Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Newsletter
September 2016
In This Issue
DONATE
White Cane Day 
Shop Online, Support MABVI! 
MABVI Summit Sponsors

Highland Street Foundation logo

Elaine Ellenbogen

Michael and Lee Ann O'Friel and Family 
  
Memorial Foundation for the Blind 
Team With
A Vision Sponsors

Delta Gamma

HUB International

John Hancock

Votze Butler Associates

Anna_s Taqueria

Lowell Spinners

Wolverine Worldwide
 
Team With A Vision Alumni 
Low Vision Exams at MCPHS Worcester  
A woman tries on glasses at a low vision exam
 
MABVI is pleased to be partnering with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) for the provision of low vision exams in Worcester. In a low vision exam, optometrists provide important information on how to maximize your remaining vision to accomplish your goals, often using adaptive techniques and assistive technology.
 
Everyone has different needs, and so every low vision exam is different. Some people want to be able to read newspapers again, others want help to see the TV better, and others want to see while playing cards. During a low vision exam, the doctor will discuss your goals and recommend techniques and devices that will assist with those goals.
 
Through our partnership with MCPHS, exams are provided in the state-of-the-art facilities on their Worcester campus, conveniently located in the downtown area and with plenty of access to free parking. Exams are conducted by Dr. Caroline Toomey-Gitto, Dr. Kathryn Deliso, Dr. Greg Waldorf, and Dr. Louis Frank.
 
For more information, call (508) 373-5830 and ask for a low vision exam.
Family Volunteer Program 
Our Volunteer Program, which matches sighted volunteers with individuals who are blind or visually impaired to help them with a variety of common tasks, has experienced tremendous growth in recent years.

Currently we have the largest number of volunteer matches in the program's history, representing a 60% growth from just two years ago!

Even then, however, the demand for volunteers is great and we currently have a sizable waiting list of individuals in need. Apply today and make a difference in someone's life.

Did you know that individuals under 18 years old who are accompanied by a parent or guardian can volunteer with MABVI as well? We call it the Family Volunteer Program, and it has produced some truly rewarding volunteer opportunities for local teens and adolescents as well as their families. 

People like Nathaniel "Nat" Adamian and his mother
Lynne Carvalho Adamian of Cambridge, who this past April were presented with our annual Family Volunteer Award for their outstanding dedication in volunteering with MABVI for the past four years.

Nat accepts the award at the podium as his mother Lynne and MABVI Volunteer Coordinator Jen look on
Nat accepts the award at the podium as his mother Lynne and MABVI Volunteer Coordinator Jen look on
Nat, a 16-year-old sophomore at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, was inspired to volunteer because he wants to help others facing the same challenges as his younger sister Eleanor, a happy, personable, and engaged 11-year-old who is herself visually impaired. 
 
"Because of that experience I've always been acutely aware of the difficulties that visual impairment can cause," he says, "and I've been interested in helping people affected by such impairments."
 
Finding that many organizations had no opportunities for Nat, who was 12 at the time, MABVI's Family Volunteer Program was a perfect fit.
 
"We became a team in our volunteerism," says his mother Lynne. "It is something meaningful that we are doing together as mother and son, and for both of us this allows us to feel connected to our greater humanity."
 
To learn more about volunteering with MABVI, email jbuchanan@mabcommunity.org, call (617) 972-9119, or visit mabvi.org/volunteer
Insight Blog Post: Giving Back
Cindy Wentz
 
In high school, as her friends were getting summer jobs, Cindy Wentz found herself rejected by employers time and time again, who told her in no uncertain terms that she couldn't do the job because of her visual impairment.

Today, Cindy is recently retired from a 40-year career in human services, the last 23 of which were spent at the Mass. Rehabilitation Commission, and volunteering some of her time with MABVI as a way of giving back.

Through a combination of vision rehabilitation services such as Orientation and Mobility training, assistive technology such as screen readers, and volunteer support from MABVI, Wentz is living proof that with determination, adaptive strategies, and the right support, people who are blind or visually impaired can not only be productive but truly excel in the workforce.



About Us:
 
The Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a program of MAB Community Services. MABVI has been creating opportunities for blind and visually impaired individuals since 1903. Our experience allows us to forge strong community partnerships to meet the pressing need for high quality services and transform lives.

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