Since I’ve become a VOSAPian over a year ago, I have been motivated to help out the specially abled in my community.
Last weekend, I got an opportunity to volunteer at The Houston Council of the Blind. The Houston Council of the Blind is an organization in Houston that supports people with visual impairments. They help these over 100 members each year lead fulfilling lives by offering social and emotional relief, workshops and resources on assistive technologies, and ensuring that people with visual impairments can spend a few hours every week playing games, exchanging ideas and having a great afternoon which is a safe space for them.
Additionally, they advocate for accessibility and inclusivity in public spaces, making it easier for those with visual impairments to navigate. Beyond practical assistance, they create a sense of community by bringing people together and fostering friendships. In essence, the Houston Council of the Blind empowers and supports people with visual impairments in various ways to enhance their quality of life.
I helped them with their lunches, setting-up, and cleaning the meeting room. The few hours I’ve spent with them recently, was an eye-opening experience.The meeting started with an introduction of everyone and the volunteers, and they did a small starting prayer to thank God for keeping us healthy and safe. They acknowledged the loved ones who have passed and the ones they wanted to remember.
The attendees value this council, as they get an opportunity to speak with like-minded people who have similar problems like theirs. One of their problems as an organization was that the building they use to conduct their meetings was going to be renovated soon! They needed a new place to meet in the interim and that sparked a discussion on membership fees, how much they pay for rent, etc.
Another big problem they discussed was that the organization might lose their status as a non-profit organization because the concerned person did not file their taxes for more than three years! Luckily, there was Mr. Mehta who came to rescue immediately. Mr. Mehta is a retired Senior Citizen of Houston. He lost his eye-sight with age but was knowledgeable about legal matters and offered to get the organization’s paperwork in order. Everyone cheered and were extremely thankful to him. It was a valuable experience seeing them deal with their disability in a positive and enthusiastic manner.
An older gentleman brought up his problem with using mobile devices and wished he had a mini braille portable keyboard that would go in his pocket instead of hauling big accessible electronics around. The other attendees were pitching in great ideas and had a great time discussing solutions like voice dictate. They decided that what they need has not been built yet! This is something for us VOSAPians to think about and motivate ourselves to find a solution.
Houston Council of the Blind is hosting a white cane walk in Houston soon and I am pumped to join their volunteer squad. Especially because now that they know me by my name and we have become friends.
About Houston Council of the Blind:
Follow this link to make a donation to support The Houston Council of the Blind: https://www.acbt-houston.net/meetings.aspx
Some programs they have are:
- Mentoring for students
- Member support
- Exchange of ideas
- Fundraising
- Distribution of annual scholarships to qualified students
They are linked with an organization called VT Seva for the volunteering needs at their meetings and events.
