[Njabs-talk] National Federation of the Blind Welcomes the Hope Bus Tour

[EVELYN E. VALDEZ]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org
National Federation of the Blind 

Welcomes the Hope Bus Tour


Hope Bus Tour Will Visit 50 Charities in 50 Days
Baltimore, Maryland (September 28, 2009): The 

National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the oldest and largest organization of 

blind people in the United States, will welcome the Hope Bus Tour to the NFB 

Jernigan Institute in Baltimore on September 29.  The Hope Bus Tour is visiting fifty 

pre-selected charities in fifty days, raising public awareness of charities that 

are doing exceptional work in their communities to improve the lives of people 

who are in need.


 


Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation 

of the Blind, said: “We are truly honored to be one of the fifty charities that 

the Hope Bus Tour has chosen to highlight.  

The occasion could not be better timed, as the National Federation of the 

Blind has undertaken the largest Braille literacy campaign in history this 

year.  Nine out of ten blind 

children in America’s public schools do not know 

and are not being taught how to read and write using Braille.  The education of tens of thousands of 

blind children across the nation and the successful rehabilitation of adults who 

are losing vision depend on our success, and the exposure from the Hope Bus Tour 

will certainly help us reach out to members of our community and 

beyond.”


 


Congress authorized the minting in 2009 of 400,000 

Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollars to mark the two-hundredth anniversary 

of the birth of Louis Braille (1809–1852) and to support the efforts of the National Federation 

of the Blind to promote literacy among blind Americans.  This unique and beautiful commemorative 

coin is the first U.S. currency to feature tactile, 

readable Braille.  These coins will 

no longer be available after December 31, 2009.  A portion of the money from sales of the 

2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar will be used to support the NFB’s 

“Braille Readers are Leaders” campaign, a national initiative created to double 

the number of blind children learning 

Braille by 2015, improve certification standards for teachers of Braille, and 

conduct innovative programs to support Braille literacy.


 


Those interested in ordering a Louis Braille 

Bicentennial Silver Dollar should visit www.braille.org 

or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).  For more information about the 

National Federation of the Blind and the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, 

visit www.braille.org.  




 


 


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About the National Federation of the 

Blind


With more than 50,000 members, the National 

Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership 

organization of blind people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people’s lives 

through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging 

independence and self-confidence.  

It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the 

nation's blind.  In January 2004 the 

NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first 

research and training center in the United States for the blind led by 

the blind.