<html class="apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir="ltr">Bobbi A. L. Pompey<div>(336) 988-6375</div><div>bobbipompey@gmail.com</div><div><br></div><div>"Not everything faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced" James Baldwin </div></div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> "Shannon Dillon via groups.io" <shannonldillon=gmail.com@groups.io><br><b>Date:</b> June 9, 2026 at 10:39:13\u202fAM PDT<br><b>To:</b> nfbofca@groups.io<br><b>Subject:</b> <b>Re: [nfbofca] Action required \u2013 important legislative alert</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> nfbofca@groups.io<br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">\ufeff<div dir="ltr">Language from previous email attached.</div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Jun 9, 2026 at 10:32\u202fAM Shannon Dillon <<a href="mailto:shannonldillon@gmail.com" target="_blank">shannonldillon@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Good morning,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Please write your state senators
and assembly members today asking them to restore critical funding for
Californians who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">It is important that this
action be taken as soon as possible, but no later than this Friday, June 12.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Below is language you
can use to provide your comments. There are words in brackets that you must
personalize. I am listing them below so you can make sure to provide the
information that must be personalized, or remove the item if it is optional. </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">1.<span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">[Assemblymember/senator].
Fill this field with the correct senator or assemblymember you are writing the
letter to.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">2.<span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">[Share a
short personal story in 2 or 3 sentences here.]. This is where you share your
story from your experience that will support the letter.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">3.<span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">[Your
Address]. This should be your address.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">4.<span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">[Optional:
Email or Phone Number] this is optional and should include your email or phone
number if you choose to provide it.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">You may want to call your senator or
assemblymember's office to ask for an email address to send the letter to if the
website they want you to use to submit comments is not accessible. </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">If you have any questions or do not know who
your state representative or senator is, please reach out to Tiffany Manosh </span><a href="mailto:tmanosh@gmail.com" style="color:rgb(70,120,134)" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:windowtext">tmanosh@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> or
Shannon Dillon </span><a href="mailto:shannonldillon@gmail.com" style="color:rgb(70,120,134)" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:windowtext">shannonldillon@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Sample language is attached and below.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Subject:
Urgent Request to Restore Funding for Older Individuals Who Are Blind (OIB)
Program</span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Dear
[Assemblymember/Senator]:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I am writing as a concerned
member of our community to urge your support for restoring critical funding for
Californians who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I respectfully ask that you
support an immediate $5,000,000 budget appropriation for the Older Individuals
Who Are Blind (OIB) program. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">California is facing a
growing crisis in services for people with vision loss. The federal government
provides only about $3.3 million annually for the OIB program in our
state\u2014despite nearly 1,000,000 Californians living with vision loss.
Historically, the state supplemented this funding, but recent decisions have
created a significant gap, resulting in an effective reduction of approximately
60% to an already underfunded system.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The impact of these cuts is
immediate and deeply concerning. They will significantly reduce access to
essential services such as orientation and mobility training (including white
cane skills), assistive technology, daily living skills instruction, and transportation
training. Without these supports, older adults who lose vision face increased
risks of falls, isolation, hospitalization, and even premature placement in
institutional care\u2014outcomes that are not only devastating for individuals but
also costly for our healthcare system.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">[Share a short personal story
in 2 or 3 sentences here.]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Across California, service
providers may be forced to scale back or eliminate programs, leaving thousands
of people without the help they need to remain independent. For many
individuals who lose their vision later in life, the experience can be overwhelming
and life-altering. Programs like OIB help restore independence, dignity, and
the ability to remain safely in one\u2019s home and community.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">A $5 million investment would
help stabilize this fragile network of services, protect access for vulnerable
residents, and prevent far more expensive long-term outcomes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I respectfully urge you to
include this funding in the final state budget. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Sincerely,<br>
[Your Name]<br>
[Your Address]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> [Optional: Email or Phone Number]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">--</span></p></div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature">SHANNON L. DILLON<br>Legislative Coordinator and<br>President of the California Association of Guide Dog Users,<br>A Division of the National Federation of the Blind of California<br><br>Find your local chapter at <a href="http://www.nfbcal.org" target="_blank">www.nfbcal.org</a><br><br></div></div>
</blockquote></div><div><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature">SHANNON L. DILLON<br>Legislative Coordinator and<br>President of the California Association of Guide Dog Users,<br>A Division of the National Federation of the Blind of California<br><br>Find your local chapter at <a href="http://www.nfbcal.org" target="_blank">www.nfbcal.org</a><br><br></div>
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