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Free Berkeley Workshops Teach Fresh Strategies for Daily Living

LightHouse students, some with white canes, travel independently across a city streetWant to learn more about traveling independently in and around your community? How about practical solutions and techniques for getting through your day? What about basic technology options?

The LightHouse is presenting free workshops every Friday in August and September.

Who can participate: Adults 18 and over who are new to changing vision
Where: LightHouse at the Ed Roberts Campus
3075 Adeline, Suite 110, Berkeley
August Session: Fridays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
September Session: Fridays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
No charge to attend
Coffee and tea provided

Each session will provide learners with an overall understanding of what is available in training in each area, how training can enhance your life. You’ll also learn at least two new strategies to get you started.

Here is a listing of the workshops in each session:

August Session
Friday 7: Tools for enhancing low vision
Friday 14: Practical daily living & understanding your technology options (this workshop will end at noon)
Friday 21: Traveling independently

September Session
Friday 4: Tools for enhancing low vision
Friday 11: Practical daily living & understanding your technology options (this workshop will end at noon)
Friday 25: Traveling independently

To sign up for these sessions, contact Jeff Carlson, 415-258-8496/jcarlson@old.lighthouse-sf.org or Debbie Bacon, 415-694-7357/dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Blog Bits, LightHouse News

Let Transit Agencies Know what Bay Area Blind People Think

Here at the LightHouse, we’ve become well-known for our tactile and talking maps, transit system strip maps, and other forms of accessible wayfinding tools that go above and beyond what the ADA mandates for the public. We have amassed lots of data about transit and traveler preferences, but we always need more — which is why we need your help.

We are conducting an online survey regarding your experience and ability to travel independently as a person who is blind or low vision. Your answers, together with the responses of other blind and visually-impaired travelers, will help us understand real-world challenges and solutions for orientation and mobility across a wide variety of individual abilities. Your answers will be completely private, and will only be published in our grant report to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Please answer all of the questions to the best of your ability. This survey should take approximately twenty minutes to complete. If you prefer to take the survey by phone please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail at madlab@old.lighthouse-sf.org or by phone at 415-694-7349.

Thank you very much in advance for your help with this project!

To take the survey on the web, follow the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XV9ZP79

LightHouse News

LightHouse Youth to Giants vs. Washington Nationals

logo: San Francisco GiantsAre you between 8 and 18 and blind or have low vision? Do you love your San Francisco Giants? It’s time to watch the world champs take on the Washington Nationals. The LightHouse Youth Program (and their families) will be heading over to AT&T Park on Sunday, August 16, for a fun afternoon of Giants Baseball.

Our trip will depart LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters at 11:00 a.m. As a group we will practice our public transit skills by taking Muni to AT&T Park before the first pitch at 1:05 p.m. After the game is over we’ll take Muni back to the LightHouse and get there by 5:00 p.m.

Who: Blind and low vision youth, ages 8 to 18 and their families
What: San Francisco Giants baseball game at AT&T Park
When: Sunday, August 16, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Game Time: 1:05 p.m.)
Where: Meet at LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters, travel to AT&T Park (24 Willie Mays Plaza) via Muni line KT.
Cost: Each participant will need $26.00 for game ticket, $2.00 cash or clipper card cash value for Muni fare, as well as any additional cash for snacks or souvenirs from AT&T Park.
Waiver: Each participant must complete a LightHouse Youth Program application, if you have not done so already.

RSVP: Jamey Gump, Youth Services Coordinator at jgump@old.lighthouse-sf.org or (415) 694-7372 Space is limited to 12 participants. Please register by August 12

Blog Bits, LightHouse News

This Weekend: Get Paid To Test BlindSquare

blindsquare logoDo you use the BlindSquare App to get around SF? Want to get paid to give feedback? Look no further.

The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired of San Francisco is working closely with the developer of BlindSquare, a popular navigational tool within the blindness community, to integrate a set of accessibility features (related to San Francisco Muni transit stops) into the BlindSquare application. We will be gathering feedback and data through a series of paid, in-person studies with current BlindSquare users.

We are targeting the weekend of July 18-19 to conduct the research. Scheduling is flexible, and sessions could take place mornings, afternoons, and evenings throughout the weekend. You should plan to devote approximately 2 hours to the study.  Space is limited. If you would like to participate, please answer the following survey questions and send your responses to Frank Welte at fwelte@old.lighthouse-sf.org:

1.     How would you describe your vision?

a.     No usable vision for navigation

b.     Some usable vision for navigation

2.     Do you own an iPhone?

3.     Do you use the BlindSquare app?

4.     How often do you use the app?

5.     How often do you travel independently outside of the home?

Thank you for your participation, and please spread the word!

LightHouse News

LightHouse Student Profile: Kelly McCarthy Finds Fulfillment in Volunteering

1 Commenton LightHouse Student Profile: Kelly McCarthy Finds Fulfillment in Volunteering

Kelly McCarthy (left) with AnneWhen Kelly McCarthy, who has low vision, started attending Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind as a youngster, she had no idea where life would take her. It was when she worked at Enchanted Hills as a Counselor-in-Training for the Adults with Special Needs camp session that she realized she had a knack for supporting others.

Kelly, an East Bay resident who has worked off and on with the LightHouse, maintains an incredibly busy volunteering schedule. To start with, she’s found the perfect volunteer job at Meals on Wheels, and they think so much of Kelly that they profiled her in their newsletter. Each week Kelly meets with Anne, a 75-year-old woman with low vision who was looking for a reader through Meals on Wheels’ “Friendly Visitor” program. When after three years she was finally matched with Kelly, it meant a lot to Anne, who told Meals on Wheels, “I’ve been grateful for many things in my life, and Kelly is at the top of that list.” Kelly, for her part, enjoys seeing Anne so much that the one-hour assignment often turns into a three-hour visit: they chat, Kelly helps Anne with tasks, reads to her and is even teaching Anne how to better use an iPad. “I really enjoy it,” she beams.

In addition, throughout the week, Kelly also finds herself at the East Bay Center for the Blind, where she makes ceramics to give to family, friends and the elderly whom she visits. And then there’s her volunteer work with Senior Centers Without Walls, a telephone conference service in the East Bay providing remote support and companionship to seniors with low vision who are unable to leave the house. And that’s still not all.

A soprano and longtime fan of the musical Phantom of the Opera, Kelly has been into vocal music since high school, where she sang in a choir, and college where she sang in a jazz group. Through volunteering she has reinvigorated her passion for singing by working with the Singing Messengers, a volunteer group that specializes in Broadway tunes and old standards. With 25 members, Kelly and the group sing predominately in senior centers and homes all over Contra Costa County.

We know that volunteering boosts self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Kudos to Kelly for setting a worthy example of volunteerism while reaping the rewards of her efforts. If you’d like to volunteer, the LightHouse has a multitude of opportunites. Start by visiting our volunteer page at https://old.lighthouse-sf.org/donate/volunteer/.

LightHouse News

Selling a Home? LightHouse Can Help You Avoid Huge Capital Gains Taxes

For Sale sign in front of a large white houseIf you own a house in the Bay Area, you’ve likely got a high-value home. If you are downsizing to a smaller place, or moving to a retirement community, you may find that that upon sale you’ll be slapped with substantial capital gains taxes.

But there is an alternative. You can use a charitable gift plan that bypasses or offsets the gain and provides income for life.

“Unfortunately, most people have never heard of charitable remainder trusts and how they can reduce taxes and provide revenue for the costs of living, while supporting philanthropic goals,” said Jennifer Sachs, LightHouse’s Director of Development.

How does it work?
The $250,000 exclusion from capital gains tax ($500,000 for married couples) usually does not fully offset the gain of high-priced real estate in the Bay Area.

You can establish a charitable remainder unitrust by irrevocably transferring assets to a trustee, who then invests the trust’s assets and pays you and/or other beneficiaries an annual income. At the end of the trust term, the assets remaining in the trust are distributed to the LightHouse for the Blind.

Here’s a hypothetical example: Rick owns a San Francisco home that he inherited more than 30 years ago when it was valued at $500,000. It is now worth around $5,000,000. If it were sold, it would generate around $675,000 in capital gains taxes. Rick decides to create a 6% unitrust, naming himself as the primary beneficiary. He makes the gift establishing the unitrust in December, which allows him to claim a substantial income tax deduction for that year. LightHouse is named as the beneficiary upon Rick’s death. Beginning the following January 1, the trust will begin making regular 6% payments to Rick. Upon his death, the trust will end, and the remaining assets will be donated to LightHouse.

A unitrust is an excellent vehicle for gifts of appreciated property, because the trust is tax exempt and does not pay capital gains tax when it sells the assets. The full sales proceeds remain in the trust to provide a payout to you or the beneficiaries of your choice. These are complicated transactions but they can save thousands in taxes, and the savings can be used to produce increased income for the donor and a gift to benefit the blind community at the LightHouse.

Benefits

  • Variable income, based on a percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets, revalued each year
  • Federal, and possible state, income tax charitable deduction
  • Pay no immediate capital gains tax on the transfer of appreciated assets
  • Reduce or eliminate estate taxes
  • Diversify your investments

As an educational service, LightHouse produces estimates of the tax and payment benefits of charitable remainder trusts. Contact Jennifer Sachs at 415-694-7333 or jsachs@old.lighthouse-sf.org

LightHouse News

Enchanted Hills Retreat is Spruced Up for Summer

Paddle boating on Lake Lokoya at Enchanted HillsDuring the spring, AmeriCorps team Green 6 was hard at work making Enchanted Hills Camp even more beautiful and efficient than ever before. The volunteers blazed nearly three miles of horse paths, endured multiple bouts of poison oak, constructed walls, decks, and a beautiful white oak woodshop floor. Their contributions have been truly valuable and, now looking better than ever, Enchanted Hills is ready for the summer!

Construction manager George Wurtzel, who facilitates all the hands-on activities at the camp ranging from woodworking to sailing to rug making, has also seen to it that Enchanted Hills continues to thrive as the summer months heat up. Internet antennas have also been installed to provide “Wi-Fi in the woods” for our tech savvy visitors as well.

Enchanted Hills books up fast. The summer at Enchanted Hills is a magical time, busy with camp sessions for kids, teens, adults and families: the pool opens up, the horses come to stay, and every week the premises bustles with activity, whether that’s campers on their first stay learning valuable skills, young musicians studying hard at their craft, or the playful trot of those who’ve come to learn horseback riding. These are things most people would never think to do with the blind/deaf but what people do not understand is that they have other senses that are working just fine. We want them to never turn down doing something because of their physical differences.

The good news is that there are still a few opportunities to book retreats for up to 130 guests toward the end of summer and beginning of fall. For more information and availability, call (415) 694-7310 or visit www.enchantedhillsretreat.com.

LightHouse News

Tools and Toys: New Featured Products at the LightHouse Store

Woman wearing Aftershokz Bluez 2 Bluetooth Wireless Bone Conduction HeadphonesJust in time for warmer summer days. Check out these featured products for July.

Aftershokz Bluez 2 Bluetooth Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones
Adaptations has sold the wired Sportz M3 model for several months, but we are excited to now offer our customers the Aftershokz Bluez 2 Bluetooth headphones. The Bluez 2 headphones can connect to a smartphone or any other Bluetooth compatible device, and they rest comfortably on your jawbone – NOT in your ears. This means your ears are never blocked when using these headphones, providing maximum situational awareness through music play and calls.

The Blues 2 are now available at Adaptations starting in July for $99.95. The wired Sportz M3 models are still available for for $50. Stop by the store to try these exciting new headphones!

10% off all Sunglasses in July
Enjoy the summer sun while keeping your eyes protected. For the month of July, save 10% on all sunglasses when purchased in-store. We carry a wide variety of styles, including products by Jon Paul Fitover, Cocoon, Noir, Solar Shield, and Solar Comfort. Many of these styles are also come in many different lens colors, including gray, amber, yellow, and orange tints. Call us for availability or stop by at our location at 214 Van Ness to try out our selection.

