Good Works Wednesday: May 26, 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: Virtual Art Classes with Passle Helminski

ASB is excited to host artist Passle Helminski again to provide a virtual art class for participants this morning at 11 a.m.In this class, Passle will work with students on a practice called “blind contour” drawing. All skill levels are welcome to attend! We ask that attendees bring a pencil and paper to the session.     

Passle’s creations are featured in several permanent collections and have been shown in many exhibits throughout the U.S. and countries such as Germany, Singapore, Sweden, Australia and China. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Mercyhurst College and Gannon University.

If any of the participants you work with are interested in signing up for an adventure into art, please contact our Participant Navigator, Lexi Jones, at ajones@asb.org or by phone at 267-483-9244 to register. 

Free Internet Access with Internet Essentials by Comcast

ASB will offer 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 starting June 1 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 any of the participants you work with are interested in signing up, they can determine their eligibility by contacting ASB’s Participant Navigator Lexi Jones at ajones@asb.org or by calling 267-551-0561.

Get Vaccinated with Penn Medicine at Home

Penn Medicine at Home is currently offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to participants and their caregivers in their homes. To qualify, individuals must reside in Philadelphia. Patients do not need to be on service with Penn Medicine at Home. Penn Medicine will:

  • Vaccinate any willing caregivers while in the home.
  • Provide vaccinated individuals with a CDC vaccination card.
  • Report all vaccines daily to PhilaVax.

If any of the participants you work with are interested in receiving more information, please contact Lexi Jones at ajones@asb.org or at 267-483-9244. Participants should be prepared to share their name, date of birth, phone number and address.

Philadelphia Department of Public Health Homebound Vaccination Program

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is currently providing COVID-19 vaccines to homebound individuals in their homes through its Homebound Vaccination Program. This program is intended for individuals who are normally unable to leave home unassisted or people living with disabilities who have been rarely able to leave their home within the past month.

The vaccines are free – no insurance required! Personal care attendants, family and other caregivers or residents of the individual’s household are eligible to be vaccinated under this program. 

If any of the participants you work with are interested in signing up for an in-home vaccination, they can visit https://bit.ly/homeboundvaccinephl, call 215-685-5488 (dial 711 for TRS/TTY assistance) or use the QR code below.

TOMORROW: Join AFB’s Conversation with Rebecca Alexander on the Power of Gratitude and Joy

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is inviting ASB to join its Centennial Conversation with Rebecca Alexander, The Power of Gratitude and Joy, tomorrow, May 27 at 2 p.m. EST. Participants can register here for free: https://www.afb.org/afb100/gratitude-joy.

Rebecca Alexander is an award-winning author, psychotherapist, keynote speaker, group fitness instructor, disability advocate and extreme athlete who is almost completely blind and deaf due to Usher Syndrome type III. Rebecca refuses to lose her drive and zest for life and rises above and beyond every challenge she faces. With her boundless energy, innate curiosity and strength of spirit leading her to places most of us can’t begin to imagine, Rebecca will share her perspective on strength, courage, gratitude and joy, especially in these trying times.

For additional information about 100 years of AFB and the ongoing series of Centennial Conversations, participants can visit afb.org/100. If any of the participants you work with require additional accommodations, they can contact the AFB at communications@afb.org.

AFB Upcoming Centennial Event Lineup

Since 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has been at the forefront of creating a more inclusive world for people who are experiencing vision loss. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, AFB is hosting a series of Centennial Conversations. These curated webinars will focus on the most pressing issues and topics affecting the vision loss community, pairing prominent speakers with younger voices.

Links to the May and June conversations are below. We’ll be sure to share the link to the July event when it becomes available:

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

For additional information about 100 years of AFB and the ongoing series of Centennial Conversations, participants can visit afb.org/100. If any of the participants you work with require additional accommodations, they can contact the AFB at communications@afb.org.