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LightHouse News

New Classes Added for Winter and Spring – LightHouse Youth Program’s Cooking 101

Due to popular demand, the Cooking 101 series with the LightHouse Youth Program is back with new classes for Winter and Spring 2015.

Whether you are interested in cooking tasty treats, simple side dishes and snacks, or festive full course meals, this class is intended for blind and low vision youth aspiring to be more competent and confident in the kitchen. In addition to skills training, participants will also learn the ABCs of kitchen safety and sanitation.

Upon completion of the course, students will have the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence to independently prepare and cook just about any meal their taste buds desire.

Who: Blind and Low Vision Youth
What: Learn to cook tasty treats for yourself, your friends and your family
When:  From 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month
Where:  LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters @ 214 Van Ness Avenue

Waiver: Each participant must submit a LightHouse Youth Program waiver form if they have not done so for a previous outing or event.
Cost: FREE for low vision and blind youth

If you would like more information about Cooking 101 or to RSVP, please contact Jamey Gump, Youth Services Coordinator, at (415) 694-7372, or by email at jgump@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Classes will be limited to 8 participants and all participants must RSVP.

Note: It is essential to notify Youth Services Coordinator Jamey Gump of any food allergies prior to any class.

Winter and Spring Cooking 101 Schedule
January 10: Soups and Salads
February 14: Omelets
March 14: Fried Rice and Teriyaki Chicken
April 11: Pesto Pasta
May 9: Cheese Burgers in Paradise

LightHouse News

Find Your Musical Self – LightHouse Youth Music 101

Join LightHouse youth as we explore the world of music. Participants will have the opportunity to listen to, learn about and create their own musical expression amongst a range of musical genres and instruments.

An experienced musician will provide a monthly intensive and fun study focusing on a theme or instrument. Youth will have the opportunity to demo their own skills, and try the new genera or instrument. At the end of each lesson there will be a jam session using simple household items re-envisioned to demonstrate musical themes and instrumentations.

 2015 Winter and Spring Music 101 Schedule:

January 10: Damned Drumming (Drums)
February 14: Getty for Guitars (String Instruments)
March 14: Wind Winders (Wind Instruments)
April 11: Keyboard Craziness (Piano and Keyboards)
May 9: Dangerous DJ (Electronic sound)

Who: Blind and Low Vision Youth
What: Music Appreciation 101
When: 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., second Saturday of the month
Where: LightHouse Headquarters located at 214 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
Waiver: Each participant must submit a LightHouse Youth Program waiver if they have not done so for a previous outing or event.
Cost: FREE for low vision and blind youth
Classes will be limited to 8 participants, and all participants must RSVP.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Jamey Gump, Youth Services Coordinator, at (415) 694-7372 or jgump@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

LightHouse News

Thanks to our Community Partners

Thank you to the following individuals and corporations who have recently shown their support by providing significant funds to help our programs go further and reach higher:

The Annunziata Sanguinetti Foundation – supporting youth camperships at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind
Beaulieu Vineyard – for general support
Business Links – for general support
Delong-Sweet Family Foundation – supporting Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind
Herbst Foundation – for general support
Howard and Julia Eastman Fund through the San Francisco Foundation – for general support
Metta Fund – supporting youth camperships at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind
The Moca Foundation – sponsoring our Music Academy at Enchanted Hills Camp
Polara Engineering – for general support
Safeway Foundation – supporting Employment Immersion
Sidney Stern Memorial Trust – for general support
Uber Technologies – for our Campaign for a 21st Century LightHouse
Wells Fargo – supporting our Employment Immersion Program

LightHouse News

Could You Use a Helping Hand?

Could you benefit from the assistance of a LightHouse Personal Services Volunteer? Our Personal Services volunteers can work with you in a number of areas such as:

-reading mail, books, newspapers and periodicals
-writing checks, letters and correspondence
-home organization such as marking or labeling
-grocery shopping or errands with the client
-attending cultural, social or sporting events
-walking or transportation

LightHouse volunteers are eager to work with you on some of the everyday aspects of life that may be challenging. In talking with you, Volunteer Coordinator Justine Harris-Richburgh will determine what kind of volunteer you are looking for to help you find the best match. You may only be looking for short term assistance or you might be interested in a longer term working relationship. It’s up to you.

