[Ohio-Talk] Fwd: ACTION NEEDED TODAY

[President Capital chapter]

Good evening Ohio NFB family,

Below you will see an email from the national Association of blind merchants president, Nicky Gacos he has forwarded it out to our blind vendor committee chair persons to distribute to anybody and everybody who has concern for the well-being of the blind.

As you can imagine, the coronavirus has had many bad affects on small businesses, and are blind vendors across the country and in Ohio are feeling it worse than most. Many of our businesses are closed down because of government buildings being shut down. As self-employed blind people, our vendors do not have any means to recoup this lost income. They are not eligible for unemployment benefits. To make matters worse, many of them have inventories that they are responsible for that will go out of date and not be sellable when their business is re-open. This Loss of inventory, and loss of income, for what could go on for many months can crush mini blind people across the country. For this reason, the national Federation of the blind is asking Congress for a bail out specifically geared towards blind vendors. This is a very unique group of small business people who have different concerns then most other business people. It is a very small amount compared to other industries that we are asking for. Only $35 million to be spread to all blind vendors who are suffering from closed businesses across the country. Please take a minute to click on the link embedded in the below email and send support for this bail out to President Trump, both of our Ohio senators, and your congressional representative.

I am very fearful for our blind vendors here in Ohio and across the country. If this goes on for quite some time, they will not be able to Recover. I know that some will get support from their state licensing agencies, but because of the way the program works, these agencies will not be able to bring in money in order to support those who are out of work.

If you have any questions about this form, need any help completing it, or would like to know the impact that the coronavirus is having on the blind of Ohio and across the country, please let me know. Thank you very much for helping out.

Annette Lutz
President
Capital Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
614-288-4323
President.capital.nfboh at gmail.com

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Everyday we raise the expectations of blind people because we know that low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want, blindness is not what holds you back. 

Begin forwarded message:

From: Terry Smith <terry at merchants-nfb.org>
Date: March 20, 2020 at 3:40:24 PM EDT
To: Terry C Smith <tsmith at nfb.org>
Subject: ACTION NEEDED TODAY


See note below from NABM President Nicky Gacos. 

Dear Committee Chair:  We need your help today to try to get relief for our blind vendors who are hurting. Below is a link that allows you to send a letter to the President, both Senators, and your member in the House. We need for every vendor in your state to go on-line and send a letter. Family members, friends, employees, and anyone else you can get should also send the letter. You simply put in your name and address. It couldn’t be simpler. PLEASE ACT NOW!

https://blindmerchantsspeakout.org/alert/-proposals_for_covid19_relief/message/congress/write

Nicky Gacos, NABM President