American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
Future Reflections Summer 2025 WHAT'S NEW?
Each January, thousands of blind and low-vision individuals across the country begin their year with something simple yet powerful: a Braille calendar. For many, this unassuming tool offers more than just dates and days of the week. It is a tangible reminder that accessibility matters, that blind people have the right to plan and organize just like everyone else.
Through the free Braille calendars program, powered by the American Action Fund in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind, these calendars are distributed annually free of charge to individuals, families, and organizations that request them. Whether it’s hung on a wall, tucked into a backpack, or placed on a desk, the calendar becomes a daily companion. It supports independence, confidence, and agency.
Many people use their Braille calendars every day to mark doctor’s appointments, birthdays, or important work deadlines. The calendar also can help teach young Braille readers how to track time, understand the rhythm of weeks and months, and plan homework schedules. For seniors, it can be a comforting return to a means of staying organized after becoming blind.
One blind adult says, “I look forward to receiving my Braille calendar every year. It’s always one of the first things I set up in January, and I use it every day to keep track of work meetings, family events, and reminders. Having a calendar I can read independently helps me to stay in control of my schedule, and that means a lot.”
Thanks to donor support, thousands of calendars are printed and mailed at no cost to recipients each year. Each calendar includes both Braille and large print, making it ideal for a wide range of users. The calendar is more than a tool. It is a symbol of belief in blind people’s futures and a commitment to supporting them every day of the year.
For those who have received a Braille calendar, the impact is clear. And for those who contribute to this program, their support ensures that thousands more will begin each year with the tools they need to live boldly and independently.
Your support helps keep our resources free for blind children and adults. You can contribute to the Action Fund in three easy ways.
Often the simplest and most significant way to make a charitable contribution is to plan a legacy gift. Creating a lasting impact is easier than you might think. Choose an option that works best for your circumstances.
You can plan to give all or part of a bank account, insurance proceeds, investment assets, real estate, or a retirement account. You can even give a required minimum distribution from your IRA directly to charity and avoid taxes on the distribution. After taking care of your loved ones, you could bequeath a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to an organization whose mission is important to you.
The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults Legacy Society recognizes and honors the generosity of friends of the Action Fund who have chosen to leave a legacy through a will or other planned giving option.
If you wish to give part or all of an account, simply fill out a POD (payable on death) or TOD (transfer on death) form. For pensions and insurance assets, simply designate a charity as a beneficiary. If you would like to leave a legacy to the Action Fund in your will, simply include the following language:
I give, devise, and bequeath unto the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults, 1800 Johnson Street, Suite 100, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, (EIN# 52-1192529) the sum of $______________ (or) _________ “percent of my net estate” or “the following stocks and bonds”: ____________________, to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of blind persons.
If you have questions or would like more information, please reach out to Patti Chang at 410-659-9315 or [email protected]. If you have included the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults in your will or have made some other provision for a future gift, please contact Patti so we can recognize you as a member of our Legacy Society.
Legacy gifts carry the values and ideals that have been important to you throughout your lifetime and provide for generations of blind children and adults. Please consider the American Action Fund in your future plans.