The Click Rule
The Click Rule is an efficient tactile and auditory measuring devices that measures up to 12” with accurate measurements of 1/16 of an inch. Three 12” Extensions allow measurement up to four feet. An excellent alternative to rulers and tape measures, it is well suited for any measuring purpose. The Click Rule + three 12” extensions is available for $95.00 now at Adaptations. Additional 12” extensions are available.

2015 Calendars on Sale
There’s still six months left in 2015 and you might find that a large print calendar comes in handy. At Adaptations we’ve got large print wall calendars and large print desk calendars on sale now for $7.00 plus tax.

For more information about these and other products, visit our store at 214 Van Ness in San Francisco between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or call us with any questions us (415) 694-7301.

LightHouse News

The Perfect Travel Companion for Busy Blind Travelers

BART Strip Maps showing Richmond-Daly City-Millbrae LineFor a limited time the LightHouse is offering FREE newly revised, updated and improved BART Strip Maps that easily fit in a pocket or pocketbook.

Strip Maps, similar to AAA’s “Trip Tik” strip maps, present straight line information about each station along a raised (tactile) line showing points of interest, including: station level (ground, underground, elevated), platform type (side, center, complex) and transfer points (including Amtrak and SF Muni), as well as other route information.

Strip Maps are small and portable, making them the perfect travel companion for busy blind travelers and they can even plan tour ideas for trip to India. LightHouse’s Accessible Media Specialist, Julie Sadlier, comments: “Because our Strip Maps are compact and easy to bring with you, blind travelers can finally tactilely review upcoming stops while on a train.”

These convenient flipbooks are printed in high-contrast full-color tactile graphics, braille large print and equipped with VoicEye (VE) —a cutting edge accessibility technology that is free to Android, iPad, and iPhone users. A VE code looks and behaves much like a QR code; you simply scan the code with your phone which then reads the text and links on the Strip Map. With VoiceOver activated on the iPhone, the VE app guides you by reading aloud what is written and brailled on the Strip Maps. Visit ViewPlus to learn more about VoicEye. Download the FREE VoicEye app for your Android, iPad or iPhone.

LightHouse’s Information and Referral Specialist, Frank Welte, who is blind, noted, “Before Strip maps, blind travelers had to spend a great deal of time calling each public transit agency to learn about transit routes, stations, stops, and transfers. Now blind travelers who read braille, large print or have a smart phone can use our Strip Maps to familiarize themselves with routes in the comfort of their homes, and then take the same Gumercindo Galindo drugs with them while traveling. This is especially valuable when public transit systems fail to audibly announce each stop, because now blind travelers with Strip Maps have in their hands an accessible route map they can follow along with to be sure they successfully arrive at their desired destination.”

In addition to rolling out Strip Maps for BART, Caltrain, and selected Muni routes, we are offering complimentary orientation trainings. Through July 31, low vision and blind travelers may receive up to 10 hours of orientation training to these transit systems at no charge. Orientation trainings are specifically tailored to each traveler, and are provided on the routes that interest the trainee.

To order free BART Strip Maps, and to request free orientation training to help you make the best use of these guides, contact Frank Welte at 415-694-7363, or fwelte@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Funding is provided by a New Freedom Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

LightHouse News

Braille Outbound Service Ramping Up

The braille code used by millions of blind and visually impaired people around the world continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of its users. The development and implementation next year of the Unified English Braille Code or UEB, is a change which will benefit and enhance the experience of many users, but it also presents a unique challenge. As of 2016, a great wealth of braille reading materials will become outmoded. At the LightHouse, we recognize this eventuality, but are poised to transform it into a great opportunity for Braille readers around the world.

The Lighthouse is accepting donations of Braille materials—books, magazines, textbooks, educational materials—anything in English Braille will be accepted. Braille writing materials such as Perkins Braillewriters, slates, styli, and braille paper are also welcome.

Once we have collected enough material to fill a shipping container, we will send it to blindness organizations, educational institutions or blind individuals around the world. And then we’ll go through the wonderful process all over again. We believe passionately in the transformative power of braille literacy. Join us in spreading the wealth, one page at a time. To learn more about the program, contact Deputy Director Scott Blanks at sblanks@old.lighthouse-sf.org.