Through a large multi-year grant from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the LightHouse will be spearheading a project to help deaf-blind individuals all over California speak easily with their friends and family over the phone. As part of this project, LightHouse will be giving away iPhones and other devices to eligible participants, along with free training.
The LightHouse has been providing training and support to persons who are deaf-blind for over twenty years. LightHouse Deaf-blind Specialist Sook Hee Choi is an amazing force in providing orientation and mobility, independent living skills, communication skills training (braille and ASL) while connecting individuals and families with community resources and support.
While our primary collaborator in this pilot is the Helen Keller National Center’s Southwestern Regional Services and Representative Cathy Kirscher, we couldn’t have taken the lead and represented California without the input and support of:
California Public Utilities Commission
Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program
California State Department of Rehabilitation
California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
Deaf Counseling Advocacy and Referral Agency
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service of Fresno
Northern California Association of Deaf-Blind
California Deaf-Blind Services
Lions Center for the Blind
If you are a deaf-blind Californian (age 15 and over), and low income, you may qualify for this program. Please email: dbep@lighthouse-sf.org to receive an application.
Wish this could be country wide. We have a blind grandaughter and so many of her friends are blind. Wish they would emplement this throughout the U.S.
Thanks so much for your comment, Fran. Our CEO Bryan Bashin tells me that the California Grant is just part of a 10 million dollar FCC budget for the entire country. Every state has a grant of this type based on its population.