Lori Castner and her husband, Mike, are both blind and have been working with volunteers from the LightHouse Personal Services program for over ten years. “My husband and I are pretty resourceful, but we do sometimes need help with tasks we can’t do easily on our own, such as writing checks and greeting cards and sorting quickly through mail. We’ve had good luck getting readers from the LightHouse; they screen their people and really make an effort to make a good match.”

Could you use a helping hand? If you are interested in being matched with a Personal Services Volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Engagement Specialist, Justine Harris-Richburgh, at volunteer@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7320.

volunteer working with LightHouse client

 

LightHouse News

CORRECTED DATE: 3rd Annual “Day of Giving” Blind Blood Drive is Thursday, January 22nd

In honor of the Martin Luther King Day of Service 2015, LightHouse and the American Red Cross, Northern California Blood Services Region, in partnership with the Orientation Center for the Blind and the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center, will host the “Giving Blood, Giving Life: Bay Area Blind Community’s 3rd Annual Day of Giving” Blind Blood Drive on January 22, 2015 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. LightHouse is one of a number of Bay Area locations who will host the Blind Blood drive.

Logo American Red Cross, Please Give Blood

Did you know? An individual can donate blood up to six times a year, but nationally, donors give blood an average of 1.8 times a year. If everyone were to donate just one more time per year, the Red Cross would never be in urgent need for blood.

Lisamaria Martinez, who is LightHouse Director of Community Services and is coordinating the drive, told us, “Last year’s Blind Blood Drive collected 108 usable units of blood, and we hope to move that figure up to 150 usable units in 2015. This is not just another blood drive. It’s a unique opportunity for Bay Area blind people and their friends and family to unite with the powerful goal of literally rolling up their sleeves and giving back, saving lives in our community.”

Stay updated on Twitter with #blindblooddrive15. For more information about our blind community day of giving, please contact Lisamaria Martinez, Director of Community Services, at info@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-431-1481.

You can also participate in the blind blood drive at the following locations. All locations are taking blood between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 pm.

Orientation Center for the Blind: 400 Adams St. – Albany
Santa Clara Valley Blind Center: 101 N. Bascom Ave. – San Jose
San Jose Blood Donation Center: 2731 North First St – San Jose
Oakland Blood Donation Center: 6230 Claremont Ave – Oakland
Contra Costa Blood Donation Center: 140 Gregory Lane – Pleasant Hill
Pleasanton Blood Donation Center: 5556-B Springdale Ave – Pleasanton
Fremont – Newark Blood Donation Center: 39227 Cedar Blvd – Newark

To schedule your appointment at any of the above locations, please log on to redcrossblood.org, enter the Sponsor Code: DayOfGiving or call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).
If you have questions regarding your eligibility to donate blood, please call 1-866-236-3276.

 

LightHouse News

Construction Begins in December – San Francisco Civic Center Bike Station Improvements

 A message from BART:

Starting December 2014, as part of the Civic Center Station Modernization Improvements, work crews will begin to install the new bike station and bike racks at various locations inside the station. There will be some minor changes to pedestrian access routes, please look for signs and/or barricades. The work will take approximately six months to complete with estimated completion by May 2015.

All construction work will take place inside the Civic Center Station; however, temporary fencing and/or barricades may be placed on the plaza level to protect you and the construction. Although all work is planned to be performed during daytime hours, there may be times when work could be done on nights and weekends.

We do not expect to block the entrances to the station; however if it becomes unavoidable, signs will be posted to assist you and we will keep you informed of any changes through additional passenger bulletins and station announcements.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

You can get automated BART Service Advisories (BSA) on your phone. BART offers both email and text options. To sign up for BSAs, please visit us at www.bart.gov/alerts.

For on-demand service information, you can use our mobile site m.bart.gov or request BART real time departures, service advisories and more via text message. To get started text “BART go” to 468311 or jump right in and text “BART” + your station name. We’ll text you back in seconds. Follow us on Twitter @sfbart for news or @sfbartalert for automated service advisories.

If you need language assistance services, please call BART’s Transit Information Center at (510) 465-2278.

LightHouse News

Honor Someone you Love with a Gift of Caring to the LightHouse this Holiday Season

Do you have someone on your holiday list who already has everything they need or is simply a caring and compassionate person? Giving to the LightHouse for the Blind or Enchanted Hills Camp in their honor may just be the perfect gift for “hard to shop for” family members or friends. When you give a gift of caring, we will send the person honored a holiday card notifying them of your generous gift.

Interesting statistics about donors like you:72% of charitable giving comes from individuals (not from institutions such as government, corporate or foundation giving).

•95.4% of households give to charity.

