A New Vision for the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind's vision of a state-of-the-art training-institute has just become reality for the nation's largest and most influential organization of blind persons. With 75,000 Americans facing blindness each year, the demand and need for effective life, school, and job training is an indelible right and fundamental necessity. With this in mind, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), with the inspired leadership of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan and Dr. Marc Maurer, has created the National Research and Training Institute for the Blind. This institute, a five-story, 170,000-square-foot building, will be connected to the National Center for the Blind, which houses the NFB's headquarters located in Baltimore. With the groundbreaking held on Friday, October 19th, this new initiative has come to be a promising reality.

The groundbreaking event was attended by a large number of NFB patrons and members, as well as local press and Maryland politicians.

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A moving invocation was given by Reverend Sam Gleese, President of the Mississippi NFB. Carl Jacobsen and Michael Hingson gave testimony on surviving the September 11th attacks in New York and the realities that many blind New Yorker's are now facing. The event also gave many local politicians a chance to show their support for the new building initiative. Many, such as Barabara Mikulski, Paul S. Sarbanes, Benjamin L. Cardin, Eliijah E. Cummings, Robert Ehrlich, and Sheila Dixon to name a few, spoke specifically on the present needs and pressing issues facing individuals who are blind.

D. Barbara Mikulski talks about the issues facing many blind individuals and the promising changes that the Research and Training Institute can offer to the quality of life for those with blindness

The groundbreaking ceremony and a reception followed the morning's speeches.

As a future with great promise begins, the National Research and Training Institute gears up to provide a comprehensive range of educational choices that meet each individuals needs: Technology Access and Training Initiative; Blind Children's Initiative; Braille Literacy Initiative; Research Initiative; Blind Seniors Initiative; and an Employment Initiative. All of these projects will help to include each and every blind person in the mainstream of society, restore a sense of self-reliance, and provide an opportunity for each blind individual to aspire, to learn, and to achieve beyond what he/she has ever dreamed.

For more information on The National Research and Training Institute for the Blind, contact the National Federation of the Blind:
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230-4998
Phone: 410-659-9314
Fax: 410-685-5653
Website: www.nfb.org
Email: nfb@iamdigex.net