Dear Friend,
Kris Marino smiles into the camera.
March 17, 2020 marked the last day VLANJ met in person before New Jersey went into lockdown. We had no idea how long the COVID-19 crisis would last, only that we had to keep our community supported and together. I’d always wanted to offer programs online, and the pandemic became a catalyst. Within two weeks, we pivoted to virtual classes over Zoom.
Over the months, we added programs and enrollment tripled. We now have more students attending weekly than ever before. Virtual programming transcends one of the biggest obstacles people with vision loss face: a lack of transportation options. We continue to develop new programming and prepare for the time we can safely restart in-person gatherings.
As I look back on my 6 ½ years at the helm of this wonderful organization, I am proud of the strides we’ve made. I oversaw the nonprofit’s transition from NJ Foundation for the Blind to VLANJ in 2016, as we stabilized our finances and created more skills-based programming. We hosted nonprofit summits to find solutions to shared challenges. We added occupational therapy and negotiated with Medicare and private insurers to cover the services. And we launched the Technology Learning Lab, planting seeds for more employment-geared training in the future.
My decision to relocate was not an easy one. I am sad to be leaving people who are dear to me, who inspire me daily. I remember touring the nonprofit as part of Leadership Morris years ago. I was so impressed that I applied for the top job as soon as it opened.
I leave VLANJ on a high note, confident my successor will build on the foundation we created. The hardest thing is not getting to say goodbye in person. So here, I bid adieu to everyone in our VLANJ community, and wish you all good health and good fortune. Always remember, we’re the little engine that could.
Sincerely,
Kris Marino
VLANJ President and CEO