Calendar

The week's events

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Jan 29
Jan 30(1 event)

7:00 pm: Talkin' About Books: Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet's Journey (online)


Jan 30

In a lyrical love letter to guide dogs everywhere, a blind poet shares his delightful story of how a guide dog changed his life and helped him discover a newfound appreciation for travel and independence.

Stephen Kuusisto was born legally blind—but he was also raised in the 1950s and taught to deny his blindness in order to "pass" as sighted. Stephen attended public school, rode a bike, and read books pressed right up against his nose. As an adult, he coped with his limited vision by becoming a professor in a small college town, memorizing routes for all of the places he needed to be. Then, at the age of thirty-eight, he was laid off. With no other job opportunities in his vicinity, he would have to travel to find work.

This is how he found himself at Guiding Eyes, paired with a Labrador named Corky. In this vivid and lyrical memoir, Stephen Kuusisto recounts how an incredible partnership with a guide dog changed his life and the heart-stopping, wondrous adventure that began for him in midlife. Profound and deeply moving, this is a spiritual journey, the story of discovering that life with a guide dog is both a method and a state of mind.

RSVP to Sabrina Bolus at SBolus@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-6707.

Jan 31(3 events)

10:30 am: BART Safety Training (in-person)


Jan 31

Join LightHouse and the BART Accessibility Team at the Oakland 19th Street BART station, upper level, for a BART Safety Training.

Are you a regular BART commuter, or do you only use it when you absolutely have to? Have you ever thought about what would happen if you were to accidently fall into the tracks on a BART platform? Do you know how to contact the operator for help while on a BART train? What do you do if there are no seats available?

This event will give you the opportunity to inspect a full-scale model of the track with the elusive “third rail”, along with the cubby area under the platform where one can remain safe if a train were coming. We will have a hands-on experience in a BART car to check out the seating arrangements, the door to transfer to the next car, and the location of all the safety features. The LightHouse Media and Accessible Design Lab staff will also be on hand to show you the tactile BART station maps that are available for you to order.

RSVP is strongly encouraged to ensure attendees have an opportunity to access all aspects of the presentation. To RSVP or if you have additional questions, contact Sheri Albers at SAlbers@lighthouse-sf.org, or 415-694-7331.

12:00 pm: Museum of Craft & Design Descriptive & Interactive Tour (in-person)


Jan 31

Visit the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco for an exclusive tour of current exhibitions including BULL.MELATIC: Proxistant Vision which is the culmination of an innovative, art and technology research project that explores the impact of new aerial imaging technologies and their influence and power in everyday life. Staff members will take us on a descriptive tour of current exhibitions, invite us to hold and touch artifacts created by the exhibiting artists using similar techniques and walk us through an art making experience inspired by the work on display in their galleries.

Museum of Craft and Design is located at 2569 3rd Street, right on the San Francisco Muni Bus T Line with stops nearby.

RSVP to Maia Scott at MScott@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7608.

2:00 pm: Tech Together: January 2023 (online)


Jan 31

January 17: Fabulous File Storage

Whether you need to back up your files, share files with others, or keep more data than your device will hold, cloud-based file storage can be a useful tool in your toolbox. Join the Access Technology team, and we'll discuss options for accessible online storage.

RSVP online for Fabulous File Storage or leave a voicemail at 415-694-7618.

January 24: Meeting Up and Making Friends

Join the Access Technology team, and we'll discuss accessible ways to find meetups, make friends, and enjoy events in a reopening world.

RSVP online for Meeting Up and Making Friends or leave a voicemail at 415-694-7618.

January 31: Take a Ride

Join the Access Technology team, and we'll take a tour of popular rideshare applications. We'll also discuss strategies for safety and smooth sailing while you're on the road.

RSVP online for Take a Ride or leave a voicemail at 415-694-7618.

 

Feb 1(2 events)

9:30 am: Stress Reeducation & Meditation (Virtual)


Feb 1

Each Wednesday morning we offer a series of short, meditation-based practices for relaxation and stress reduction. The group is appropriate for both beginners and advanced practitioners and instruction is provided in all aspects of the practice. Instructor Jeffrey Schneider has more than 40 years of meditation and teaching experience. It is a virtual class using the Zoom platform—everyone is welcome as little or often as they like. Dial in, find a comfortable position, breathe deeply, clear your head, and de-stress.

RSVP to Sabrina Bolus at Sbolus@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7607.

1:00 pm: Gratitude VIBES (online)


Feb 1

Gratitude-VIBES are Visually Impaired Blind Energizing Sessions. Gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. This solutions-based group can help you feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve your health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships. Previous sessions included demonstrations of poetry, music, drumming, visualization, Chinese and Japanese calligraphy, self-care, gardening, and employment journeys. These are followed by individual check-ins.

