Testimonial by Jan Santos
Hello,
Please read and learn why the East Bay Center for the Blind may be important to you.
I’m writing you to promote outreach and fundraising for the East Bay Center for the Blind (EBCB), because of my strong belief in the center’s importance not only to blind and visually impaired people, but to the community at large. I hope you will take a few minutes to read my comments so you can decide if you would like to become involved with us or support our center in some fashion.
I am a 76-year-old blind woman, and was director of the East Bay Center for the Blind (for fourteen years. I am still an active and appreciative member of our center.
In my twenty-seven years of participating in classes and center activities here, I have learned much and gained wonderful friends. The other day, someone mentioned in our exercise class, that EBCB offers the warmest and most caring group of people, she knows, which expresses my truth as well. I have grown tremendously in my years at this center. I have witnessed major changes in the lives of many people, with major growth in their quality of life, feelings of self-worth, with marked increased participation in the life of EBCB and spreading to other areas of their lives.
We find our participants by word of mouth from members, friends and family, volunteers from colleges and the general community. Calls come from social workers from hospitals, doctors’ offices and other agencies. If we don’t have appropriate resources to meet someone’s needs, we work to find referrals. The social worker can pass our information on to other clients, and the person being assisted can also call us and get support over the phone or make an appointment to visit EBCB.
Through our weekly support group , held in person and on zoom, participants exchange information and adaptive skills. They share experiences in living with vision loss, the emotional ups and downs, and the joy of connecting with others who understand and personally relate to living with vision impairment and blindness.
Our classes in adaptive technology such as screen readers, iPhones and other equipment enable us to do research and daily business without total dependence on sighted help. We teach Braille, on-line and in-person, reaching people nationally and internationally with an individualized course. Our exercise and movement class is wonderful for promoting skills easy to practice at home to keep us in good health.
Whether you are a member of EBCB, a volunteer, or connected to us through friends, family or another link, you are important in spreading the word about the worth of EBCB to those who are new to us. Sighted folks who join us as volunteers often continue coming just for their own enjoyment and friendship fulfillment.
Each of you familiar or new to EBCB can help with outreach to continue the East Bay Center for the Blind. By working together, center participants promote confidence to re-connect to who they have always been, with friends and family, learning new techniques to do many of the things they love, and to accept those things not possible to do (such as driving), and find work-arounds when necessary.
By their contributions and example, the community at large benefits, and life is enriched for the folks with vision loss.
As cuts for social programs continue to increase, our funding sources continue to diminish. Currently we survive only because of a volunteer Executive Director, five poorly-paid staff, committed members and other volunteers. Without these dedicated and generous people with their heart-felt commitment to, and belief in the value of our community center, our doors would have already been forced to close. We want to keep EBCB going into the future, to bring in younger interested folks to help make that happen.
We warmly welcome your participation in EBCB if you are interested in getting involved.
You can also help with financial donations, either yourself if you are able, or by spreading the word to your friends and community.
Thanks for reading this, and we look forward to welcoming you to our center.
The East Bay Center for the Blind is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Tax ID# 94-1275233.
2928 Adeline St.
Berkeley CA 94703
Phone: (510) 843-6935
Email: info@eastbaycenterfortheblind.org
Website: eastbaycenterfortheblind.org