AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OHIO CHAPTER

CONFERENCE AND CONVENTION: ACB-OHIO HOLDS AN ANNUAL CONVENTION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION. IN RECENT YEARS WE'VE PARTNERED WITH A NEIGHBORING AFFILIATE, ACB-INDIANA. 2024, EIGHTY ATTENDEES (65 IN PERSON, 15 VIRTUAL) ATTENDED THE THREE-DAY EVENT IN INDIANAPOLIS ON OCTOBER 25-27. THE CONFERENCE FEATURED SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, SOCIAL EVENTS, SPEAKERS, A VENDOR HALL. OUR PROGRAM PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF BOARD MEMBERS, METICULOUSLY PLANS ALL ASPECTS OF THE CONVENTION AND SEEKS SPONSORS TO DEFRAY COSTS. THE THEME WAS "TRANSFORMING ATTITUDES- AND SESSIONS INCLUDED TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR COOKING SAFELY, CONFIDENTLY AND INDEPENDENTLY IN SPITE OF VISION LOSS; LIVED EXPERIENCES TIPS FOR BECOMING INDEPENDENT IN ADULTHOOD AND BUILDING THE LIFE YOU WANT; DISABLED DISRESPECT; CONFLICT RESOLUTION; INDEPENDENT LIVING 101; EMERGING THERAPIES FOR INHERITED RETINAL DISEASES; AND OTHER TOPICS THAT HELP PEOPLE WITH BLINDNESS AND LOW VISION LIVE INDEPENDENT AND FULFILLING LIVES. A LARGE GROUP WENT TO THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, WHERE THEY EXPERIENCED HANDS-ON CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, AND SCIENTIFIC EXHIBITS FOR "KIDS" OF ALL AGES. AT THE BANQUET, WE PRESENTED FOUR AWARDS TO THOSE WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ADVANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OHIOANS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. THE EVENING ENDED WITH A LIVELY FUNDRAISING AUCTION.

MATCHING GRANTS: THROUGH OUR MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM, ACB-OHIO PROVIDES HALF THE COST (UP TO 1,000) TO HELP OHIOANS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED AFFORD ADAPTIVE/ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH CAN BE QUITE COSTLY. IN 2024, ACB-OHIO AWARDED 11 GRANTS TOTALING OVER 6,000. ELEVEN INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED FUNDS TO HELP PAY TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS THEM LIVE AND WORK INDEPENDENTLY, DEVICES THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD OTHERWISE. GRANTS HELPED RECIPIENTS BUY HIGH TECH, LOW TECH, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. DAVID GREEN, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS IN THE CLEVELAND CHAPTER RECEIVED 35 TO HELP BUY A TALKING WATCH-A SIMPLE, LOW-COST DEVICE THAT HELPED HIM STAY ON TRACK AS A BUSY SINGLE FATHER. GAYLE HORTON, A COLUMBUS CHAPTER MEMBER, RECEIVED 857 TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF A CHAMELEON BRAILLE DISPLAY/NOTETAKER. OTHER GRANTS HELPED PAY FOR HIGH POWERED MAGNIFIERS, META GLASSES, A DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYER, AND A SMARTVISION CELL PHONE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH VISUAL LIMITATIONS. ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT.