Category Archive

LightHouse News

So You Think You Want a Guide Dog Info Session is December 10

11/13/2024 LightHouse Staff

“I need a guide dog! Or do I?” Have you been considering applying for a guide dog and are curious to learn more but don’t know where to start? Will daily travel with a guide dog be easier? Are there things you need to know in order to prepare for the application process? Join Orientation and Mobility Specialist Mollie Tunks and Independent Living Skills Specialist Bobbi Pompey for “So You Think You Want a Guide Dog?”. This workshop covers details to help you decide if a guide dog might be a good fit for you or not.

Topics include:
• Common misconceptions about guide dogs
• Tips on how to decide if the guide dog lifestyle is right for you
• Skills you need before applying to guide dog school
• Details to consider about a prospective guide dog school
• What to expect during the application process
• How to prepare for school once you are accepted

This is a hybrid event. The in-person portion takes place at the Ed Roberts Campus (ERC) in Berkeley, which is right on top of Ashby BART Station. You can grab a bite to eat at the ADA Cafe right inside of ERC as well.

What: So You Think You Want a Guide Dog
When: Tuesday, December 10, from noon to 2:30 pm
Where: In-person attendees can join us at Lighthouse East Bay at the Ed Roberts Campus at 3075 Adeline, Suite 110 Berkeley. This will also be held on Zoom.
RSVP: Please RSVP by December 3, to Verna Huang at VHuang@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7672. If you can’t make this workshop, please contact Verna to get signed up for future workshops.

LightHouse News

Level Up Your Auditory Skills with The Language of Listening Course

11/13/2024 LightHouse Staff

The whistle of a teapot, or bubbles in a pot hint at tasty things to come. The whizz of cars in front of us are warnings, while those traveling beside us are protective. The dial tone that lets us know we are one step closer to speaking to a loved one. In this series of classes, we will discuss the many ways we can sharpen our listening skills to make the most of what we hear. Whether your goal is to get out and travel, prepare a special meal, return to school or work, or write the great American novel, we will help you separate the useful signals from all the noise, and to level up your listening skills.

Course Schedule:
• Session 1- Welcome & Course Overview- This session will include staff/student introductions, a course overview, and introduction to auditory skills, the completion of a pre-test, and time for questions.
• Session 2- A Deep Dive into “Thinking in Sound”- The goal of this session is to introduce common examples of how to utilize auditory cues. Students will begin by identifying the type of learner they are and how to supplement that with auditory input. Tips for reading comprehension and interpersonal communication will also be covered.
• Session 3- Around the House- This session will focus on the application of auditory skills within the area of independent living. Cooking, note-taking, object location-identification, and labeling are some of the skill areas that will be covered.
• Session 4- Voices, Tones, and Beeps! Oh My- This session will introduce students to the audio information provided by various forms of mainstream and access technology. Students will be exposed to various types of voices and indication sounds. They will learn how to determine what the certain indicators mean, and which voice characteristics are most appropriate for various tasks.
• Session 5- Out & About- An O&M Specialist will join this session to discuss the intersection of orientation and mobility skills with auditory skills. Students will be provided with relevant examples and guided through the process of siphoning out the most useful auditory information amongst the plethora of noise in outside and unfamiliar environments.
• Session 6- Putting It All Together- This session will include time for final questions, a discussion about the process of transitioning to the usage of more auditory input, and a discussion of how to determine when it may be appropriate to use vision as well (this is known as the “Use Your Vision When it is F.U.N.,” technique). Students will also complete the post-test during this session.

What: The Language of Listening
When: Mondays & Wednesdays, November 18, 20, 25, & 27 and December 2 & 4
Where: Online via Zoom
RSVP to Casey Lam at CLam@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7683.

LightHouse News

Intro to Access Technology Classes in San Francisco & Berekley

10/31/2024 LightHouse Staff

LightHouse is offering our Introduction to Access Technology class in person at our San Francisco and Berkeley locations.

If you’re a student new to access technology, join LightHouse instructors to explore the concepts and tools you will need to use devices confidently and comfortably. We will discuss access technology vocabulary in an approachable, digestible and jargon-free manner. We will provide overviews of low vision enhancements and spoken feedback tools available for computers, smartphones and tablets. There will be workshops on dedicated devices, getting to know your phone, options for notetaking, access-optimized apps, resources and technical support contacts.

Ed Roberts Introduction to Access Technology

Monday, November 18 through Friday, November 22, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, daily

LightHouse East Bay
Ed Roberts Campus
3075 Adeline St, Berkeley

Perquisites: AT Essentials class

If you’re interested, please contact Casey Lam at CLam@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7683.

San Francisco Introduction to Access Technology

Monday, November 18 through Friday, November 22, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, daily

LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
1155 Market St. 10^th Floor
San Franisco

Perquisites: AT Essentials class

If you’re interested, please contact Casey Lam at CLam@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7683.

See you in class!

LightHouse News

Meet Me in the Kitchen Starts 11/15

10/31/2024 LightHouse Staff

Do you love to cook or are you looking to learn? Curious about non-visual techniques to learn kitchen sills? We’re got the course for you!

“Meet Me in the Kitchen,” is a five week-course designed to empower LightHouse students with the non-visual techniques needed to prepare and present delicious meals independently. This course is created and taught by Bobbi Pompey, an Independent Living Skills Specialist with a passion for cooking and teaching. Each week you will learn non-visual kitchen skills, general cooking tips and tricks and prepare a snack or meal.

Skills You Will Learn Include:

Organizing, labeling, and preparing your kitchen and workspace
Measuring wet and dry ingredients
Using knives, kitchen appliances, blindness/low vision gadgets and other “tools of the trade”
Understanding how to build flavor profiles, decipher lingo used in recipes, and determine the doneness of food
Serving, garnishing, and presenting meals with multiple dishes to friends and family, and other guests

What: Meet Me in the Kitchen
When: Fridays, November 15 & 22 and December 6, 13 & 20, from noon to 4:00 pm. (No class Friday, November 29.)
Where: LightHouse Headquarters, 1155 Market. San Francisco
RSVP: Spaces in this fun and educational course are limited, so secure your participation by contacting Bobbi Pompey, BPompey@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7613.

LightHouse News

Spread the Word! We’re Recruiting Fitness Volunteers!

10/31/2024 LightHouse Staff

LightHouse’s Connections Department is recruiting fitness volunteers. This November, there will be Fitness volunteer recruitment events in Santa Rosa, San Francisco and Berkeley. Do you like getting outside, getting your heart rate up, or just generally staying healthy? This is the role for you! Fitness volunteers work with blind or low vision individuals who want to lead healthy lives, whether it’s as a running partner, hiking partner, or half of a tandem cycling team. All fitness levels are welcome!

Here are details about the three Fit for Independence – Volunteer Recruitment Events:

Friday, November 1 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Sports Basement Santa Rosa
1970 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa

Friday, November 8, from noon to 2:00 pm
Sports Basement Presidio
610 First Dr E, San Francisco

Friday, November 22, from noon to 2:00 pm
Sports Basement Berkeley
2727 Milvia St, Berkeley

Have questions? Reach out to Tajanique Lee at TLee@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

LightHouse News

We Had a Fabulous White Cane Day, and the Celebration of the White Cane Continues

10/17/2024 LightHouse Staff 3,402 Comments

On Saturday, October 5, over 200 marchers and volunteers traveled from all over the San Francisco Bay Area to the Marin Vista Point to participate in LightHouse’s 2^nd Annual White Cane Day March across the Golden Gate Bridge. Blind, low vision, deafblind and sighted marchers alike, all joined together to celebrate the independence and resilience of the BVI community, spread awareness, and bridge the gap between the sighted and blind communities. Marchers held signs with messages of empowerment like, “Blind and Proud,” “Have Cane? Will Travel!” and “Guide Dog Freedom” as cars crossing alongside the marchers honked and cheered in support.

After the nearly two-mile march in the bright, warm sun, our participants picnicked at Chrissy Field where they enjoyed delicious, handcrafted sandwiches prepared by LightHouse and Enchanted Hills Camp’s low vision Head Chef, Matt Beard, and his crew of prep cooks. As we celebrated another successful trip across the Golden Gate Bridge, State Assemblyman, Senator Scott Weiner, joined the White Cane Day celebration by sharing words of support and recognition of LightHouse and the overarching community we serve.

