The Tampa Bay Chapter
of the
National Federation of the
Blind
About the Tampa Bay Chapter
Who we are...
The Tampa Bay Chapter is part of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, which is affiliated with the National Federation of the Blind, a nation-wide organization, with over 50,000 members
- History The Tampa Bay Chapter was formed in October 1987. At that time it covered both the Tampa and St. Petersburg areas. Since then, it has grown, and, now, there are also chapters in Pinellas County and in East Hillsborough County.
- People We are people from all walks of life. Most of our members are blind, but we also have many sighted members, who live with, work among, or just care about blind people of all ages.
What we do...
Over the years, we have been involved in many exciting projects, many of which are ongoing. These include:
- Community education The biggest problem faced by the blind is not the lack of sight, but the problems associated with negative public attitudes. We are seeking to update those inaccurate ideas, through our public appearances, demonstrations in area schools, and publications.
- Our Unique Population Florida is unlike any other state in many ways. For instance, 60 per cent of our state's blind population is made up of people who are 60 years of age or older. This is a very large group of blind people, with special needs and abilities. We are just begin-ning to find the large number of older Floridians who are newly blind or losing their sight.
- For Younger Blind People and Visually Impaired Children Florida and the Tampa Bay area are growing in population. We can only estimate the number of blind children and children with vision problems in our area. Sometimes these difficulties go unnoticed, until the child starts having problems in school. The NFB publishes Future Reflections, a magazine for parents of blind children. We are always looking for parents, to involve them in our efforts.
- ScholarshipsThe NFB offers scholarships at the National, State, and local levels, for college-aged blind students.
What you can
do...
We invite you to attend a meeting of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, and to consider becoming a member. Membership dues are only $5.00 per year, and include full membership in the national and state organizations. We are a non-profit organization. Contributions, which are always needed and welcomed, are tax-deductible.
We always need volunteers to help with various needs,
such as transportation. For more information contact Gloria Mills Hicks,
President, at (813)281-2123.
E-mail:
"We're Changing What it Means to Be Blind!"