•The average annual household contribution in the United States is $2,974.

•Middle-class Americans give a far bigger share of their discretionary income to charities than the rich. A report by The Chronicle of Philanthropy shows that households that earn $50,000 to $75,000 give an average of 7.6% of their discretionary income to charity, compared with an average of 4.2% for people who make $100,000 or more.

Important Note: Your contributions are deductible in the year made. Thus, donations charged to a credit card before the end of 2014 count for 2014. This is true even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until 2014. Also, checks count for 2014 as long as they are mailed in 2014.

To give a gift of caring or receive more information, please call Jennifer Sachs at 415-694-7333 or jsachs@old.lighthouse-sf.org. Or give your gift of caring online at www.lbvi.staging.wpengine.com.com/donate.

LightHouse News

LightHouse Builds First UC Berkeley Campus Talking Tactile Map

Visitors and students unfamiliar with the campus at UC Berkeley may experience a bit of difficulty finding their way around the sprawling campus. But by getting their hands on a map and taking time to study it, they can learn the positions of buildings relative to each other, and determine how to get from one place to another. This way they build a “mental map” of the campus.

But for a student or visitor who is blind or has low vision, building that mental map, finding new classrooms each semester on a campus like UC Berkeley – with its non-linear paths of travel, and buildings with multiple entrances – can be daunting. Soon blind and low vision students and visitors to the UC Berkeley campus will be able to use special tactile maps of the campus that “talk”, thanks to the LightHouse.

“If you examine a map tactilely, it really becomes ingrained. It’s as though you’ve walked through the space.” –LightHouse CEO, Bryan Bashin

LightHouse Access to Information Services specializes in conveying “visual” information tactilely, producing braille maps of outdoor and indoor public spaces; college, hospital and corporate campuses; and transit systems. With UC Berkeley we’re taking it one step further, making maps of the campus that are not only tactile, but also large-print, and with an audio component accessible through a Livescribe Smartpen.

When a user taps a feature on a map with a Livescribe Smartpen (basically a slim computer with a tiny camera that can read the underlying micro-dot pattern) a richly detailed audio commentary on each location, including nearby landscape features and assets, pours into the user’s ear. The multiple ways this information is presented help students and visitors tailor their study of the maps to their own individual needs and skill levels; for example, breaking the material into chunks for better retention or working from simple to complex.

UC Berkeley will be making these maps available through their Disabled Students Program in the near future. The LightHouse is also engaged in similar projects including the Stanford campus and San Francisco State, as well as for BART and SF Muni Metro. Contact us about creating a map for your transit system, campus, or building today.

To learn more, visit our braille and tactile maps web page, or contact Greg Kehret to discuss how the LightHouse can help you provide meaningful access to your site. He can be reached at 415-694-7349 or gkehret@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

LightHouse News

Delicious December Dining in Napa While Supporting Enchanted Hills Camp

Logo Il Posto Trattoria

Enjoy scrumptious Italian food at Il Posto Trattoria at 4211 Solano Avenue in Napa while supporting Enchanted Hills Camp. Offering a traditional Italian experience through food, served in a casual setting, Il Posto is sure to be a dining experience you won’t want to miss.

On December 15, you and your family can devour an authentic Italian dinner, complete with dessert and an outstanding wine list, while 20% of your bill (including beverages) goes to Enchanted Hills.

When: Monday Evening, December 15
Where: Il Posto Trattoria at 4211 Solano Avenue
Il Posto Trattoria will donate 20% of your bill (including alcohol) to Enchanted Hills.

Be sure to download, print and complete this easy form and bring it with you when you dine.

See Il Posto Trattoria’s menu at their website: http://www.ilpostonapa.com/

This offer made available through the Napa Valley Give!Guide.

Logo Napa Valley Give!Guide

LightHouse News

Latest Blind History Podcast: Inventor and Engineer Bill Gerrey Tells What it was Like to be Blind Here in the Early Years

Several years ago Jernigan Institute Librarian Ed Mormon and LightHouse CEO Bryan Bashin conducted an in-depth interview with Bill Gerrey, a longtime participant and observer of the blind movement in Northern California.

Gerrey and his father are both blind, and his recollections stretch back to the fun and aspiration and the old California School for the Blind in Berkeley and his own development as a blind engineer and inventor. One remarkable story is Gerrey’s description of how he was moved at the 1956 San Francisco convention of the National Federation of the Blind.

Listen to this three-part podcast, which runs about 3 hours total.