In Episode 101 of "White Canes Connect," hosts David Goldstein and Lisa Bryant engage with Rabbi Lenny Sarko to discuss his pioneering work on the Braille Torah. Rabbi Sarko, who is visually impaired himself due to complications from diabetes, shares his unique journey of adapting the Torah into Braille to facilitate inclusive religious participation for the blind and visually impaired within the Jewish community. The episode delves into Rabbi Sarko's motivation, which stemmed from his fear of losing complete sight and realizing that no Hebrew Braille Torahs existed globally. This led him to i ..read more

In this 100th episode of White Canes Connect, Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, joins Lisa and David for a celebratory and insightful discussion. President Riccobono reflects on the podcast's journey, emphasizing its role in amplifying the voices of the blind community and fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment. He shares his journey with blindness, highlighting the transformative impact of finding mentorship and a supportive community within the Federation.  President Riccobono discusses the significance of advocacy, the evolution of technology fo ..read more

While educating a child with a disability can be challenging, the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, or DCIU, offers many tools and supports to meet that challenge head-on, preparing every student for a successful future! In this episode of White Canes Connect, Simon Bonenfant speaks with Jason Gonzalez, DCIU Professional Development Specialist, and Holly Short, DCIU Orientation and Mobility instructor, as they discuss the wide range of service offerings the DCIU provides, each unique to every student.  The DCIU will hold two upcoming transition fairs for parents and students in Delaware ..read more

In this episode of White Canes Connect, presented by the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania and hosted by Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein, listeners are treated to an enlightening conversation on living with low vision, commemorating February as Low Vision Awareness Month. The episode featured insights from Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Lachelle Smith from Salus University and Steve Kelley from Hadley, alongside Pam Baquaro, a blind vendor and President of the Pennsylvania Association of Blind Merchants. The discussion highlighted the challenges and misconceptions th ..read more

In this episode of White Canes Connect, hosts  Lisa Bryant and David Goldstein explore the Diabetes Prevention Program with special guests Joani Schmeling from the Health Promotion Council and NFB of PA President Lynn Heights, a diabetes coach. The program, developed by the CDC, is designed to support individuals with prediabetes through lifestyle changes over a year, emphasizing the importance of diet, exercise, and stress management.  Lisa shares her commitment to participating in the program, highlighting its potential to prevent the progression from prediabetes to diabetes, a lea ..read more

 In this episode of White Canes Connect, Lisa and David speak with Dr. Carolyn Peters and Sabrina Rice from the National Organization of Blind Black Leaders. They discuss the importance of the organization and when it became a division of the National Federation of the Blind.  They review all the planned Black History Month events the organization presents (see the listing below, along with the Zoom links.) The ladies also explain how important it is to simply show up and the difference that it makes. Show notes at https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/096    Links Mention ..read more

In this episode of White Canes Connect, Lisa and David talk with Shelby Perry, the founder of Eyehesive. Shelby discusses what led her to create the Eyehesive community, also known as #oneeyegang. She goes through the process of getting a prosthetic eye, which involved four sessions with her ocularist. Shelby also tells about her coaching program to help others who need a prosthetic eye or dealing with vision loss in general. Show notes at https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/073   What is Eyehesive? Learn more about Eyehesive at https://www.eyehesive.com/. Check out the One-e ..read more

It's time to play ball! Beep baseball that is. In this episode of White Canes Connect, we learn about the sport and the Philadelphia Fire of the National Beep Baseball Association from John Margist and Scott Hogwood. Scott tells us about the zones in the field where the defensive players are while John explains what the sighted spotters can and can't do. Scott and John stated that the team is ALWAYS looking for new players and volunteers. Show notes at https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/070    Connect with the Philadelphia Fire Beep Baseball Team Learn more about the team and wat ..read more

In this episode of White Canes Connect, we learn how to win one of three $10,000 travel grants from Flight for Sight founder Mike Walsh. Mike explains why he started the non-profit and what he wants from the three winning applicants. He hopes the winners will inspire blind and visually impaired people to get off their couches and travel. Show notes at https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/069   Apply For A $10,000 Travel Grant From Flight for Sight If you have a great travel idea and can inspire and educate, apply for a $10,000 grant at https://www.flightforsight.net/apply-for ..read more

In this episode of White Canes Connect, Lisa and David talk business with Dakota Hogwood, who runs a Grab and Go at the Green Federal Building as part of the Business Enterprise Program (BEP). Dakota explains the training she received in the program and the process of bidding for locations. She also talks about her goals and what she'd like to see happen in the program. Dakota also mentioned that she is a member of the Philadelphia Fire of the National Beep Baseball Association member.  Show notes at https://www.whitecanesconnect.com/066    Business Enterprise Program Info ..read more