Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired
2012 Annual Report
Serving Our Community – It’s What We’re All About
Appearing on the front cover of this annual report are portrait-style photographs of Tommie L. Robertson, Philip Moore, Alyssa Roberts, Diane Gersten and Rick Huffman.
Article: Message from the President & Executive Director
Serving Our Community, it’s what we’re all about…. Service to others is what compels the Board and staff of CABVI to continue improving what we do; finding innovative ways to meet the needs of people who are blind and visually impaired in our community. It is our daily purpose to strive to understand the needs of people who have severe vision loss and then work to fulfill those needs as we become the principle source and resource for people who are blind and visually impaired in Greater Cincinnati.
As you read this annual report please keep in mind that CABVI has been actively working over the last three years to increase our impact on our community, addressing more of the community need and increasing the number of people touched by CABVI. We are very pleased to share that in 2012, CABVI served over 4,900 clients, on our way to reaching our Breakthrough Goal of serving 5,000 clients annually by the end of 2013. Be assured that as we make these efforts to expand our impact we continue to maintain our focus on providing quality, individualized services that address each person’s specific needs.
During 2012, CABVI continued to significantly strengthen our collaboration with our partner the Clovernook Center. February 9, 2012 was an historic day for both agencies with the signing of our Strategic Partnership Agreement. Under the Partnership, both agencies agreed to:
- Incorporate this strategic partnership in the strategic plans of both organizations.
- Perform on-going comprehensive program services review to determine when and how best to partner for the delivery of services.
- Promote each other’s organizations as well as collaborative efforts through various forms of media to combined efforts and presentation to achieve the collective goal of meeting the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired.
- Maintain independent identities, and specific brands for each organization while coordinating efforts to serve our constituents and community.
This Strategic Partnership Agreement greatly strengthened our joint efforts as we have developed a collaborative model for providing Low Vision Services to the community that will reduce the duplication of services. Additionally, we have agreed to pursue specific shared fund development and community relations efforts that will benefit the community and our joint services efforts. Finally, we have developed a cross agency team to collaborate on the unmet needs of children.
In addition to our work with Clovernook, we continued our relationships and collaborations with other community vision care service providers including the Cincinnati Eye Institute, One Sight and Prevent Blindness Ohio as a member of the Vision Coalition of Greater Cincinnati. Through this collective effort and the backing of the Deaconess Foundation, support of ITN of Greater Cincinnati (Independent Transportation Network) continued as the two-year-old service provided over 8,000 rides in 2012 to 235 members who are seniors or blind and visually impaired and unable to drive themselves.
Finally, CABVI established a new partnership with the local chapter of the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB). Through this partnership, CABVI and FFB hosted our first Vision Classics Golf Outing in June to support CABVI’s Early Childhood Services and research of cures for retinal degenerative diseases. CABVI is now regularly hosting FFB Chapter meetings and FFB will be joining the Vision Coalition of Greater Cincinnati.
As you read the client stories in our Annual Report, please keep in mind the dedicated, skilled and talented staff of service providers that CABVI has assisting clients with new ways to address the challenges of vision loss and maintain their independence. Tommie Robertson, worked with four specialized staff members to complete a Low Vision assessment, train in the use of a computer with custom technology, received instruction in cane travel and received assistance with home management needs. You’ll also read about Alyssa Roberts, a 15-year-old student who was born prematurely with many challenges including vision loss and the various individualized services CABVI provides to help with her education and development.
As CABVI completed the year 2012, there were many challenges that we faced with severe budget reductions to many State and Federal Agencies that CABVI provides services for or sells products to. From our Industries Program and Base Supply Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to the Fees for Service that we receive from the State of Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission and the Kentucky Office for the Blind, all are being adversely impacted by these budget cuts.
As a result, CABVI has to increase our focus on new products and services to gain new customers and develop new funding revenue all to sustain both our ability to offer employment opportunities and fund the services we provide to our community.
As we plan for the future, we realize our growing reliance on our generous donors, foundations and United Way support, talented Board and Committee members, committed volunteers and dedicated and professional staff to continue to make CABVI the tremendous community resource that it is. We are so grateful to have all of these tremendous people and resources that allow CABVI to impact the lives of so many in our community. Thank you!
Appearing with this article are portrait-style photos of Michael Lichstein, Ph.D., Board President, and John H. Mitchell, Executive Director.
Article: Serving Our Community – It’s What We’re All About
Alyssa Roberts is a typical 15-year-old with one main wish that she shares with many other girls her age—she wants to be on TV and meet the young celebrity, Justin Bieber. Her second wish has been to have a laptop computer with voice input and output that she could use independently at home for homework, surfing the internet, social networking and emailing. Thanks to Cincinnati Enquirer’s Wish List, Alyssa is receiving her new computer with Dragon Speak for verbal input and instruction from CABVI’s Access Technology Services.
Alyssa uses a walker and is able to use her first two fingers on each hand. Before the Wish List, she did not have a home computer with access technology (special speech input and output) that she could use on her own. She could only use the family computer if her cousin was available and willing to help her.
Alyssa was a premature baby and she has vision loss along with cerebral palsy. CABVI provided Early Intervention Services when she was a baby and is also providing some orientation and mobility services for Alyssa in agreement with Erlanger/Elsmere Independent School District. Alyssa is working with CABVI’s orientation and mobility specialist to learn skills for safe travel around her school. She will also be receiving CABVI’s music services in the near future.
Alyssa enjoys singing in the school choir and going to the park with friends. As she says, “The park is so close to my house, I can walk there!”
