April 2nd, 1:00- 2:00 pm Virtual Support Group. Exploring the benefits of belonging to a low vision support group.

April 9th, 1:00- 2:30 pm at VLR In-Person Technology Group. At our office.

April 10th, Noon – 2:00 pm. Celebrate spring with a potluck at our office. Bring something to share!

April 10th, 1:00 – 2:30 pm. Readers Choice Book Club. Held virtually.

April 16th, 1:00 – 1:30 pm at VLR In-Person Technology Group. At our office

April 17th, 1:00- 2:30 pm In-person Support Group at our office.

April 23rd, 6:00-7:00 pm Virtual Support Group. Exploring the benefits of belonging to a low vision support group.

April 26th, 10:30 – 1:30 pm at VLR In-Person Movie day “Oppenheimer” at our office.

Each month the Minnesota Access Alliance publishes a calendar with upcoming accessible arts and culture events. These events ensure that everyone can enjoy them. Mark your calendars for these fantastic shows:

Calendar of Accessible Arts Events by VSA Minnesota (mnaccess.org)

March 5th, 1:00- 2:00 pm Virtual Support Group. Exploring the benefits of belonging to a low vision support group.

March 12th, 1:00 – 2:30 pm at VLR In-Person Technology. At our office.

March 19th, 1:00- 2:30 pm at VLR In-Person Technology. At our office.

March 20th, 1:00- 2:30 pm In-person Support group at our office.

March 26th, 6:00-7:00 Virtual Support Group. Exploring the benefits of belonging to a low vision support group.

FEBRUARY EVENTS

February 6th, 1:00- 2:00 pm Virtual Support Group. Exploring the benefits of belonging to a low vision support group.

February 13th, 1:00 – 2:00 pm Virtual Technology

February 14th, 1:00 – 2:30 pm Reader’s Choice Book Club. Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson DB113801. Held virtually by calling number 612-843-2594 and by entering ID 79521565#.

February 20th, 1:00- 2:30 pm at VLR In-Person Mobile Technology. Getting started with accessibility on your smartphone. At our office.

February 21th, 1:00- 2:30 pm In-person Support group at our office

February 26th, 6:00-7:00 Virtual Support Group

Good day members of the Vision Loss Resources community

I hope this update finds you well as we launch into 2024.

A new year brings new challenges. As you may have heard, Blind, Inc., the Twin Cities other large provider of services to blind and low vision clients, paused their operations and are no longer operating. That leaves VLR as the Twin Cities only comprehensive provider of services. Our student enrollment has grown and I’m pleased to report that we are ready and willing to take on this new challenge.

We’ve already started to modify our workspace to ensure that we have the right mix and type of classrooms for our students and instructors. We’ve even changed our parking lot configuration to make it easier for the additional Metro Mobility buses as they drop off and pick up students and staff!

I’m excited to report these changes as it shows the confidence that the state has in VLR as a training provider. I’ll report in as the year progresses on our training workload and our staff, but for now know that we are taking on this challenge and I know that we will rise to the occasion.

And of course, we couldn’t do any of this without your support. While State Services for the Blind compensates us for the training we provide, we only get paid when a student is here. So, if a student calls in sick, or is otherwise unavailable for training that day, we don’t get paid even though our instructors obviously still need to be compensated, the lights need to stay on, etc. This creates a situation, as it has for years, that means we must independently raise the funds to cover the difference between what we receive from SSB and what it costs to operate our business. While we are financially leaner (both in employees and our overall costs) we still need your generosity to keep providing the great training we provide, day in and day out.

Please take a moment to consider a donation. You can donate online via credit card or send us a check in the mail. Know that every donation, and every amount, is critically important for us and we appreciate your support.

I look forward to updating you on what I know will be a challenging but rewarding year. We make a difference in the lives of our students and I know that our instructors will succeed, as they do daily, in setting up our students for the independence that we all strive for in our lives.

With sincere thanks and wishing you a great January!

Matt Kramer

President

January 2nd, 1:00- 2:00 pm Virtual Support Group

January 9th, 1:00 – 2:00 pm Virtual Technology

January 10th, 1:00 – 2:30 pm Reader’s Choice Book Club. The Watchmaker’s Daughter by Larry Loftis DB115960. Held virtually by calling number 612-843-2594 and by entering ID 79521565#.

January 16th, 1:00- 2:30 pm at VLR In-Person Technology

January 17th, 1:00- 2:30 pm In-person Support group

January 23rd, 6:00-7:00 Virtual Support Group

Visit this link to check out our 2023 Annual Report!

Exciting news! Today marks the beginning of the early giving period for Give to the Max Day. It’s an opportunity for you to get a head start on making a difference in the lives of those facing vision loss. Your generosity can have an immediate impact on our mission to help individuals adapt, connect, and thrive. By giving today, you’re providing essential support for children, youth, and adults with vision impairment. Donors like you are the driving force behind the work we do, and your early contribution can help us achieve our goals even faster. Join us in this early giving period and be a part of the positive change we’re making in the community. Every donation counts, and we’re deeply appreciative of your support.

Learn More

The latest Employment Opportunities Study has been released by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). This research offers insights into the perceptions and experiences of Minnesota employers when it comes to hiring individuals with disabilities. Key takeaways from a random survey of 201 employers in Minnesota are as follows:

🔹 The majority of Minnesota employers with 5 or more employees hire individuals with disabilities.

🔹 Employers express similar satisfaction levels with both employees with disabilities and those without disabilities.

🔹 A little more than half of the employers have found it necessary to make accommodations for their employees with disabilities.

🔹 Businesses that employ individuals with disabilities tend to be larger and more commonly involved in retail trade or manufacturing.

🔹 Over 50% of businesses employing individuals with disabilities received assistance from the Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) provided by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Learn More

Vision Loss Resources is recruiting board members to join our board of directors. VLR is innovative nonprofit, serving low vision, blind, and deafblind Minnesotans while at the same time operating a fully for-profit competitive packing company (Contract Production Services). We seek board members with experience in human resources, manufacturing, and sales to help guide our growth and who have a passion for serving fellow Minnesotans.

If interested, contact Matt Kramer at MattK@vlrw.org for more information.