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About the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina is the leading advocate of the blind and visually impaired within North Carolina and is an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind based in Baltimore, Maryland.

The NFB of North Carolina complies with the programs outlined by the National office and is dedicated to supporting the efforts of the NFB in all endeavors and is proud to adopt and work to achieve the goals outlined by the National Federation of the Blind.

The National Federation of the Blind of Mecklenburg County complies with and strives to fulfill all obligations associated with being a member of the National Federation of theBlind.

A history and an outline of the goals of the NFB.

Founded in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the nation's largest and most influential membership organization of Blind persons. With over fifty thousand members, the NFB has affiliates in all fifty states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, and over seven hundred local chapters. As a consumer and advocacy organization, the NFB is considered the leading force in the blindness field today.

The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind is two-fold—to help blind persons achieve self-confidence and self-respect and to act as a vehicle for collective self-expression by the blind. By providing public education about:

• blindness
• information and referral services
• scholarships
• literature and publications about blindness
• aids and appliances and other adaptive equipment for the blind
• advocacy services and protection of civil rights
• development and evaluation of technology
• support for blind persons and their families

Members of the NFB strive to educate the public that the blind are normal individuals who can compete on terms of equality.

Special services of the National Federation of the Blind include:

Materials Center

containing over eleven hundred pieces of literature about blindness and four hundred different aids and appliances used by the blind and the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind is the world's largest and most complete evaluation and demonstration center for all speech and Braille technology used by the blind from around the world.

NFB-NEWSLINE®

For the Blind, the world's first free talking newspaper service, offers the blind the complete text of leading national and local newspapers with the use of only a touch-tone telephone.

Jobline

Offers national employment listings and job openings through a telephone menu system to anyone free of charge.

Publications of the NFB include:

• Braille Monitor, which provides a positive philosophy about blindness and discusses events and activities of the Federation and in the blindness field and Future Reflections. A publication of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. A Division of the NFB.
• Voice of the Diabetic focuses on special interests and needs of diabetics and is a publication of the Diabetes Action Network, also a Division of the National Federation of the Blind.

It is estimated that about 1.1 million people in the U.S. are blind. Each year 50,000 more will become blind. Studies show that only AIDS and cancer are feared more than blindness. However, blindness need not be the tragedy which it is generally thought to be. In the NFB we say, “The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight, but the misunderstanding and lack of information which exist".

Click here for more information about the National Federation of the Blind.

Welcome to our sighted friends.

We welcome participation by all individuals. Although we are of the blind, we welcome, indeed seek sighted participation. Our friends, associates, and members are the backbone of the NFB whether they are sighted or blind.

Building a future for the blind.

President

Jerry Moreno
(704) 814-7303
for more information

Thank you for visiting us and remember that we are always delighted when you choose to visit with us. So, come back often.

To meet with us directly you may come to our meetings held each third (3) Saturday in the month.

© 2007 National Federation of the Blind of Mecklenburg County
All rights reserved

Eastern Hills Baptist Church
4855 Albemarle Road
Charlotte, NC 28205

This page was last updated on April 15, 2011 by Charles Helms.