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Welcome to the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa Home Page |
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The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa (NFBI), an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, is a consumer organization of blind and sighted people of all ages from across the state of Iowa who work to improve the lives of all blind persons in Iowa and throughout our country. NFBI is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization. We welcome your support and contributions. Local chapters of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa meet monthly to address issues of importance to the blind. These include, among other things, transportation, public awareness of the blind, and access by the blind to services and technology. One chapter has taken on an educational project for its community. Blind men and women write, produce, and host a local cable station talk show which informs the public about issues of concern to the blind and elevates the public's understanding about the true capabilities of people who are blind. Local chapters also serve as a support group for the Blind. People who lose their sight later in life desperately need the help and encouragement of others to return to the lives they knew when they could see. Most people, when they become blind, do not know of any other blind person in their city or family. They have no role model or mentor to assist them in their adjustment to blindness and their quest to return to a fulfilling life. Chapter members provide the essential links to help, encouragement, and services. As a statewide organization of blind Iowans, we work to influence and improve state programs that affect the blind. These include programs to provide materials to the blind in formats other than print, efforts to provide independent access to the ballot box, and services designed to help the blind obtain and retain employment. We advocate for the blind by serving on statewide boards or committees. We work to educate our members about services to which they are entitled. We work with parents of blind children to provide them with the information they need to help their children achieve their dreams of success. alert! Alert! Alert!Did You Know?The Capitol Square Post Office in Des Moines is scheduled to close on December 26, 2011. Are you one of the thousands of people and businesses that use the Capitol Square Post Office each week? Did you know there had been a public hearing regarding the closing? Did you get a chance to comment? Are you one of the customers that have a box at the Capitol Square station and was never told of the hearing or the closing? Our City of Des Moines is trying hard to revitalize the Downtown area with more shops, businesses, services and housing. By taking another service that most of us rely on daily, Downtowner's are all going to get into a car and take care of postal needs elsewhere. And if we have to get into our car to bring a box to the Post Office, why not use the service at Dahl's on Ingersol. Since the car is out, take the dry cleaning with and move the family prescriptions too. Since Dahl's offers this all at one location, Why not? Because the Downtown businesses that we want to attract will not come. If the current businesses cannot survive, why should a new business take a chance on Downtown Des Moines? Downtown living offers an environmentally-friendly lifestyle with an opportunity to run errands, walk to work, go to a play and out to eat, without taking the car out of the lot. Once a Downtown dweller gets into the car to run an errand that is not available Downtown, they are going to run more errands out of the Downtown area. We all loose. No longer will a Downtown employee be able to just run off to the post office before lunch break, and make it back on time. They will have to get in the car to drop off the businesses mail. They will then go to lunch out of the Downtown area, taking away from another business in Downtown. Members of the Des Moines Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of Iowa are directly effected by the closing of this post office. We may have different scenario's, but the impact is the same for us all. A healthy Downtown is important to all of us. Join the Des Moines Chapter, National Federationh of the Blind of Iowa and others to save our Capitol Square post office. We would like your support and suggestions to bring attention and a re-consideration of this move before the post office closes next month. To get involved, contact: Des Moines Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of Iowa, Peggy Chong, (515) 277-1288. Save Our Capitol Square Post Office!Join us and many of your neighbors on Monday, November 21 from 11:30 A.M. till 1:00 P.M. in the atrium at Capitol Square, 400 Locust Street, Des Moines. Hear How important this post office is to all of us. Find out how you can add your voice to our "Save The Capitol Square Post Office" campaign. Sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa, Des Moines Chapter, McGee Law Office, American Postal Workers Union, Iowans For Post Office Services, Mayor Frank Cownie and the Des Moines City Council.NFBI brought NFB-NEWSLINEŽ to the state of Iowa and continues to provide customer support for this service. NFB-NEWSLINEŽ provides, at no cost to blind individuals, the following telephone features:
With NFB-NEWSLINEŽ, subscribers can select which paper, section, or article to read; and they can read the paper at any time--day or night. To obtain an application for NFB-NEWSLINEŽ, contact Peggy Chong at (515) 277-1288. You may also apply online for NFB-NEWSLINEŽ. If you are the parent of a blind child, you will be interested in our Iowa Parents Of Blind Children Division! This division was formed as a result of a four-year program where a small handful of Federation members met on the second Saturday of each month with parents and their blind children at "Saturday School" where parents were introduced to the positive philosophy of blindness espoused by the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa and the National Federation of the Blind. Parents were taught to believe that their blind child could achieve just like their siblings who have sight. If you are a parent of a blind child, a grandparent, or perhaps you know someone who is a parent of a blind child, and would like more information, you may contact the division president, Carrie Thomson at e-mail Carrie Upcoming Tips And Tricks Seminar In Mason City, October 28Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa (NFBI) want to, once again, share with you some of the valuable information about the many tips and tricks of blindness that we have acquired over the years through the networking, hard work, and good luck of our members. As you know, last summer, NFBI began a series of technology workshops designed to address the many questions all of us have about using technology. Our first technology seminar dealt with technology used to read digital talking books, and our second seminar unlocked the mysteries surrounding accessible cell phones. Our third seminar focused on the low-end of the technology spectrum and nonvisual alternative techniques that can be used in daily living. On Friday, October 28, 2011, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Clarion Hotel, located at 2101 4th Street, S.W. in Mason City Iowa, the NFBI will hold an informative tips and tricks seminar. Speakers will share and demonstrate simple daily living skills and easy adaptations to items in your home. Speakers will tell you honestly what they think of the products, what they are best used for, and some things that manufacturers may not have shared in their promotional literature. You will see a demonstration of a new, easy-to-use bar code reader for identifying the many different products in your kitchen cupboard, a very accessible glucometer, a demonstration of the menu-driven Dolphin Guide computer program which allows you to write letters, scan and read documents, send and receive e-mail, keep track of your finances and browse the worldwide web. Registration is required to attend this seminar along with the pizza supper which follows immediately afterward. The cost will be $20, which will cover the cost of the supper. During supper, attendees will have an opportunity to talk one-on-one with presenters. To register or find out more information about this great opportunity, contact Michael Barber by telephone at 515-284-1569; by e-mail at e-mail Michael; or by conventional mail at 2721 34th Street, Des Moines, IA 50310. Please make checks payable to National Federation of the Blind of Iowa and send them to the above address by no later than October 20. National Federation Of The Blind Free White Cane ProgramThe White Cane is a tool used by the blind to travel independently as contributing, productive members of our communities and is recognized everywhere as a symbol of independence. The NFB is giving, free of charge to the user, straight fiberglass canes. The canes are available in the following lengths: 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, and 63 inches. Any blind individual in the fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico may request a cane for their personal use. Requests may be made as often as every six months. For more information, or to order your free white cane, Visit this link to learn more America is a nation in crisis regarding Braille literacy!How many children in America are not taught to read?The answer is 90 percent if the children are blind. Most Americans are shocked to hear this statistic. And we should be. The blind read and write using Braille, so why is our educational system failing to teach Braille to so many children? Why are these children being denied the opportunities that come with a proper education? What if you could not read and write? Where would you be today? There are three primary reasons for this educational crisis: (1) there are not enough Braille teachers; (2) some teachers of blind children have not received enough training; and (3) many educators do not think Braille instruction is even necessary. To bring critically-needed attention to this educational crisis, the United States Congress authorized the minting of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar with a portion of the sale of each coin going toward a revolutionary and comprehensive Braille literacy campaign. Enjoy audio highlights of the 2011 National Federation of the Blind convention held in Orlando Florida./ |