Our White Cane Day Celebration on October 5 was a fantastic event, but the WCD festivities don’t end there! We’ll be celebrating the BVI Community and the White Cane all month long!

Shop Canes and Cane Accessories with Adaptations

For the entire month of October, Adaptations is celebrating White Cane Day by offering 10% off all canes and cane accessories. Replace that old cane or cane tip, check out our handy cane holsters, or simply try out a new cane style. You can shop our cane collection online, by visiting www.adaptations.org, or you can make an appointment to shop in-person with one of our expert Adaptations staff members! To book an appointment, please call 888-400-8933.

Make a Community Impact with You Cane Give

After you’ve restocked your cane closet, you can take that collection of old, out-of-use or broken canes, and put them to excellent use! LightHouse is excited to once again be partnering with You Cane Give to collect used and broken canes to be repaired, repurposed, and redistributed to in-need blind folks around the world. To donate your cane, drop it off in the designated bin at LightHouse reception anytime between now and the end of October. Learn more about You Cane Give.

LightHouse News

LightHouse and Mike May Present the 2024 Blind Travel Summit, 11/13

09/20/2024 LightHouse Staff 991 Comments

Where: LightHouse headquarters located at 1155 Market St, 10^th Floor, San Francisco – Directions to LightHouse San Francisco

When: Wednesday, November 13, from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Cost: The cost is $50 per person, which includes lunch.

Why: This is a gathering of blind travelers nationally and internationally, coming together to learn and share tips and tricks from each other. Rideshare and autonomous vehicle companies will be both presenting and listening.

Topics will include traveling with a guide dog, navigating trains and planes, using alternative tools and techniques, and much more.

Remember: “It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.”

“The better you get around, the better you engage in life.”

RSVP for 2024 Blind Travel Summit

For questions and details about the event, email MM@MikeMay.org

Note Mike May’s new podcast on blind travel called, The People Make the Places.

LightHouse News

Celebrate Different Cultures within the Blindness Community with LightHouse, 9/28

09/17/2024 Christina Daniels 257 Comments

On September 28, join LightHouse in celebrating the Cantonese, Mandarin and Spanish speaking communities, along with the African American community, through personal narratives, cultural cuisine and inspiring music at Journey to Community, A Multicultural Event.

This event is hosted by LightHouse’s multicultural committee, The Cultural Engagement Project. LightHouse Adult Program Specialist Sabrina Bolus chatted with us about the committee and the event.

“The committee grew out of conversations with students,” Sabrina began. “Last May it came together and the committee expanded to include staff, students, volunteers and community members. We started talking about how we wanted to come together as a group, foster intercultural connections and celebrate different cultures, so we planned this first event, Journey to Community.”

Sabrina explained a little about the three panelists joining us for the event, “We have within our mist very talented and interesting people: Jorge Ellington, a wonderful Latin jazz musician; Norma Ryles, an interior designer; and Joseph Chan, one of our board members as well as an author.”

Jorge Ellington, one of the panelists, is also one of the students Sabrina talked to. He expressed his hopes for this event, “When I first met Sabrina, we talked about wanting to open up more student programming for students from different cultures. We want to show them LightHouse is open to them for community programming and blindness skills training in different languages.”

This event will bring together people who share the commonality of being a part of the blindness community, to share what we have in common as well as our differences. As Joseph Chan said, “Vision loss has no culture and language boundaries, but our first multicultural event is an opportunity for getting acquainted with people from other cultures and people who speak different languages.”

Norma Ryles added the event was about “fostering community cohesion and celebrating diversity within the blind and visually impaired community.”

Event Details

What: Journey to Community, A Multicultural Event
When: Saturday, September 28, from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Where: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 1155 Market St. San Francisco

Spanish, Cantonese, and ASL interpretation will be provided.

