The Kentucky Council of the Blind is an organization of blind, visually impaired and sighted people who work to improve the lives of people with vision loss.

Chartered as the fifth affiliate of the American Council of the Blind in 1965 and reorganized in 1974, the Kentucky Council of the Blind is today the leading organization of the blind and visually impaired in the Commonwealth.

KCB has over 350 members statewide. Four local and two special-interest chapters and a junior division offer many activities and programs for the blind and visually impaired. Regional chapters are based in Bowling Green, the Jackson/Hazard area, metro Louisville, and northern Kentucky. Special groups are available for guide dog users, children and teens under 16 years old, and young adults between 16 and 30 years old.

Major programs and activities of the Council include:

(1) Sound Prints - KCB produces a weekly radio talk show featuring the latest information on programs, services and products for the blind and visually impaired. Sound Prints is broadcast live each Wednesday evening on WKJK 1080-AM in Louisville. It is available on demand on the KCB website and on Thursday/Friday on ACB Radio Mainstream. Click here for complete schedule information.

(2) Meetings and conventions - KCB and its chapters offer informative meetings and social events for both members and nonmembers. A statewide convention is held each November. Relatives are encouraged to attend along with their visually impaired family members.

(3) Advocacy - KCB helps parents of blind children, blind and visually adults, and families of seniors with low vision to obtain the services they need. Examples of advocacy include:

* Attending IEP meetings with parents so their children can receive appropriate educational services;

* Intervening on behalf of blind and visually impaired clients with state agencies;

* Meeting with government representatives and private businesses to improve access to buildings, transportation, and the environment.

There are many other types of advocacy. KCB works for:

* the installation of audible traffic signals so people with impaired vision know when to safely cross the street;

* better public transportation so people who cannot drive a car can get to work, to school, to the grocery, and to all the places other people like to go;

* textured curb cuts so that blind people will know where the sidewalk ends and the street begins, and so that visually impaired pedestrians can easily locate crosswalks;

* accessible voting equipment so people who cannot read the print ballot can cast a secret vote;

* accessible technology with buttons that can be felt, menus that talk, and output that speaks so blind people can use kiosks in airports, check-outs in grocery stores, home electronics such as microwaves and DVD players; and

* Video-deschibed TV shows and movies so blind and visually impaired people know what is happening on the screen.

(4) News and Information - Information and news pervices from the Kentucky Council of the Blind include:

* The KCB News - A free bimonthly newsletter published in large print, on cassette tape, and in electronic format;

* E-mail lists - The Announce list carries technology updates, career information, news about upcoming events etc. The chat list includes all posts from Announce as well as comments, humor and discussion by list members. Subscribe by sending a blank email to

kentucky-acb-announce-subscribe@acb.org

or

kentucky-acb-subscribe@acb.org

* KCB Information Line - Call (502)895-4598 for brief recorded updates on issues and events; request a return call by leaving a message at the sound of the tone.

For more information about resources available to blind and visually impaired Kentuckians, or to find out more about the Kentucky Council of the Blind, contact KCB at:

Kentucky Council of the Blind
148 Vernon Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206

Email the Kentucky Council of the Blind

Visit the KCB website