Extending Accessibility in Financial Options for the Blind

One significant role of the National Federation of the Blind is getting blind people in contact with money. At first it was working for enough public assistance so that the blind were not the responsibility of their parents, brothers, and sisters. Now the focus is employment so that we can earn our own money. But what do we do once we’ve earned it? We have to figure out a place to put it. We have to have a way of knowing how much there is, whether we are receiving interest, and whether there are fees that must be paid. All of this argues for accessibility: online accessibility, statements that are accessible, and ATM machines that are usable without sight. The banks, of course, are where most people deposit their money. This is why we have focused on ensuring that all of their services are usable by the blind.

But banks aren’t the only place to keep one’s money. Credit unions are very popular, and those who take advantage of them believe they are superior to banks in many ways. It is important that we have access to the services they provide, and this is why President Riccobono addressed the Credit Union National Association Government Affairs Conference in Washington, DC, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. He talked with them about making all of the services they provide to the public accessible and reminded them that not only must outward facing services be accessible but so too must the machinery of the business so that credit unions across the country can take advantage of talented blind employees. Of course he offered the good offices and the unmatchable resources of the National Federation of the Blind in this effort, and the result will be yet another partnership leading to greater opportunities for those of us who are blind.

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