Community | 12 Days of Giving - Day Four

By: Katrina Honer

Many political, social and spiritual groups would encourage being altruistic and giving back to your community year-round. However, something is in the air during the holiday season that really brings out the spirit of giving in all of us. For 12 days throughout December, we want to inspire you to give back to those who are in need in our local neighborhoods. Our "12 Days of Giving" feature will share the impact and needs of twelve different Inland Empire charities.  Our hope is that each feature will inform you and encourage you to donate, volunteer or give back in some way. Please consider giving the gift of kindness to a stranger this season, because it may be the only one they receive.

Day Four – The Braille Institute: Rancho Mirage Center

According to the World Health Organization, as of 2010m there were 285 million people in the world who are visually impaired, of whom 39 million were blind, including approximately 1.4 million children.

In an effort to empower “visually impaired people to live more fulfilling lives” the first Braille Institute regional center was founded in 1971 in Anaheim, California and has expanded to five centers in Los Angeles, Orange County, Rancho Mirage, San Diego and Santa Barbara, each unique with their own variety of free educational, social, and recreational programs, classes and services. In addition to more than 220 Community Outreach locations throughout Southern California, the Braille Institute serves more 75,000 people every year.  

The Braille Institute Rancho Mirage center serves the visually impaired in Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties offering several services including:

• Connection Pointe (learning how to connect to the world through adaptive devices and mainstream devices)
• Low Vision Rehabilitation Consultations
• Adult Programs and Youth Programs
• Library Services (books in braille and audio)
• Outreach Services

And much more!

If you are interested in helping the Braille Institute continue providing free services to the community, you can make a monetary donation online, discover other ways to give all listed on their website, or call 1 (800) 272-4553, Ext. 1238 for more information.

To learn more about the Braille Institute, be sure to visit their website and like their Facebook page. 

Remember that sharing is caring, and if you can’t personally give back, share it with someone who can! #ieshineon #12daysofgiving