ACB has received many questions about the 2020 Recovery Rebate. Below you will find information about what the rebate is and other details about how you will receive your rebate.

2020 Recovery Rebate Details

One element of the third stimulus bill passed by Congress about two weeks ago includes a monetary recovery rebate, also known as the 2020 recovery rebate. Through this rebate, Americans will receive a one-time monetary amount from the government. The purpose of the rebate is to revitalize the economy. Americans who receive the money can spend it in any…

ALEXANDRIA, VA, April 13, 2020 - On Friday, April 10, ACB and more than 75 national, state and local disability and civil rights organizations sent a letter urging Congress to protect the voting rights of people who are blind and disabled during the current pandemic. The letter, which is available here, urged Congress to mandate an accessible online absentee voting system to…

A recording of this webinar is available at: https://youtu.be/wKXp7XYD7N0

Please join the American Council of the Blind (ACB) for a collaborative webinar with OrCam on Thursday, April 30, 2020 at 7:30pm ET. ACB Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, Clark Rachfal, joins panelists Dr. Bryan Wolynski, practicing low vision optometrist, and Fitzville Martin, ACB member, music producer, and OrCam MyEye user, for a conversation about assistive technology, the OrCam MyEye 2, and an introduction of OrCam's…

“Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features information about the 2020 convention going virtual, the extension of the awards deadline, community conference calls, Advocacy Updates, and a request to take a survey on how the coronavirus has affected you.

2020 Convention Goes Virtual

 For more information, read the press release at https://acb.org/acb-board-vote-convention-2020.
 
The American Council of the Blind board of…

The ACB Angels Memorial Tribute is an opportunity for ACB members and friends to honor their loved ones and guide dogs who have passed on and who played an important role in the American Council of the Blind, its affiliates, and/or its members. If you would like to make an ACB Angel Memorial Tribute, follow the directions below and contact Tom Tobin by email at ttobin@acb.org or by phone at (847) 846-8375 with any questions. The deadline to submit materials is Thursday, April 30, 2020.

Please email the testimonial, dates of…

The American Council of the Blind is closely monitoring information about the COVID-19 virus and its impact. Access this page to get updates about our response to COVID-19. 

Your ACB family has opportunities for you to connect with others from the comfort of your home if you are socially distancing. Join one of our conference calls and stay in touch with your ACB community! To learn more, visit www.acb.org/acb-community-events. 

We recommend that all affiliates follow CDC guidelines for any scheduled…

Downloadable Links for ACB COVID-19 Advocacy Letters:

Final Letter: Immigrant Exclusion from COVID 3.0 Health and Economic Relief

COVID-19 Package Medications Access Letter

Transportation Access and Safety for…

Alexandria, VA (March 31, 2020) — The American Council of the Blind (ACB) Board of Directors voted unanimously to forego its annual conference and convention in Schaumburg, Illinois, amidst the growing concerns about the novel coronavirus crisis. During a special meeting convened by the board on March 30^th, the elected leadership moved to explore ways in which members, partners, and stakeholders can continue to meet virtually through an engaging and enlightening experience.

“The health and safety of our members continue to be the leading voice that has guided us,”…

ACB Link 2.0 is now available for iOS and supports iOS version 13. This release brings a number of major improvements:

• This version of ACB Link adds support for iOS 13, dark mode support and a new podcast player.
• We have made changes to how the app shows text, so your dynamic text settings will work even better in this version of the app.
• High Contrast will now be handled by iOS 13 if your device supports this version, but the standard high contrast mode will still be usable if running in iOS 12 or below.
• Push notifications are back in this release.…

“Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features information about the coronavirus, information on a call to help find ways to entertain your guide dogs during this temporary shutdown, ways to take the 2020 census, a reminder about the deadline for applying to become a leadership fellow, what to do if you’re experiencing telehealth and/or e-learning accessibility challenges, and Advocacy Updates.

Coronavirus Information

After much thoughtful consideration, ACB has decided to close both offices and move our…

On Friday, March 20, the American Council of the Blind and the American Foundation for the Blind sent a joint letter to Congress opposing language included in the pending Senate stimulus bill, the CARES Act (S. 3548), that requests a report from the Department of Educations about regulations contained in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that should be removed. Please contact your U.S. Senators and tell them that Congress should not consider any waivers that would remove the civil rights of students with disabilities.

March 20, 2020

The…