The Big Share goes live on Tuesday, March 4! This annual one-day giving event is organized by Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) to benefit the Council and dozens of other local nonprofits. The Council’s theme for this year’s The Big Share is Accessibility for All. Accessibility can look different depending on what a person needs… Continue Reading Make a Big Difference During The Big Share on March 4
When someone comes to the Council for any of our vision services, the care they receive is not covered by most insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare. While the Council does work with providers like the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and the Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired on a fee for service basis,… Continue Reading Council Vision Services Are Not Covered by Medicare or Other Insurance. We Believe They Should Be
When you buy a blood pressure meter or blood glucose monitor from the Sharper Vision Store, you’re probably ready to use it right out of the box. But the reading on your new medical device may not be the same as the reading you would get at a doctor’s office. When buying medical equipment from… Continue Reading Remember to Calibrate Your Medical Devices
A recent survey by the senior living referral service Caring.com found that two-thirds of Americans do not have an up-to-date will. October 16-22 is National Estate Planning Week. It’s the perfect time to map out or update an estate plan. When you do, we hope you’ll consider including an estate gift to the Council in… Continue Reading Planned Giving Shows Strong Support with a Focus on the Future
October is Pedestrian Safety Month, which includes White Cane Safety Day on October 15. How keen is your pedestrian safety knowledge? Take our quiz and see how you do! 1. What percentage of Wisconsin residents do not drive? a) 11% b) 31% c) 6% d) 21% Answer: b) 31% Factoid: Non-drivers face daily challenges in… Continue Reading Test Your Pedestrian Safety and White Cane Knowledge
Patty Slaby of Arcadia has found many benefits to living and working with her guide dog, Carter. “Walking in and out of medical facilities, church, stores, businesses and just taking walks,” Patty says. But the partnership demands that both participants stay focused and play by the rules. “You must be aware of what your dog… Continue Reading Guide Dogs: A Relationship Built on Love, Trust and Discipline
The Older Americans Act (OAA) was first passed in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative, with the goal of supporting older Americans to continue living at home and in their community with dignity and independence for as long as possible. It authorized a wide range of services, including home-delivered meals, support… Continue Reading New Rules Provide Opportunity to Improve the Older Americans Act
Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) is honoring Council Executive Director Denise Jess for her years of work promoting the rights and dignity of people living with vision loss. At CSW’s September 28 Community Change-Maker Awards event, Denise will be presented with the Linda Sundberg Civil Rights Defender Award. The Linda Sundberg Award is given each… Continue Reading Executive Director Denise Jess Receives Civil Rights Award
The Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired is among the 70 nonprofits that benefit from Community Shares of Wisconsin workplace giving campaigns. Workplace giving is a simple and effective way for employees to support area nonprofits by having a specified amount deducted from each paycheck. In most cases, employees can choose to make… Continue Reading Workplace Giving Makes It Easy to Support the Organizations You Value
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February is Low Vision and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month, designated by the American Academy of Ophthalmology to encourage people to seek help when they notice changes to their vision. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss for older adults, with around one out of three people age 75 and older diagnosed nationally.… Continue Reading Early Detection of Age-Related Macular Degeneration is Key to Getting the Most Out of Your Vision
Last year, the Wisconsin Legislature passed into law a new tax credit for workers who are blind. If you (or your spouse if you’re filing a joint return) are blind, employed and paid for transportation services to get to work, you can claim a credit for 50% of your transportation costs on your 2024 Wisconsin… Continue Reading Wisconsin Workers Who Are Blind Can Claim the New Transportation Credit on their 2024 State Taxes
An iPhone, with its array of accessibility features, can be a powerful tool for staying connected to friends and family and for many other tasks. iPhones have a robust VoiceOver feature that enables people who are blind or low vision to access every app and feature available to them. But learning how to use VoiceOver… Continue Reading New Video Covers Basic Gestures for VoiceOver on iPhone