluency, and equality for the blind. Here’s a quick update on the work we are doing together.</span><o:p></o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>2027 Braille Pocket Calendars Available</span><o:p></o:p></h2><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Now is the time to plan for the next year! As we have done every year since 1964, the Amer­ican Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults has produced its free Braille pocket calendar for 2027. These calendars are a useful tool that allow blind people to keep information at their fingertips. One long-time user shared:</span><o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>“<em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>It is so grounding and affirming to be able to look things up independently, read without having to find assistance, and complete tasks quickly. Using your Braille calendars gives me that sense of self-reliance and confidence managing my calendar use. Thank you for caring</span></em>.”</span><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>A teacher shared: “<em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>This is my first year as a teacher of blind students, and the calendars will be a fantastic resource for my younger students for learning the calendar and also for my older students who need to keep track of assignments</span></em>.”</span><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>If you or someone you know can use a Braille calendar, <a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=589&qid=42118">submit your request</a> or call the Action Fund at 410-659-9315. Anyone can order up to three Braille pocket calendars for the year.</span><o:p></o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Creating Opportunities to Explore Nonvisual Art</span><o:p></o:p></h2><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>This summer, over thirty people came together in Baltimore, Maryland, for a Tactile Teach-in where they explored various forms of nonvisual art including drawing, sculpting, origami, and more. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Art is often misunderstood to be strictly visual, which means that blind people are not given opportunities to explore, practice, and develop their own passions for art and design. </span><o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>One participant shared, “<em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Discovering the Sensational Black Board was the highlight for me. I was most inspired by being in a creative space that was made for me, rather than a creative space that I had to adapt to. I've always gravitated to artistic environments and considered myself an artist, and it felt like I finally found my people</span></em>.” </span><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Learn more about the <a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=590&qid=42118">Action Fund’s Tactile Art Programs</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Thank You</span><o:p></o:p></h2><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>The Action Fund could not do this work without your continued support. Thank you for bringing the joy of reading to blind kids, sharing invaluable information, and promoting independence. To learn more about how you can help, <a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=591&qid=42118" target="_blank">visit Ways to Give</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr style='height:6.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:white'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:0%'><span style='font-size:1.0pt;color:white'> </span><span style='font-size:1.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='border:solid #1B5633 1.0pt;background:#1B5633;padding:3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt'></td></tr><tr><td style='border:solid #1B5633 1.0pt;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='background:#1B5633;padding:9.0pt 11.25pt 9.0pt 11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:white'>Follow us on </span></strong><span style='color:white'><a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=592&qid=42118"><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=34 height=35 style='width:.3541in;height:.368in' id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://actionfund.org/sites/default/files/Emails/aaf-facebook-logo.png" alt="Facebook Logo"></span></b></a><a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=593&qid=42118"><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=28 height=29 style='width:.2916in;height:.3055in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://actionfund.org/sites/default/files/Emails/X-logo-white.png" alt="X Logo"></span></b></a></span><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:white'><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults</span></strong><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=594&qid=42118"><span style='color:white;text-decoration:none'>actionfund.org </span></a>| 410-659-9315 </span></strong><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=409&qid=42118&h=cllyhvgn1syrft8o"><span style='color:white;text-decoration:none'>Unsubscribe </span></a>| <a href="https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=409&qid=42118&h=cllyhvgn1syrft8o"><span style='color:white;text-decoration:none'>Opt Out </span></a></span></strong></span></b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:white'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr><tr style='height:6.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:0%'><span class=street-address><span style='font-size:1.0pt;color:white'>1800 Johnson Street</span></span><span style='font-size:1.0pt;color:white'><br><span class=locality>Baltimore</span><span class=adr>, </span><span class=region>MD</span><span class=adr> </span><span class=postal-code>21230</span><br><span class=country-name>United States</span><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAJEAAP///wAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAkAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAgEAAEEBAA7" width="1" height="1" alt="Web Bug from https://actionfund.org/civicrm/mailing/open?qid=42118" /></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAJEAAP///wAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAkAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAgEAAEEBAA7" width="1" height="1" alt="Web Bug from https://u32452178.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/open?upn=u001.6wCe0roIIS11TcscLfzgDjcjapIb-2FrMoXobHxIX5KkVXnKP-2F6OF6lCmSVh8Bur4Y2oSV4HWRHMTlkn6Kj7BKpZLQtA-2Fx-2BU1L6RGaUy1UxXTxMYJin8-2Boi7EeYjDI7zUHFtY-2BafBsNyFsZGW-2FmQLoYKDJn6MSt3gtUJVNJMOtRdiw8Pun2WeT-2FwVOv0U2SP2dcUmXzdSRQC1ljSDhX1ajDlzecvwUBRteiutuCB-2FQPA8-3D" /></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>