From: The Hadley School for the Blind
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 4:02 PM
Subject: Hadley Launches New Blinded Veterans Initiative
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new Blinded Veterans Initiative.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are an estimated 158,300 legally blind veterans and 700,000 veterans with low vision. In addition, approximately 7,000 veterans become newly blind or visually impaired each year from non-combat related causes. Compounding the problem is that approximately 70 percent of working age Americans who are blind or visually impaired are unemployed or underemployed.
In response, Hadley's Blinded Veterans Initiative will educate and inspire blind or visually impaired veterans to pursue their personal and professional goals and help support their families. Veterans coming to Hadley as a result of this new initiative will be able to enroll in any of 100+ distance education courses. Core subject matters emphasized through this new initiative include business and entrepreneurship, technology, independent living skills, adjustment to blindness and braille literacy.
The program is tuition-free for all visually impaired veterans and their family members, thanks to the support of Goldman Sachs Gives, a donor-advised fund. The gift was made at the recommendation of John Willian, a managing director at Goldman Sachs and Winnetka native whose family has shown a legacy of support for the Hadley School.
For more information about this new initiative, or to enroll, please visit: www.hadley.edu/veterans. If you know of any blinded veterans who would benefit from Hadley's distance education courses, please forward this message.
