2008 ANNUAL REPORT

BLINDCONNECT, INC.

Established as a nonprofit in 1998, Blindconnect, Inc. has just completed its 10th year of providing information, referral, and peer support to blind and visually impaired adults in Clark County, Nevada.

Focused on its mission to connect blind people to other blind persons, to available services and resources, and to their community-at-large, Blindconnect increased outreach and educational opportunities for the community and for those with severe vision loss in 2008.

As part of this outreach effort, organization members presented sessions as assisted living centers, elementary schools, colleges, and affiliation groups. These efforts fostered understanding of the causes and impact of blindness and the abilities of those who are blind and visually impaired. Members also represented the blindness community on several State Boards and Councils include the State Rehabilitation Council, Interagency Transition Advisory Board, State Plan Accountability Committee, and the State Workforce Investment Board. Locally, members were in leadership roles with the RTC Transportation Access Advisory Committee and provided information and resources to augment public programs.

Blindconnect continued to provide information and referral by telephone and in-person to individuals, families, businesses, and governmental entities. Data indicates that nearly 5,200 were provided some level of information or referral on blindness issues during 2008. More than 75 individuals visited the Blindconnect office to learn about opportunities and to test computer programs an high and low-tech equipment to enhance their lives.

Additionally, members worked monthly with a peer support group for those with vision loss housed at the Plaza @ Sun Mountain Assisted Living Center.

A major enhancement to Blindconnect occurred in July, 2008, when a contract with our first Executive Director was signed. Her focus is to bring the organization into compliance with nonprofit 'best practices' and to seek and secure funding for program expansion.

PROGRAMS

Once again Blindconnect was the lead agency in providing of Vision Forum, a free program featuring workshops and resources for blind and visually impaired persons. This was the third year of the collaborative offering, which was provided by partners Bureau of Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired, City of Las Vegas Leisure Services, and Nevada Council of the Blind. More than 200 people attended the one-day event.

The Angela's House project, in recognition of Angela Beller Hoffman, remained a program of Blindconnect.

The Blindconnect Board and Angela's House Steering Committee hosted the Angela's Dinner on her April 12th birthday. The event was very successful in educating about blindness and raising funds. It marked the debut of the Angela's House video, which tells the story of the project in human terms.

The Board support initiating Angela's House activities to meet identified needs. Plans were developed and funding sought.

Members of Blindconnect offered a 12-hour Self-Advocacy program in August. This training, identified by Blindconnect as critical to adjustment to blindness, met its goals to increase skill sets and will be repeated in 2009.

Working in collaboration with the UNLV Department of Counselor Education, Blindconnect has developed Coping, a mental health program, to address emotional and social issues of blindness. The program will 'roll-out' in February, 2009 with individual and small group sessions.

The second half of 2008 was focused on developing organizational infrastructure including establishing and revising policies and procedures, working on a Strategic Plan, and developing a fundraising sustainability plan to move the organization firmly to the future.