Alyssa lives with her grandmother, Edie Casterline, her grandmother’s fiancé, Randy, her cousin, Kayla age 20, and Kayla’s daughter, Kennedy age 1. Alyssa’s mother died when she was 5 and her father recently passed away during the summer of 2012.
Alyssa is bright, energetic and full of potential. She is currently in 7th grade so this is a perfect time for her to begin working more independently on her computer at home. With her new computer, and the access technology that she needs to be able to use it independently, Alyssa is becoming more self-confident. As Alyssa’s grandmother, Edie, says, “Our family is so grateful for the generosity of this community through the Wish List and Alyssa’s horizons are definitely expanding with so much support from CABVI.”
A photo of a smiling Alyssa sitting at her computer appears with her story.
Tommie L. Robertson is the kind of person who likes to examine all of his choices in life. When he began experiencing vision loss due to an optic nerve issue in 2011, he spoke with people that he knew were receiving services from CABVI to learn what was available.
As a Marriage and Family Therapist, Tommie’s job requires the use of a computer to maintain client records. Re-establishing his proficiency on computers was a key variable to maintaining his employment. With CABVI’s Access Technology Services, Tommie obtained and learned how to use Zoomtext software that provides large print and text reader access to the computer as well as a special Zoomtext keyboard that provides short-cuts to using keystrokes or mouse movement. Some of Tommie’s services and equipment that were work related were funded by the Ohio Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI), the state agency that helps people with vision loss to become employed or maintain employment with adaptive support and training. Tommie especially appreciates the CCTV electronic magnifier that he says “is a tremendous aid in facilitating my reading non-computer generated paperwork.”
He received prescribed low vision aids through Low Vision Services, including telescopes and several types of magnifiers. Tommie expressed his gratitude to the Orientation and Mobility specialist who taught him how to travel safely with a white cane near his workplace. As he explains, “I needed help to learn to cross a busy, 45 mph street so that I could go to nearby restaurants at lunch. I gained confidence to increase my freedom to be able to travel safely.”
Tommie also made the most of CABVI’s Vision Rehabilitation Therapy Service to learn adaptive methods for laundry and cooking as well as some basic Braille skills. He enjoys his sock clips that keep socks of the same color together through the wash and also his talking watch. Tommie says that he recommends CABVI’s services to others with vision loss “whole-heartedly.” He says, “CABVI staff members are incredibly thorough and diligent in providing excellent quality of service. Plus, with community-based services, they bring the help to you.”
A photo of Tommie L. Robertson sitting at a table reading a newspaper using a magnifier appears with his story.
When Philip Moore began thinking about retirement from his position as an elementary school teacher, one of his friends recommended volunteering at CABVI. That was approximately 10 years ago, and now, Philip is well-known at CABVI for his valuable input as a volunteer. He serves as the board operator for Radio Reading Services on Monday afternoons. During this time, he reads the Christian Science Monitor, which airs on Saturday, and also serves as a substitute reader when needed.
Philip explains that he enjoys coming to CABVI. “It’s a wonderful place,” he says. “I feel respected and valued at the same level as a professional person working in a radio station.”
On the days that Philip is not volunteering for RRS, he is often reading for Personalized Talking Print (PTP), CABVI’s specialized information voicemail system. He reads the Tuesday morning Enquirer Front Page, Howard Ain’s column in Community Press papers on Wednesdays, and the Enquirer Weekend Section “Best Bets” page on Fridays. He also receives requests from PTP listeners and often reads the Catholic Telegraph by request.
Philip says that volunteering is, “...very satisfying. Helping other people through reading is especially important to me since I worked as a teacher and I understand the importance of people having access to materials that they would not otherwise be able to read.” Philip also remembers being in 6th grade with another student who was blind and helping the teacher use a Brailler to assist the other student. “Helping each other makes us all feel happier.”
Two photos appear with Philip’s story. One is a photo of Philip sitting at the control board in the WRRS studios. The other is a photo of Diane Gersten sitting with her Radio Reading Services radio with the caption, “Diane Gersten, CABVI Employee of the Year in 2009, is a Radio Reading Services listener and a Personalized Talking Print (PTP) listener. She also volunteers as a PTP mentor for new listeners.”
Article: 2012 CABVI Award Recipients
Richard Huffman - 2013 Bradley L. Kaylor Blind Employee of the Year Award
Tripp Eldredge - 2012 Moser Award
Debbie Ellison - 2012 Caroline F. Fibbe Award
Abby Janke - 2012 Paul Silverglade Youth Volunteer Award
Lesley Wardlow - 2012 One on One Award
Colleen Albers - 2012 Ronald J. Ott Award
Howard and Shirley Moore - 2012 Samuel S. Sheffield Volunteer of the Year Award
Article: Highlights for the Year 2012
Program Services
- Social Services staff conducted 1,010 initial assessments with individuals who were interested in CABVI’s services. This is the most assessments ever completed in one year.
- Access Technology Service (ATS) staff provided a touch tour workshop for 9 consumers that focused on accessing Internet based resources for the Cincinnati Art Museum. ATS staff also held a Facebook workshop for 8 consumers to learn about social media and set up their own pages.
- Rehabilitation staff held a hands-on technology workshop in June for 24 attendees. New technology included items for kitchen use, labeling, accessing information from barcodes, and using the iPad for everyday tasks.
- A model for low vision services for nursing home residents was developed, including the development of portable kits to transport low vision equipment. This model will be tested in 2013.