Free, innovative classes build confidence and skills to help people return to activities they love
SANTA BARBARA —Free fall classes at Braille Institute Santa Barbara offer life-enhancing and life-changing experiences to anyone in the tri-county area facing the challenges of vision loss. The fall class schedule includes more than 70 free educational, social and recreational classes. The Daily Living and Arts & Healthy Living classes run September 7 through December 16 and take place at Braille Institute Santa Barbara (2031 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105) and at key locations in the community.
“At Braille Institute, we are proud to offer free resources and information that can benefit people experiencing vision loss,” said Michael Lazarovits, Executive Director, Braille Institute Santa Barbara. “Our staff and volunteers help people adjust to life with sight loss while also enhancing social and recreational opportunities for each person.”
Fall classes include more than 70 options ranging from home management, cooking, and safe transportation to classes in creative arts, music, dance and literature. At Braille Institute, students can learn anything from ceramics, to learning to use the latest mainstream and accessible technologies to reading braille. No matter the class content, the goal of these classes is to restore self-confidence and enable people who are blind or visually impaired to execute familiar tasks in a new way.
Highlights of exciting classes and programs at Braille Institute Santa Barbara include:
Kitchen Confidence – Students regain confidence in the kitchen with this state-of-the-art program. Beginning and Intermediate Kitchen Confidence classes mix lessons in cooking and food preparation with curriculum covering educational benefits on proper nutrition and even tips to use technology to help in the kitchen.
Connection Pointe – Braille Institute Santa Barbara is home to a technology center that offers free instruction on all of the latest mainstream and adaptive technologies.
Disaster Preparedness – This class meets every Thursday and teaches Braille Institute students how to best deal with and prepare for natural disasters common to Santa Barbara and Southern California.
NEW! Brownbag Men’s Support Group – Men who are experiencing vision loss are welcome to join this new support group taking place every Wednesday during lunch at Braille Institute Santa Barbara.
In addition to the full adult class schedule, Braille Institute offers free In Home Consultations, as well as one-on-one Low Vision Rehabilitation, technology instruction, a Youth Program and access to an award-winning audio, large print and braille library. Braille holds classes year-round with sessions in fall, winter, spring and summer. Class schedules are available at BrailleInstitute.org/SantaBarbara. To get more information about registering for classes or to get a Braille Institute student referral form, please contact Phillis Castagna at (805) 682-6222-8302. For more information, visit BrailleInstitute.org/SantaBarbara.
About Braille Institute: Braille Institute is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate barriers to a fulfilling life caused by blindness and severe sight loss. It serves thousands of people of all ages each year through a broad range of educational, social and recreational programs designed to help people with vision loss lead enriched and fulfilling lives. Funded by private donations, all services are free-of-charge. Braille Institute Santa Barbara is online at BrailleInstitute.org/SantaBarbara, on Facebook (BrailleInstitute) and Twitter (@BrailleInst).