Panelists Info

Joseph Chan: LightHouse: Board of Directors, author – passion for language access
Norma Ryles: LightHouse Student, Interior Designer – passion for Architecture and design
Jorge Ellington: LightHouse Student, Lifelong Musician – passion for music and poetry

Schedule

Moderated by Daisy Soto, LightHouse Youth Program Coordinator

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Social Hour, enjoy food and drinks from diverse cultures
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Panel discussion, “Journeys to Community”
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm: DJ Music and dancing

RSVP

RSVP online for Journey to Community, A Multicultural Event.
要使用西班牙語、粵語或普通話進行註冊，請使用您熟悉的語言發送電子郵件至 SBolus@old.lighthouse-sf.org，我们的翻译員會為您提供幫助。
Para inscribirse en español, envíe un correo electrónico a SBolus@old.lighthouse-sf.org y un intérprete le ayudará.
Or call Sabrina Bolus at 415-694-7607.

LightHouse News

¡Explora las Funciones de Accesibilidad de iOS con LightHouse!

09/17/2024 LightHouse Staff 323 Comments

Sumérgete en nuestro taller en línea y descubre herramientas esenciales de accesibilidad en iOS diseñadas para hispanohablantes. Aprende a dominar VoiceOver, explorar mejoras para baja visión y utilizar aplicaciones de lupa para navegar tu dispositivo iOS con confianza e independencia.

¡Visita nuestro canal ahora para acceder a este valioso recurso y mejorar tus habilidades tecnológicas hoy mismo!

Ver Vídeo

¡Domina la Tecnología de los Altavoces Inteligentes con LightHouse!
Explora nuestro taller en línea para mejorar tu comprensión y uso de los altavoces inteligentes. Diseñado para todos los niveles, esta sesión cubre desde la configuración básica hasta funciones avanzadas, ayudándote a descubrir cómo los altavoces inteligentes pueden mejorar la conveniencia y accesibilidad en tu vida diaria. Aprende sobre comandos de voz, integración con el hogar inteligente y el uso de asistentes virtuales para fomentar mayor independencia y eficiencia en tus rutinas diarias.

¡Visita nuestro canal para acceder a este valioso recurso y comienza a dominar tu altavoz inteligente hoy mismo!

Ver Vídeo

[English Translations]

Explore iOS Accessibility Features with LightHouse!
Dive into our online workshop and discover essential iOS accessibility tools tailored for Spanish speakers. Learn how to master VoiceOver, explore low vision enhancements, and utilize magnifier apps to navigate your iOS device with confidence and independence.

Visit our channel now to access this valuable resource and enhance your tech skills today!

Master Smart Speaker Technology with LightHouse!
Explore our online workshop to elevate your understanding and use of smart speakers! Designed for all levels, this session covers everything from basic setup to advanced functionalities, helping you discover how smart speakers can enhance daily convenience and accessibility. Learn about voice commands, smart home integration, and the use of virtual assistants to foster greater independence and efficiency in your daily routines.

Visit our channel to access this valuable resource and start mastering your smart speaker today!

LightHouse News

Two Online Classes Offered by LightHouse Low Vision Optometrist this September

09/03/2024 LightHouse Staff 1 Comment

Dr. Truyet Tran, LightHouse’s Low Vision Optometrist, will be offering two info sessions about eye health and low vision exams this September.

The Importance of Eye Health for Your Overall Well-Being (online)

Wednesday, September 11, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Join LightHouse’s Low Vision optometrist, Dr. Truyet Tran, as she discusses the link between eye health and general health. Areas of emphasis include an overview of some of the health conditions eye doctors can diagnose with eye exams such as hypertension, diabetes, and stroke, diabetes and its potential impacts on vision, and the importance of routine eye exams.

If you are a resident of California, this program is of no cost to you. To RSVP, please email info@old.lighthouse-sf.org or call 415-694-7323.

What is a Low Vision Exam, and What is the Benefit to Me? (online)

Tuesday, September 24, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Our Low Vision optometrist, Dr. Truyet Tran, will facilitate a conversation where students will increase their understanding of the meaning of low vision and different types of vision loss. Students will also learn what a low vision exam is, and the difference between a low vision optometrist and the general eyecare provider.

There is no cost to join this program for low vision and blind adults 55 years and older interested in learning and living in the following counties: Mendocino, Lake, Colusa, Trinity, Del Norte, Napa, Siskiyou, Shasta, Modoc, Alpine Tehama, Plumas and Lassen. This program is funded by the California State Department of Rehabilitation Older Individuals who are Blind Program.

To RSVP, please email info@old.lighthouse-sf.org or call 415-694-7323.