A chat with Joan Kelley Walker and Angela Bonfanti
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Award-winning philanthropist and humanitarian, Joan Kelley Walker, sits down with Angela Bonfanti, Senior Vice President, CNIB Foundation Programs for an intimate chat about COVID-19 and how it has impacted the sight loss community.
Joan has had a lifelong awareness of the challenges that people with sight loss experience as she has watched her mother, Rosaline, navigate a sighted world while being legally blind. Joan initially volunteered with the CNIB Foundation as an emcee for our CNIB Muskoka event in support of CNIB Lake Joe. Since then, she has become much more involved in supporting our programs. Joan and her husband, Don, are valued team members who champion everything we do.
New partnership brings community expertise and lived experience into the development of wearable technology, with practical support to help people explore its possibilities.
FirstTap uses fun games and activities to children who are blind or have low vision the commands and gestures (like swiping, pinching, and tapping) to use Apple’s operating system (iOS) its built-in vision accessibility features. Created by CNIB for young children (ages 2 +), activities are tailored to different skill levels, so kids can choose exercises that match their age, skill level and interests.
Held every September, Guide Dog Access Awareness Month is a time to raise awareness and understanding of guide dogs, the rights of guide dog handlers, and to champion equal access for guide dog teams.
While guide dog refusals happen in many settings, transportation remains one of the most common areas where handlers encounter barriers and discrimination. That’s why, in support of our commitment to safe and accessible journeys, our advocacy campaign this year is focused on guide dog access in transportation.
It’s not uncommon for vision loss to occur as we age, but for some, its onset can be sudden and unexpected. That was the experience for one woman from Victoria, Madison Sutcliffe, who suddenly lost about 90% of her vision during pregnancy. Looking for support and community, she reached out to CNIB and joined the Come to Work program
To strengthen our voices and support the professional development of our Ontario advocates, ambassadors and CNIB staff, we’ve launched Educate to Advocate – an advocacy program designed to drive achievement and equality through education.
