Good Works Wednesday: July 14, 2021

Good Works Wednesday

A newsletter celebrating ASB progress, programs and people

At Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, we work every day to help individuals build skills and gain access to the information, experiences and resources they need to live the lives they wish to lead. We are an agency for anyone, anywhere on the vision loss continuum and offer education, training, community-based enrichment opportunities and referrals to help them achieve their individual goals.

TODAY: Friends, Family and Professional Training

Are you the family member or friend of someone experiencing vision loss? Are you interested in learning about more ways to support participants you work with experiencing vision loss? Associated Services for the Blind is excited to offer an eight-week series of Zoom workshops for YOU!

Today at 7:00 p.m., ASB will offer friends, family and professional training workshops designed to provide information, support and encouragement for those living or working with individuals who are blind or experiencing vision loss.

These workshops are also open to health care providers, employers, social service workers and anyone who would like to learn more about the social and emotional effects of blindness and vision loss. Feel free to forward this invitation to anyone you think might be interested.

If you are interested in participating, please email Community Training Specialist, Lynn Heitz, at LHeitz@asb.org or leave a message at 215-627-0600 extension 824. 

FRIDAY: ASB’s Speaker Series

Every week ASB welcomes professionals from health care and other fields to speak with participants about topics such as health and welfare, insurance and finances, legal assistance and much more!

This week, participants can join us on Friday, July 16 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. for a session onProtecting Yourself from Fraud by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

If any of the participants you work with are interested in signing up for this session, please contact our Director of Participant Engagement and Outreach, Lexi Jones, at ajones@asb.org or at 267-551-0561.

Professional Development Workshops

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Professional Development Workshop on Friday! These sessions are intended to support all of us in putting participants at the center of everything we do and to help ensure we are delivering the highest quality, best experience for participants every time they engage with us – whether online, on the phone or in person. We are all ambassadors for ASB both at work and in the community, and these sessions are designed to continue to build our skills together as a team.

The next professional development session is scheduled for DEEP on Friday, July 23 from 9 – 10:30 a.m. where we will learn about The Skills of Empathy and Encouragement: Dealing with Participant Setbacks, Resistance, and Discouragement. 

If you have a scheduling conflict, please let your manager know as soon as possible to make arrangements for you to make up the session. If you have any specific questions about the training schedule, please contact Emily Yaskowski at eyaskowski@asb.org. 

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 (IEPP). 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.

Participants can determine their eligibility by contacting ASB’s Director of Participant Engagement and Outreach, Lexi Jones, at ajones@asb.org or by calling 267-551-0561.

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 our 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.

More than 10 years ago, Miami Lighthouse created a unique Distance Learning Braille Music curriculum, bringing music instruction to students who are 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 any of the participants you work with 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, Executive Director, National Disability Institute
  • Rodney E. Hood, Board Member and Former Chairman, National Credit Union Administration
  • Lauren Oplinger, Vice President, JPMorgan Chase
  • Denise Steele, Community Engagement Manager, JPMorgan Chase

In case any of the participants you work with missed AFB’s previous centennial events, they can replay the archived conversations below:

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.