In the News 06.25.12

NATION'S BRAILLE WHIZ KIDS COMPETE IN UNIQUE ACADEMIC COMPETITION

Los Angeles, CA. On Saturday, June 23, the top blind students from across the United States and Canada met in Los Angeles to put their knowledge of the braille code to the test in the only national academic competition for blind students across the country. Click here to read more.

LONDON BOUND: BLINDED WARRIOR TO REPRESENT U.S. AT 2012 PARALYMPICS

London is calling for Lt. Brad Snyder. The former Navy bomb defuser, who last September lost both eyes in an Afghan explosion, formally gained a roster spot Sunday on the U.S. Paralympic team bound for England, after swimming what he agreed was the race of his life. Click here to read more.

APP EASES PUBLIC TRANSIT WOES FOR BLIND AND DISABLED RIDERS

Researchers in Barcelona have created an app that may prove useful to riders of public transit who are blind, deaf or otherwise disabled. OnTheBus hooks into GPS and transit data and alerts the user where and when they need to board, signal and disembark. Click here to read more.

BLIND USING FACEBOOK? IT'S NOT COMPLICATED, THANKS TO SCHOOL

"We can teach you how to use Facebook even with your eyes shut." It is not an empty boast but a proven skill for the students of a special school which has shown for the last 18 years that computer know-how need not require 20/20 vision. Click here to read more.

GUATEMALA LAUNCHES CENTRAL AMERICA'S FIRST BRAILLE NEWSPAPER

Guatemala,  "You don't need  to see to be able to read" was the message Guatemala sent to the world last month when it launched Central America's first ever Braille newspaper. Click here to read more.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/23/4584039/nations-braille-whiz-kids-compete.html#storylink=cpy

 

Joshua is busy brailling new labels for Whole Foods in Santa Barbara. 

In the News - 06.18.12

MASS. SCHOOLS FOR BLIND GEAR UP FOR FENCING MATCH

Watertown, MASS. Cory Kadlik has never let being blind stop him from golfing, skating, learning martial arts or riding a dirt bike. He had his doubts when it came to fencing. Click here to read more.

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND APPLAUDS NEW JERSEY RULING ON BRAILLE INSTRUCTION FOR BLIND CHILD

Oceanport, N.J. After a three-year administrative and legal battle against their local school board, the Oceanport Board of Education, Jeffrey and Holly Miller obtained a ruling from an adminitsrative law judge that their eleven-year-old son Henry "Hank" Miller was improperly denied instruction in Braille. Click here to read more.

YAKIMA GIRL WINS NATIONAL AWARD FOR READING 21,646 PAGES IN BRAILLE

Yakima, WA, They ran out of ribbons way before Maegan Weiler stopped reading. Click here to read more.

Memorial Day Fundraiser

Hosted at the home of Richard and Kim Moscarello, the Goldenberg's joined up with family and friends of the Project to celebrate their first fundraiser. The Memorial Day party began our first venture into not only raising capital for a necessary cause but also creating awareness for the need for Braille in the community both here in Southern California and across the United States. Funds will go directly to the foundation towards tools used to make Braille signage and blades in grocery stores. 

 

{Evan Goldenberg, President of the Joshua Project}

 

{Rae Van Seenus, Marketing Supervisor at Whole Foods Market}

 

{Sarah Fenner-Behzadi, The Joshua Project Foundation}

 

 

 

{Richard and Kim Moscarello with the band.}

 

{Kim Moscarello, the fabulous hostess.}

 

 

 

{Joshua Goldenberg, the star of the Joshua Project}

 

 

 

{Joshua Project Board Members}

 

A special thank you to Richard and Kim Moscarello for hosting such a fantastic event!

Article: How the Blind Are Reinventing the iPhone

 {Image via}

We loved this article in the Atlantic: How the Blind Are Reinventing the iPhone. The article discusses how blind people are using their iPhone applications to navigate, listen to audio books and even pick out matching clothes. This is all happening through a built-in voice-over feature on the iPhone. Apple has a long history of making their products accessible for people with disabilities, and the iPhone has become a revolutionary tool for the blind community.

Article: How do Blind People Dream?

Did you see this article on msnbc.com? How do blind people dream? The article discusses a video made by Tommy Edison about what it is like for him as a blind person to dream.

Have you ever wondered what it must be like for a blind person to dream?

The Joshua Project Foundation

At seven years old, Joshua Goldenberg questioned why there wasn't braille available for him to shop along side everyone else in his family. His immediate response was...

"I want to braille the entire universe... and Target too!"

And so, The Joshua Project began it's journey by placing braille labels on store shelves, with the goal that any blind person will have the ability to walk through a store and be able to shop independently.

The project first began in Thousand Oaks with the help of Whole Foods Market and its wonderful marketing team led by Ashley Eaton. It quickly gained the attention of the National Braille Press in Boston where Joshua traveled with his family to accept the prestigious "Hands on Award". While visiting Boston, the National Braille Press joined forces with Whole Foods in Newtonville to open up the same Braille initiative on the East coast. Only three months later, Whole Foods invited Joshua to "open" his third Whole Foods market by placing Braille on the aisles and produce throughout the store. With the support of local charities, friends, family and generous donations, the Foundation is looking forward to bringing the Braille labeling to not only three Whole Foods Markets, but many more in the future. We are now in the process of developing a "directory" for each store as well.

With the help of his family, (Sister Hannah, Mom Christie, and Dad Evan), Joshua has quickly brought attention to the need for Braille not only in grocery stores, but everywhere and has revisited the question, "Why hasn't anyone ever thought of this before?"

The foundation's long term goal is to help bring the awareness to the importance of Braille and provide Braille labeling wherever necessary. Eventually, leading back to the children in the schools where Braille literacy begins.

This blog will keep you informed about The Joshua Project Foundation, and will also serve as a resource in the blind community.