Press Release
OUR CALGARY CHAPTER BEGINS NEW FUNDRAISING DRIVE
December 2005
GIVE A CAR, GET A TAX RECEIPT
Do you have a car or truck sitting in your yard taking up valuable space? We at the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians hope you will donate it to us. Our not-for-profit organization, founded in 1992, aims to raise public awareness of the issues and concerns faced by blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted Canadians.
Donors of vehicles only have to call 968-4733 to arrange for its free removal and we will give you an income tax deduction receipt of $50 in return. It’s a win/win situation.
Contact Calgary Chapter President Mike Hambly at braille@telus.net for more information about the car recycle program.
Mission Statement
Blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted people insist on equal access to the benefits and responsibilities of Canadian life. To increase awareness of our abilities and capabilities, and not our disabilities, is the goal of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), formerly the National Federation for the Blind: Advocates for Equality.
History
The general public sees blind and deaf-blind people as disabled and even helpless. It was that kind of thinking that brought a group of people together in 1992 to create changes. Members of the Kelowna-based organization saw that blind people must begin seeing themselves as productive and useful and then go on to insist on structural changes in Canadian society. The group accomplishes those changes through public awareness campaigns, advocacy, mentorship and other initiatives. Early on, AEBC founders encouraged blind Canadians in the idea of “federationism”, to mirror the US-based National Federation of the Blind. Members from Canada attended the NFB conventions but it soon became clear that the two organizations, like the two countries, did not always share the same views on issues. AEBC members then voted to change its name to Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians and in that way evolved into a wholly Canadian advocacy organization. The membership-run AEBC strives to maintain and also gain rights of blind Canadians.
Achievements
Our first big achievement was to gain legitimate charitable status. Then the organization began publishing its own national magazine, the Canadian Blind Monitor, devoted to issues, concerns and achievements of persons who are blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted. Currently the magazine is produced in Braille, print, on audiocassette and electronically. The AEBC also sponsors a Scholarship Program, offering annual financial awards to outstanding blind, partially sighted or deaf-blind Canadian students. Our Mentorship Program provides blind mentors to assist young blind persons or blind adults adjust to their new circumstances, examine career options and become more independent. Although a lack of funds means we are no longer able to do so, in the past we have also supported the parents of blind children to attend conferences in the United States and England.
Future Goals
We will work with other advocacy groups of blind people at national and provincial levels to create larger, more powerful organizations. Reaching out to others facing similar experiences can help us form partnerships for support, information-sharing and problem-solving. It is crucial to have mentors: people who inspire, challenge and support us. As well, it can be comforting to know that others have faced, and overcome, similar challenges. This is why the AEBC mentorship program is an important tool of empowerment for the many Canadians facing partial or total vision loss. Thus, it is our goal to create mutually beneficial mentoring relationships and to provide the information and support needed for such relationships to grow.
For more information on our programs, call our national office at 1-800-561-4774 or email us info@blindcanadians.ca.
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