by Pat Austin | Nov 19, 2024 | Blog, Feature, News
An image of the front side of VLANJ’s annual appeal card is featured. It contains the text outlined below in addition to a headshot of Trisha Ebel in the top left corner. To the right is an animation of a woman with flowing hair standing outside with her back to us. She is wearing a blue skirt whipped by the wind with white flowers on the bottom.
Throughout our 81-year history, Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey has been a leader in delivering innovative programs and services for individuals with vision loss. What began as a summer residential camp for women with vision loss has grown into an organization offering unique, state-of-the-art programs that continue to empower and transform lives.
Trisha’s Story
Trisha Ebel, VLANJ’s Outreach Specialist, shares her story below:
It was a Monday evening and Mom was heating up gravy on the stove. It was leftovers – boy how I loved her cooking!
I was nine years old, watching The Brady Bunch on TV, when suddenly I felt the need to cover my right eye with my hand. I realized I couldn’t see out of my left! I told my mom and she put her hand over her heart and gasped for air – something was terribly wrong.
Cataracts in my left eye led to Glaucoma at ten years old. And within a year, my right eye had cataracts as well.
I had seven surgeries to remove the cataracts and stabilize Glaucoma and high pressure. I was so frightened in the hospital – these memories have stayed with me, making me feel unsafe.
I got through middle and high school, until senior year when I was unable to read regular size print. Nobody wanted to hang out with me. I was put down. I was called names. I became isolated and thought all was lost.
Later, I studied to be a travel agent but lost every job due to my vision loss. I felt defeated. My feeling of unworthiness was getting worse.
In 2006, a whole new world opened up for me when I found VLANJ and began classes. Being part of peer support, Orientation and Mobility, JAWS Technology, cooking, and advocacy helped me overcome my fears and ultimately, accept my vision loss.
Upon completing my programs, I felt a sense of total freedom, independence, and dignity. I was wearing a blue denim skirt with white flowers along the bottom. The skirt flared out and up when I spun around. I thought to myself, “The flowers feel like they are dancing!” I raised my arms and smiled.
Since that day, my smile has never left my face. I learned – vision does not affect how you feel!
Today, I have limited sight in my right eye, so I wear glasses to define objects in the right eye and balance the left. Cloudy days are the best days with no sun or glare. I can still struggle, but my life is full!
An image of the back side of VLANJ’s annual appeal card is featured. It contains the text outlined above and below in addition to an animation of a child in a red sweater and a blue skirt seated on the floor watching television in the top left corner. To the right, on the bottom, is an image of white daisies.
Support VLANJ
Vision loss is devastating and services for adults are limited. For over 80 years, VLANJ has empowered people with vision loss or blindness by providing support, education, and training in
independent living skills and assistive technology.
Your gift will continue to grow programs and services here at VLANJ.
To support our annual appeal, please use this link to visit our donate page.
Thank you for supporting Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey.
by Pat Austin | Oct 18, 2024 | Blog, Events, Feature, News
Thanks to you, we exceeded our goal of raising $10,000 for our 2024 Day of Giving to support vital mental health initiatives!
We had such an incredible celebration with our wonderful program participants, our dedicated VLANJ team members, and a special meditation session led by the amazing Diane Lang.
We are so grateful for all the support. Together, we can continue to uplift, support, and empower those living with blindness and low vision.
A huge thank you again to everyone who helped us reach our goal!
We look forward to all that next year has in store – stay tuned for next year’s celebration!
Participants of VLANJ’s 2024 Day of Giving event are seated around a table, smiling, and enjoying a meal together.
Participants wave and smile warmly at the camera.
Diane Lang presents a meditation session to an attentive group of participants.
VLANJ staff standing in front of a mural, celebrating the successful event.
Did you miss our Day of Giving? You can still donate and make an impact. Thank you!
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 | 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!
Follow VLANJ on Instagram
Follow VLANJ on Facebook
Follow VLANJ on LinkedIn
by admin | Aug 2, 2022 | Blog, Events, News
THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT!
Due to overwhelming participation, we have met our capacity and will no longer be selling tickets to this event. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Please return to the site for information and stay tuned for upcoming events.
THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT!
Join us on October 26, 2022, as we celebrate our fifth annual Dining In The Dark!
Enter a world of smell, taste, and sound as you experience a unique sensory experience like no other. Help us as we raise funds to support our programs. The evening will feature a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner in the dark, entertainment, and a wine pull.
Tickets, tables(of 10 guests), and sponsorship opportunities available via the form below, or call Jennifer Singer at 973.627.0055, prompt 2 for more information.
