Capital Chapter Elections:
At the March 16, 2024, meeting of the Capital Chapter of the NFB of New Jersey, the following members were elected to the indicated offices: President, Mary Jo Partyka; Vice President, Marian Lee; Secretary, David Mostello; Treasurer, John Lipton Jr. Board members elected were Jocelyn Santiago and Jim Byrnes.
The Blind Canadian Magazine Available:
The Blind Canadian is the flagship publication of the Canadian Federation of the Blind (CFB). It covers events and activities of the CFB, addresses issues we face as blind people, and highlights our members. The Blind Canadian:
To read issues of the magazine, go to the Blind Canadian page where the magazine is available in both pdf and web versions at www.cfb.ca.
The Value of NFB-NEWSLINE® in Keeping up with the World:
Joe works in the assistive technology field. He extensively uses NFB-NEWSLINE® to keep up to date on all the latest innovations in both mainstream and assistive technology. Joe says, “I am grateful to NFB-NEWSLINE® for providing access to such mainstream publications as AppleInsider, Macworld, and Wired. Having access to these publications helps me to stay up to date in my vocational field. I prefer using a refreshable Braille display with the iOS app to read these publications. Since I always have my iPhone with me, it makes accessing these publications quick and easy. I can read them on the bus as I travel to and from work. I appreciate the ease and portability of using the iOS app to access NFB-NEWSLINE®.”
Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have edited only for space and clarity.
News Release
US Department of Labor | March 21, 2024
US Department of Labor unveils new resource to increase competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities
Offers practical guidance, policy information, evidence-based best practices
WASHINGTON—The US Department of Labor today introduced a new resource aimed at boosting the participation of people with disabilities in competitive integrated employment.
The Competitive Integrated Employment Transformation Hub brings together resources from across the federal government to provide practical guidance, policy information, and evidence-based best practices for people with disabilities, their families, employers, employment service providers, and state agencies. Competitive integrated employment ensures that people with disabilities are paid competitive wages and work in environments where the majority of employees do not have disabilities.
“A large and dedicated movement across America is working to advance a competitive integrated employment model in our workplaces, and we want to give them easy access to resources that will help them succeed,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “Families and workers need guidance on benefits planning and wraparound services, for instance. Providers need technical assistance to adapt their service delivery models. State agencies need information about funding options. Employers need support regarding accommodations and inclusive policies and practices. The Competitive Integrated Employment Transformation Hub is a central tool they can all rely on for help.”
The hub is part of the Office of Disability Employment Policy's broader effort to promote competitive integrated employment. Through various innovative initiatives, ODEP collaborates with federal partners, states, and employment service providers to enhance opportunities for people with disabilities to participate and excel in competitive integrated employment.
These initiatives align with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to a whole-of-government approach to enhance the economic security of disabled people, including those from historically underserved communities. Additionally, the hub contributes to the administration’s Good Jobs Initiative, offering essential information to workers, employers, and government entities focused on improving job quality and ensuring universal access to good jobs.
The Braille Circulating Library Has Large Print Books:
The Large Print section of the Braille Circulating Library recently has grown with the addition of two complete fictional series and a new standalone fictional book!
Enjoy the Song of Acadia series by popular Christian authors Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn. From the first meeting of two young women who live in French and British settlements in mid-18th century Canada, you’re sure to be caught up in their lives as they navigate that unsettled period in North American history.
Read about the aspirations of American-born children of Norwegian immigrants and how they chaff against both the dreams of parents and the norms of society in the late 1890s. In this three-book series, Return to Red River, Lauraine Snelling draws readers into the lives of her engaging characters as they struggle through historical realities that faced many immigrant families of that time.
The Orchard, by popular writer of Amish fiction, Beverly Lewis, has also been added to the large print shelves. In this story, Lewis weaves the backdrop of the 1970s war years into her fictional Amish community. Find out what affect the social tensions of that era had on the lives of its people.
Join the Braille Circulating Library to receive Christian and inspirational material in Braille, large print, cassette, or MP3 formats. Contact can be made either by calling (804) 359-3743, sending an email to [email protected], or going to Braillecirculatinglibrary.org and using the Contact page. Whichever method you choose, we look forward to hearing from you!
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.