by Carly Eden Stokes | Dec 13, 2022 | Blog, News
VLANJ’s 2022 Annual Appeal letter (excerpt)
Who Is Lisette?
Lisette is a vibrant artist, mother, wife, and teacher. She loves her life. She is also functionally blind.
Becoming a mother had always been her plan. But the unthinkable cannot be planned. Complications during Lisette’s pregnancy with twins led to a stroke and significant vision loss. Brokenhearted, she thought, “Will I be able to care for my children without my sight?” To add to her pain, Lisette was now also an artist without sight. Feeling hopeless, she put down her brushes for twelve years.
Lisette’s return to art
Twelve years ago at VLANJ, Lisette sits before a blank canvas, crying. With gentle encouragement from the art therapist, she tentatively makes a few strokes. The therapist outlines the strokes with an epoxy glue gun, creating a 3-D surface. Lisette, feeling the outline, starts to fill the spaces with color and texture, creating her first painting.
Fast forward to today, Thursday morning art classes at VLANJ with Lisette now the teacher. She encourages the group to explore colors by linking them to senses of taste and smell. Like the color purple… plums are purple. How does a plum smell, taste, and feel? Sweet, sticky? Purple is now sweet and sticky!
They proceed to create beautiful works of art!
“With vision loss, art is seen with the mind’s eye and then expressed through color and texture.”
What Is Art?
Art is paint, textures, colors. Images that can be felt, touched, and seen…
A story of life and loss. A rebirth of mother and artist. For Lisette, the journey was not easy – but she will be the first to tell you, that along with the tools and skills she gained at VLANJ, came the confidence and motivation to live the life she always dreamed of.
“Be my friend,” Lisette invites her students, “and we will create together.”
Vision loss is devastating, and services for adults are limited. For almost 80 years, VLANJ has empowered people with vision loss or blindness by providing support, education, and training in independent living skills and assistive technology. Here, thousands have been given the “vision” of life’s possibilities.
To support our Annual Appeal, please visit our donate page: www.vlanj.org/donations/
Your gift will continue to grow programs and services at VLANJ. Thank you!
by Carly Eden Stokes | Dec 11, 2022 | Blog, News
For Giving Tuesday this year, we honored Claudia Schreiber, a former VLANJ program participant, advocate, and Board of Trustee. Claudia lost her vision completely in 2005, and diligently figured out ways to adapt. At the time, she was in her mid-40s and had two children in elementary school. When Claudia learned about Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey (then called New Jersey Foundation for the Blind) 11 years ago, she had her driver take her the 50-plus miles from her home in Marlboro Township to the program in Denville. “At first it was strange. I’d never met a blind person before,” she said. Claudia explained: “I’d always tried to pass as a sighted person because I was ashamed of being blind.”
Claudia began attending VLANJ weekly, learning skills to reclaim her independence and rekindling her passion for art. The first pieces she created were self-portraits with clay. Her VLANJ instructor “gave me the courage to get back into my life,” said Claudia, who’d earned a degree in art and sociology from New York University in 1982. “I fell in love with this organization.”
Claudia devoted her time to empowering others who lost their sight, and was dedicated to lightening the burden of others. Claudia died May 26, 2021 from colon cancer at age 61, leaving behind dear family and friends, and a legacy that will fortify VLANJ programs for years to come. Days before her death, she established The Claudia Schreiber Program Fund. She asked that friends and loved ones continue to contribute to the VLANJ fund in her memory.
For Giving Tuesday 2022, we supported Claudia’s fund and honored her legacy.
by Carly Eden Stokes | Dec 11, 2022 | News, Press
Thank you to CBS News and journalist Elise Preston for featuring VLANJ in honor of Blindness Awareness Month. As our President and CEO Bill Schuldt noted, “Too often people who are blind or have low vision tend to be isolated, and we want to make sure they’re part of a community and they’re getting the skills they need.”
For more information on in-person and/or virtual programs, resources, and/or support for those living with blindness or low vision, reach out to our Program Director, Linda Groszew, at (973) 627-0055, prompt 4, and Linda will assist you.
Read the full article and watch the full news segment here: https://www.newson6.com/story/63601f1ab0fd28070981d424/october-is-blind-awareness-month?bblinkid=264323330&bbemailid=43374872&bbejrid=-1800005131
by Carly Eden Stokes | Dec 11, 2022 | Events
Dining in the Dark 2022 was a truly immersive event through a world of smell, taste, and sound – a unique sensory experience like no other – in support of raising funds for our programs. The evening featured a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner in the dark, and entertainment. Attendees also heard incredible words by VLANJ’s President& CEO, William Schuldt, VLANJ Board Member, Ming Wu, the Saddle River Valley Lions Club, VLANJ program participant and creator of The Blind Vine, Debbie Azzarone, and VLANJ Board Chair, Carl R. Augusto.
Once again, to all who helped support this event and make it possible – and to those who continue to support Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey – THANK YOU! Please enjoy a video below highlighting VLANJ’s mission and programs that was shown to attendees at Dining in the Dark 2022.
by Carly Eden Stokes | Oct 31, 2022 | Blog, Events, News
On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, we held our main fundraising event of the year, Dining in the Dark – and the support we received was truly wonderful.
Two attendees enjoy Dining in the Dark. One individual wears learning shades.
Dining in the Dark was an immersive event through a world of smell, taste, and sound, offering attendees a unique sensory experience like no other. The evening helped us raise funds for our programs here at VLANJ, and featured a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner in the dark, and entertainment. It also included incredible words by VLANJ Board Member Ming Wu, the Saddle River Valley Lions Club, and VLANJ program participant and creator of The Blind Vine, Debbie Azzarone.
VLANJ Program Director Linda Groszew and Program Participant and author of the Blind Vine, Debbie Azzarone, speak at Dining in the Dark.
We couldn’t be more grateful to each of our sponsors and donors, and to those who continue to support Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey – THANK YOU!
Thank you to our sponsors:
Williams Jones Wealth Management
The Church of the Saviour, Denville, NJ
Mary Ann and Brian Zino
New Jersey Natural Gas
Advanced Center NJ
Norman Dean Home For Services, Inc.
DCM Associates
General Vision Services
Thatcher McGhee’s
Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin
Modera Wealth Management
Dyer Landscaping & Lawn Care
Board Member Sponsors Lyndsey Lord, Kelly and Kevin Bleach, Carl and Sue Augusto, Carol and Jake Ray, and Dora T. Meler.
VLANJ Board Member Ming Wu speaks at Dining in the Dark.
The VLANJ Silent Auction is featured.
Didn’t make it to our event this year? Not to worry – follow us on social media to stay up to date on all upcoming in-person and virtual events!
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