[acb-hsp] [leadership] Fw: New Website Offers Information and Support forAdults with Vision Loss

[peter altschul]

----- Original Message -----
From: afbdirectory at afb.net
To: jeff.thom at ccbnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 1:42 PM
Subject: New Website Offers Information and Support for Adults 
with Vision Loss


New York (June 12, 2012)—Are you or a family member having 
difficulty seeing? Or perhaps been diagnosed with an eye 
condition such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma or 
diabetic retinopathy? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone: 
vision problems affect 25 million Americans, and are on the rise.

To support this growing community, the American Foundation for 
the Blind (AFB) and Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight 
Foundation have launched VisionAware.org, a free, easy-to-use 
informational website for adults with vision loss, their 
families, caregivers, healthcare providers, and social service 
professionals.

The new VisionAware combines two stand-alone resources from AFB 
and Partners for Sight (Senior Site and the former VisionAware, 
respectively) into a single, comprehensive website offering 
dynamic social networking and customized guidance for adults of 
all ages with rich content and practical tips on living with 
vision loss.

“Of the services available today that help people newly 
diagnosed with vision loss, we anticipate that VisionAware will 
be a superlative resource for finding help and support on living 
fully and independently,” said Carl R.  Augusto, AFB president 
and CEO.  “By combining our efforts with the Reader’s Digest 
Partners for Sight Foundation, we can better serve the millions 
of adults coping with vision loss.”

“This partnership will strengthen our goal of serving adults 
who are losing their sight,” said Susan Olivo, Executive 
Director, Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation  
“For this growing community, it’s paramount for them to know 
that help is available.”

Visitors to the new VisionAware will find:

• Free, practical tips and resources for adults with vision 
loss, their families, friends, caregivers, and related 
professionals

• Information on eye diseases and disorders

• Different ways to connect, including message boards and 
social media channels like Twitter and Facebook

• Breaking news on the latest developments in vision loss 
treatment via the VisionAware blog

• Directories of helpful services, products, and resources

The new VisionAware complements AFB’s family of websites, which 
are designed to expand possibilities so that people with vision 
loss can achieve their full potential.  For more information, 
visit: www.VisionAware.org.

###

About AFB
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national 
nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss.  
AFB’s priorities include broadening access to technology; 
elevating the quality of information and tools for the 
professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting 
independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by 
providing them and their families with relevant and timely 
resources.  Headquartered in New York, AFB is proud to house the 
Helen Keller Archives and honor the more than 40 years that Helen 
Keller worked tirelessly with AFB.

About Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation
Since 1955, Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation (PFS) 
has been a vital source of support on local, regional and 
national levels for the blind and visually impaired.  With an 
emphasis on connecting people in need with resources and 
services, the Foundation has provided new technology, new 
opportunity and new hope for hundreds of thousands of people 
across the United States.