White Cane Day activities are again on the rise with a restoration of the past interest, thanks to motivated individual BVA members and their regional groups.  After a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic that included even last year, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Blind Rehabilitation Service (BRS) support groups and their respective Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinators also commemorated the significance of white cane safety through pre-planned public events such as walks, […]

BVA National Headquarters has received from VA a limited supply of 11” X 17” printed posters to publicize and promote Veterans Day, now just four weeks away! The posters can be displayed in classrooms, civic and community centers, government buildings such as VA facilities, military installations, and individual offices across the country. Although the BVA allotment is limited, a few extra copies remain for interested BVA members and friends. The VA Veterans Day National Committee […]

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aging, sponsored last week a series of panel presentations commemorating the 50-year anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The presentations looked back at the passage and implementation of the groundbreaking legislation that prohibited discrimination based on disability in federal government agencies and federally funded entities. They also looked inside a figurative crystal ball to analyze what implications the law has for the future.  Panelists […]

 Several BVA members have recently enrolled in VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP) in a variety of locations and environments, including the past two national conventions at which MVP representatives were present with an exhibit booth and the resources required to enroll blind and low vision veterans. “We appreciate your continued partnership and support,” said Jennifer Deen, MVP Associate Director, Cohort and Public Relations. MVP is a national research program that looks at how genes, lifestyle, military […]

For the 2023 Veterans Day Poster Contest, the Veterans Day National Committee of which BVA is a member called on professional and amateur artists late last year to create picture-perfect designs that reflect the theme of this year’s Veterans Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery. The theme “service” brought more than 60 entries ranging from school-aged children to graphic designers with decades of experience. After all the ballots were tallied, the Committee selected a design […]

The Blinded Veterans Association is honored to be chosen to participate in a special charitable giving campaign – sponsored and funded by Target. Here is how you can help direct a portion of Target’s donation at year’s end to BVA!  When you shop at Target in-store, make sure to give the cashier your phone number or email or pull up the barcode in the “Wallet” section of your Target Application and let the cashier scan […]

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the launch of VSAFE, which stands for Veteran Scam and Fraud Evasion. The initiative was revealed at Secretary McDonough’s press conference last Friday by VA Deputy Chief of Staff Maureen Elias, an Army veteran and military spouse whose own young family was once a victim of veteran-targeted fraud. VSAFE includes a coordinated online hub of resources that utilizes insights from across VA so that the Department speaks […]

In this week’s BVA Happenings, BVA Deputy Director of Government Relations summarizes a handful of implications of a potential government shutdown beginning at 12:01am this Sunday, especially as such a shutdown relates to VA services and veterans’ benefits. For some time now we’ve been hearing about a pending government shutdown but not so much about what a shutdown means and how you would be affected. The short version is that the government has a budget […]

The Veteran Usability Study is a great way to help VA improve the accessibility and usability of VA.gov and mobile applications such as VA Health and Benefits. The study is open to veterans, caregivers, and others familiar with how a veteran uses screen readers. Participants can receive a stipend ranging from $10 to $75 per study for participating.  Because VA seeks to understand the unique needs of blind screen reader users and make relevant digital […]

Join BVA’s VetTech Team this Wednesday, October 4, at 2:00pm Eastern Time as the Weekly Wednesday Webinar welcomes Marc Arneson, Director of Community at Hadley. Marc will focus on Hadley’s current vision resources. For more than a hundred years, Hadley has created personalized learning opportunities that empower adults with legal blindness or low vision to thrive—at home, at work, and within the local communities and interest groups to which they belong. Hadley’s unique success has […]