We are thinking BIG in April!
April 19th – 25th is Volunteer Appreciation Week and we want to give our volunteers a BIG Thank You for their impact, dedication and passion.
We received 17,124 hours of support from more than 200 volunteers this past year. Volunteers impact every aspect of Society for the Blind’s operations. They read for our Access News program, ensuring thousands of people with vision loss and other reading challenges have timely access to news, information and entertainment. Volunteers also help run our Bingo Program and participate in special events and projects. Former clients serve as volunteer mentors, providing their wisdom and experience to our newest clients. Devoted community members serve on our board of directors, bringing their expertise and serving as champions for Society in the community.
Our Volunteers tell us they find meaning and purpose from their volunteer support:
“Reading is a simple privilege that so many of us are fortunate to have. I like knowing that by reading and recording an article, I’m helping someone’s life be more convenient, fulfilling and informative.” Access News Volunteer, Tian Chiu
We are so grateful for the dedication and passion of our volunteers and look forward to celebrating them at our “Roaring 20s” Volunteer Appreciation Dinner tomorrow.
If you are looking to share your talents, there are many ways to get involved at Society for the Blind. Just visit our website: www.societyfortheblind.org.
Along with our BIG thank you to volunteers, we are getting ready for BIG Day of Giving on May 7th! This community-wide fundraising event, hosted by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, is a great way to support Society’s Senior IMPACT Project.
Every day in California at least 1,110 people are turning 65. Macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma are most prevalent among older adults, and Society is seeing a record number of people in this age cohort requesting our services. This means our wait lists are increasing. The sooner our older adults receive services at Society, the sooner they can get back to living life. That’s why Big Day of Giving is so important for Society.
Our goal is to raise $45,000 to provide more training in non-visual skills and assistive technology for older adults living with vision loss in the Sacramento region. I invite you to join me this Big Day of Giving to support Society for the Blind. Every gift provides tangible benefits to a senior losing vision.
Your gift of:
- $50 provides a long white cane and learning shades for orientation & mobility training.
- $100 provides a talking watch keychain, liquid level indicator and tactile marking dots.
- $500 provides 10 Alexa Smart Controllers.
- $700 provides one BlindShell Accessible smartphone.
- $4,000 provides one Optilec ClearView With Speech CCTV for our SIP Lending Library.
Early giving for Big Day of Giving starts April 23! You can make your donation at: BigDayofGiving.org/Societyfortheblind