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Dear Alexander Graham Bell Community,
Each year in the United States, 12,000 babies are born with some level of hearing loss. We are fortunate that legislation championed by AG Bell more than 15 years ago has made it possible for them to be identified early with a newborn hearing test. Thanks to a system of early hearing detection and intervention, our society is consistently improving our ability to identify babies with hearing loss in the first few days of life.
Our challenge is to make sure that the parents of that child are aware of the range of communication options available to them. AG Bell fully supports the position of the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, which advocates that all communication options and hearing technologies should be presented to families for their own decision
.
Listening and Spoken Language is one of those options. AG Bell advocates that with proper hearing technology and language development therapy, a world of spoken language is available to children with hearing loss. A child who is deaf or hard of hearing has a full range of support from AG Bell - in the form of financial aid and scholarships, information resources for family and professionals, our brilliant chapter network, certification of the Listening and Spoken Language professionals that serve our community, and programs like LOFT which help develop teenagers with hearing loss into young adults ready to tackle the world
.
This is what you support - a world of possibilities for children and adults with hearing loss. In the past year, AG Bell awarded more than $500,000 in financial aid and college scholarships to families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing as well as to young adults who have made a concerted effort to further their education.
We are asking our community to send us videos to tell us their stories and show off what they can do with their hearing technology and Listening and Spoken Language. These videos will help us spread the word about Listening and Spoken Language and all that it makes possible. To contribute your "I Can" video, please read our
instructions page
. Last year, we saw so many great stories from all over the world. These videos will become a part of our end of year campaign, which begins with Giving Tuesday. This video is a
great example of a story we love to share
.
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With Neil Maes, Scripps Spelling Bee Contestant |
Giving Tuesday
is November 29. This is a special fundraising day for AG Bell, as a long-time partner of the association will be matching all donations made on this day. Even if you donate just $20, it will become $40. If you donate $500, it will become $1,000!
I hope you will throw your hat into the ring and make a lasting impact on the lives of thousands of families, children, and adults with hearing loss.
It is not just a small thing you do in giving back to Alexander Graham Bell's association. It is something that steadily grows far beyond its value. Even from the smallest seed, a mighty future can grow.
Until next week,
Emilio Alonso-Mendoza
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.
Lao Tzu
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