Welcome to ASB’s Participant Newsletter
Welcome to Connections, ASB’s participant newsletter! This newsletter is a monthly resource for all things ASB. Read on for upcoming events, program schedules and other opportunities to explore. Feel free to forward this email along to anyone who may be interested in our programs and resources.
ASB News and Updates
Stay up-to-date with ASB’s latest announcements and updates by checking out our website and social media platforms. Find the links to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and the website below.
Happy Summer!
With July fast approaching, we want to wish everyone a happy summer from our staff and leadership team. Keep an eye out for a new program schedule coming soon with updated program times and dates for the season.
ASB Closed on Monday Following Independence Day
ASB will be closed on Monday, July 5, following Independence Day. We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, July 6. We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend!
New ASB Phone Number
ASB has a new phone number. If you need to contact ASB by phone, please use our new number, 215-627-0600.
ASB’s Speaker Series — New July Dates
Every week ASB welcomes professionals from health care and other fields to speak about topics such as health and welfare, insurance and finances, legal assistance and much more! Review the upcoming July schedule below, and contact ASB’s Director of Participant Engagement and Outreach, Lexi Jones, at ajones@asb.org if you are interested in attending any sessions.
Topic: Member Benefits, including Health and Wellness, Travel, Employment, Volunteering and Discounts
Presenter: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
Date: July 9, 2021
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Topic: Protecting Yourself from Fraud
Presenter: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
Date: July 16, 2021
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Topic: Diabetes: It’s a Family Matter
Presenter: Health Partners
Date: July 23, 2021
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Topic: Cholesterol: Keeping it Under Control
Presenter: Health Partners
Date: June 30, 2021
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
NOW ENROLLING: Free Internet Access with Internet Essentials by Comcast
ASB is offering free internet access to participants through a new partnership with Comcast’s Internet Essentials Partnership Program. Qualifying participants can sign up on a rolling basis and receive free internet for six months.
Eligible participants must: qualify for programs such as the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI or others; live in an area where Comcast Internet service is available; have not had Comcast Internet Services in 90 days; have no outstanding debt to Comcast that is less than one year old; and meet at least one of the following vision requirements:
- Visual acuity of 20/70 or poorer in better-seeing eye that cannot be corrected or improved with regular eyeglasses
- Corresponding loss of visual fields
- Progressive sight-threatening eye diseases, such as diabetes
- Diagnosis of a degenerative eye or sight disorder
If you are interested in signing up, please contact ASB’s Director of Participant Engagement and Outreach Lexi Jones at ajones@asb.org or by calling 267-551-0561 to determine your eligibility.
ASB is sharing the events below as a courtesy to ASB participants. These are non-ASB events. Please be mindful of any requirements, including COVID-19 requirements, that may apply.
Braille Music Classes from Miami Lighthouse
ASB is pleased to be able to connect ASB participants with Miami Lighthouse’s Distance Learning Braille Music program, a braille music curriculum designed for people who are interested in pursuing a music career.
Over 10 years ago, Miami Lighthouse created a unique Distance Learning Braille Music curriculum, bringing music instruction to students who are blind and experiencing vision loss worldwide. Miami Lighthouse designed the curriculum for people of all ages who have advanced braille skills and a goal of working in the music industry. Using Expert Learning License, the Braille Music curriculum is an at-home learning experience, perfect for social distancing.
Braille Music makes mainstream music industry employment an option for people experiencing vision loss. The curriculum is the only way for a blind musician to gain comprehensive training in the U.S. and learn to read music scores directly. Students learn basic computer technology and develop proficiency in Literary Braille Grade 2, which are standards in the music industry.
Instructor Jin Ho Choi, a musician who is blind and certified braille music transcriber by the Library of Congress, teaches the Braille Music curriculum at Miami Lighthouse. Now available online, each of the 26 lessons can be completed in 45 minutes and enable the braille reader, as well as sighted helpers, to learn the basic concepts of musical notation.
If you are interested in learning more about this program, please contact Beth Deering at Bdeering@asb.org.
July 22: Making Money Work—Including Disability in the Financial Equation
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is closing out its Centennial Conversations with a panel discussion on the importance of including disability when tackling diversity, equity and financial inclusion, Making Money Work—Including Disability in the Financial Equation, on July 22 at 2 p.m. EST. Participants can register here for free: https://www.afb.org/afb100/disability-financial-equation.
This live Q&A will host four panelists, including,
- Thomas Foley
- Rodney E. Hood
- Lauren Oplinger
- Denise Steele
In case you missed AFB’s previous centennial events, you can replay the archived conversations below:
- Matthew Whitaker: The Inclusive Power of Music
- Women in Leadership: A Conversation About the Intersection of Gender and Visual Impairment
- Dinner and Music for a Historic Celebration
- Art of Inclusion: AFB100 Concert & Celebration
AFB is committed to creating inclusive events. Captions, ASL, audio description, and transcripts will be available for all #AFB100 events. If you need any other accommodations, please contact the AFB at communications@afb.org.
Stay in Touch
Have questions about ASB’s programs and resources? Looking to get more involved? Please contact ASB’s Director of Participant Engagement and Outreach, Lexi Jones, at ajones@asb.org.