Our February 2023 theme is Relationships. Students will present on the following topics:

February 1: Relationships between animals and people
February 8: Relationships with friends
February 15: Relationships with people we have not met yet
February 22: Relationships and love

RSVP to Sabrina Bolus at sbolus@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-6707

 

Feb 2(2 events)

9:30 am: LightHouse and AARP Tax Support (in-person)


Feb 2

LightHouse is again partnering with AARP’s Tax-Aide Program to provide free tax filing support at 1155 Market Street this tax filing season. AARP will be at LightHouse HQ on Mondays and Thursdays from February 2 – April 13, 2023.

Appointments are required and they can be made for 9:30 am, 11 am, and 12:30 pm. Appointments can be scheduled by leaving a voicemail at 415-694-7648 or completing this form: https://forms.office.com/r/MsNHzhK3Hc

This is open to anyone who needs support filing their federal and California state tax returns for the tax years 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019. (note: each year requires a separate appointment and we can only complete tax years 2019, 2020, and 2021 in March). There is no requirement based on age, income level, or San Francisco residency.

Please bring with you:

  • Your tax paperwork you’ve received in the mail
  • A copy of your social security card
  • A copy of your photo ID
  • If you are eligible for a refund and would like it deposited directly into your account, please bring a voided check. If you do not have a voided check, your refund check will be mailed to you

COVID-19 Requirements:

Masks must be worn at all times.

Out of Scope:

If any of these situations apply to you, you may be out of scope for AARP. If you think that you are out of scope, please feel free to call us so that we can confirm.

  • If you do not have health insurance, we cannot prepare your tax return. Apologies, but this is due to the California mandate that requires everybody to have health insurance, which results in tax complications.
  • If you have tax deductible contributions to an HSA account, we cannot prepare your tax return. This is due to the differences in Federal and California tax law and is complicated.
  • If you have rental income, we cannot prepare your tax return.
  • If you are in a civil union or married filing separately, we cannot prepare your tax return. This is due to the differences in Federal and California tax law.
  • If you’re self-employed, and want to declare your health insurance premiums as an expense, and are receiving premium tax credits (via CoveredCA), we cannot prepare your tax return.
  •  If you have rental property, we cannot prepare your return.
  • If you have a dependent child with unearned income subject to the “Kiddie Tax”, we cannot prepare your return.
  • If you are self-employed and, due to the pandemic, you deferred paying your Self-Employment tax, have a PPP loan, or took Covid sick leave, we cannot prepare your return.
  • If you own a business with employees and/or inventory, we cannot prepare your return.  You would be wise to hire a professional tax preparer.
  • If you have hobby income or not for profit activity, we cannot prepare your return.

There are some specific requirements and not all taxes will be able to be completed by AARP volunteers; these will be addressed when the appointments are made.

If you have any questions, please call 415-694-7648. Thank you.

11:00 am: Create In Community Art Class (in-person)


Feb 2

Let's gather together in the 11th floor art space at LightHouse San Francisco (1155 Market) to explore a different art process, style or media each moth while connecting with fellow creatives. These are exploratory, process-oriented classes that invite you to work at whatever level you are, be it first timer to expert.

This month we will create a variety of painted and textured papers that we will later use as collage materials to create colorful and tactile artworks.

RSVP to Maia Scott at MScott@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7608.

Feb 3
Feb 4(1 event)

12:00 pm: Black History, Black Brilliance Event at Macy's (in-person)


Feb 4

Macy's Union Square in San Francisco kicks off a month of instore happenings featuring Black entrepreneurs and artists showcased throughout their multi-level store.  We have the opportunity to enjoy lunch in the basement food court, listen to a panel of artists and entrepreneurs talk about their work, tour some of the art on view with live descriptions, and peruse local vendors selling their wares.

12:00 pm - Lunch in the basemen food court.

1:00 pm - Panel of black artists and entrepreneurs.

2:15 pm - Tour of art and vendor visit.

Let's meet at the main entrance across from the Union Square Plaza.  The address is 170 O'Farrell Street (Nearest Cross Street is Powell and a few blocks walk from Powell Street Station.)

Scent alert - Note that we may be convening in or near areas of the store that feature cosmetics and fragrances.

RSVP to Maia Scott by Saturday, February 4 at 11:00 am at: Mscott@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7608

The events for the upcoming week are read aloud on our event hotline every Friday, which can be accessed by calling 415-694-7325. For more information about visiting the Adaptations Store, head to our shop page.

The LightHouse is scent-free. Please abstain from wearing colognes, perfumes, or other scented products. Additionally, coffee must be securely lidded at all times and citrus should not be peeled on the premises. Thanks for supporting our efforts to respect chemical sensitivities!

SDS safety dataClick here for our cleaning product safety data sheets (SDS) and ingredient information.

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