What is the NFB?

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is teh largest organization of the blind in the world. Founded in 1940, the Federation's purpose is to help blind people achieve self-confidence, self-respect, and self-determination. Our goal is the complete integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality.

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind has affiliates in all fifty states, in the District of Columbia, and in Puerto Rico. We come together in local, state, and national meetings to support and encourage one another and to plan activities for our future. Most of us are volunteers, and through hard work, we make our dreams of independence and productivity come true. If the problems facing the blind are to be solved (and we believe they can be), the blind of America, working collectively, must do it. We dare to dream of a bright tomorrow for ourselves, for blind children, and for those who come after us; and we are prepared to work together to bring that future into being. This is the essence of the National Federation of the Blind.

What does the NFB do to enhance opportunity for the blind?

The National Federation of the Blind is leading the way into the future for blind Americans by:

• Promoting the interests of the blind in the state legislatures, in the halls of Congress, and in the courts.
• Educating the public about the true nature of blindness through our literature, through public appearances, and through our daily lives as independent and productive citizens.
• Helping families with blind children ensure that their kids learn the skills for coping with blindness and have access to information and educational opportunities that will allow them to keep pace with their sighted friends as they grow.
• Studying, demonstrating, and evaluating the latest in adaptive technology for the blind at the International Braille and Technology Center (IBTC), located at the National Center for the Blind, which serves as the national headquarters for the National Federation of the Blind. This one-of-a-kind facility contains all of the computer technology that gives access to information for the blind.
• Operating and expanding the world's largest digital talking newspaper service for the blind, NFB-NEWSLINE®, a free service available to anyone who is legally blind. NFB-NEWSLINE® uses computer speech technology to make the texts of dozens of local and national newspapers available on demand to blind readers with just a touch-tone telephone.
• Helping the blind find competitive emplyment through America's Jobline®, a free service that gives individuals touch-tone telephone access to the thousands of jobs listed in America's Job Bank, a job listing service established by the U.S. Department of Labor.
• Helping the blind get the information and the products we need for active, independent lives through the National Federation of the Blind Materials Center, which offers thousands of publications and hundreds of products especially designed for the blind. Brows the catalog and shop online at http://www.nfb.org.
• Conducting cutting-edge research on blindness, such as methods for conducting distance education courses using Braille and speech technology and better methods for travel or for accessing information, at our National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute.

How can I learn more?

• Visit our Web site www.nfb.org or email us at nfb@nfb.org.
• Subscribe to our free publications by regular or email subscription or check them out on our Web site. The Braille Monitor is the voice of the National Federation of the Blind. It is published monthly in Braille, in large print, on cassette tape, and on the Internet. Future Reflections, the official publication of the National Organization for Parents of Blind Children (a division of the National Federation of the Blind), is a magazine for parents and educators of blind children. It is published quarterly in large print, on cassette tape, and over the Internet. Voice of the Diabetic is the quarterly publication of the Diabetes Action Network, a division of the National Federation of the Blind, and addresses the problems and concerns of blind diabetics. It is available in print, on cassette tape, and on our Web site. The Kernel Books series is a collection of books written by the blind themselves. Each book is a mini-anthology of articles and stories by and about blind people, drawn from our real-life experiences and emphasizing our positive philosophy about blindness. They're available in large print, in Braille, on cassette tape, and on the Web. For subscriptions other than by email, write to us and specify which publications you want.

Can I join the National Federation of the Blind?

Yes, if you're blind and want to join others like you to build a bright future for blind Americans, or if you're sighted and want to help, then join us today! The Kentucky chapter can be found at www.nfbky.org or contact the NFB at:

National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998
Phone: 410-659-9314
Email: nfb@nfb.org
On the Web: www.nfb.org