Our Mission Statement
As an integral part of the state and national organization of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), ACBOGCC is dedicated to improving the quality and equality of life for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, particularly in the Greater Cincinnati area.
In order to enhance the quality and equality of life for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, ACBOGCC directs its skill and energy to equal access to information, education, employment, transportation, art and recreation, and all other facets of daily living that the sighted world takes for granted.
ACBOGCC engages in advocacy to inform federal, state, and local officials and legislators as well as the general public on issues of importance to people who are blind or visually impaired.
Our Structure and What We Do
The nonprofit organization of the American Council of the Blind of Ohio Greater Cincinnati Chapter (ACBOGCC) is a 501(C)(3) membership organization incorporated in the state of Ohio. It is also a chapter of the American Council of the Blind of Ohio (ACBOHIO) with offices in Columbus, Ohio. ACBOHIO is one of 68 state and special interest affiliates of the national organization of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) with its offices in Alexandria, Virginia just outside of our national capital.
On the national, state, and local levels, ACBOGCC is comprised of members who are blind, visually impaired, and sighted persons, with a broad diversity of occupations and professions, all zealously working together to advance the goals and objectives of ACB.
The American Council of the Blind strives to:
- Elevate the social, economic, and cultural levels of blind and visually impaired persons
- Improve educational and rehabilitation facilities for blind and visually impaired persons
- Broaden vocational opportunities of blind and visually impaired persons
- Encourage and assist blind and visually impaired persons, especially those with recent vision loss, to develop their abilities and potentials and to assume their responsible place in their community
- Cooperate with the public and private institutions of and for blind and visually impaired individuals
- Conduct a program of public education to further public awareness and understanding of the capabilities and challenges of blind and visually impaired persons and that blind and visually impaired persons are simply people like everybody else in this great country of ours
The following are some of the activities and goals of the American Council of the Blind of Ohio Greater Cincinnati Chapter:
- Provide scholarships to blind and visually impaired post secondary and college students;
- Provide grants to blind children for summer camp where they mainstream with others of their age group;
- Assist members with expenses of taxi fares for necessary daily activities;
- Provide grants to the Ohio Deaf Blind Association to cover service support persons for its various activities and events;
- Make annual donations each year of support to 5 dog guide training schools for the blind;
- Serve as consultants to the City of Cincinnati and the surrounding greater Cincinnati area in the development and advancement of audible pedestrian signal (crosswalk traffic signals) programs for greater pedestrian safety;
- Advocate at the federal, state, and local levels for legislation that enables blind and visually impaired persons to fully participate in society on an an equal basis with fully sighted people;
- Serve in the role of advocates for blind persons coping in society in such areas as employment, transportation, and education;
- Provide stipends to blind and visually impaired persons to attend audio described plays and other cultural events;
- Send selected members to state and national information forums.