[Nfbc-sj] ATTENTION: OUR MARCH 28 CHAPTER MEETING IS CANCELLED DUE TO CORONA VIRUS AND NATIONAL BOARD GUIDANCE

[Brian Buhrow]

	hello.  Due to the ongoing spread of the Corona Virus, as well as
guidance from our national board, see below, we are cancelling our March 28
meeting.  Please stay tuned to this list for details on our April meeting.

	Our April meeting would normally happen on Saturday, April 18, 2020,
but given the uncertainty surrounding the Corona Virus, as well as the
proximity to the April 12th date given in the announcement below, it may be
that our April meeting will need to be rescheduled or cancelled as well.  

	If there are issues folks want to discuss, we can either do it here
via this e-mail list, or, if there is interest in a more real-time meeting,
we can explore holding a telephone meeting during March or April.

	In any case, I hope all of you are well and I look forward to seeing
everyone on the other side of this unprecedented event.

Sincerely,

Brian Buhrow, NFB San Jose Chapter President.

From: President, National Federation of the Blind
<OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org> 
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 2:08 PM
To: President, National Federation of the Blind
<OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org>
Subject: National Federation of the Blind COVID-19 Policy Relating to Public
Events

 

Dear Colleagues,

Please give immediate attention to the below policy directive from the Board
of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind related to the
immediate postponement of public meetings of the organization. In addition
to this statement, you can hear an emergency Presidential Release related to
this matter at
https://www.nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-covid-19-p
olicy-relating-public-events.

 


National Federation of the Blind COVID-19 Policy Relating to Public Events


 

The National Federation of the Blind is closely following the rapidly
evolving situation with respect to the novel coronavirus and its associated
illness known as COVID-19. Since we issued our initial guidance on this
situation on March 11, public officials across the nation have escalated
their response to the virus and issued new and more aggressive directives.
Generally, while specific directives as to the size of permitted public
gatherings vary across states and local jurisdictions, public health
officials agree that it is advisable to engage in "social distancing" in
order to prevent or mitigate the spread of the virus, and people are being
directed to minimize proximity and/or physical contact with others outside
the home as much as possible. As a result, the National Federation of the
Blind Board of Directors met on March 13 and developed this policy directive
related to public meetings of the organization.

The National Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest nationwide
organization of blind people, with affiliates in all fifty states, the
District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico; hundreds of local chapters; as well
as statewide and national special-interest divisions. Together these are
comprised of some fifty thousand members and countless volunteers and
supporters who conduct various public meetings and events. The health and
safety of our members and friends is our top priority, and we are also
mindful of our obligation to follow public health directives and to engage
responsibly with the general public. We also recognize the need for
consistent guidance across our organization as our affiliates, chapters, and
divisions consider or plan meetings and public events.

To that end, the President and Board of Directors of the National Federation
of the Blind hereby direct that all meetings, events, or public gatherings
that are currently planned by affiliates, chapters, and divisions to take
place within thirty days from today, March 13, 2020, are to be canceled or
postponed until sometime after April 12, 2020. This includes, but is not
limited to, statewide conventions or meetings, local chapter meetings, and
statewide or local division meetings. Of course, where practicable, meetings
to conduct the ongoing business of the Federation may be held via phone call
or videoconference. Furthermore, the outreach and advocacy priorities of the
organized blind movement can and should continue despite the disruption to
public meetings, including monitoring unique barriers that blind individuals
encounter due to the extreme circumstances. However, no official business of
the organization should be conducted via in-person gatherings during this
period. The national leadership will re-evaluate the situation on or shortly
after April 12, 2020, and issue additional guidance if needed.

We are issuing this directive to align with the best available public health
advice as well as with multiple state and local directives, and to carry out
our general obligation to protect the health and safety of everyone in our
Federation family. We wish everyone the best as together we meet the
challenges and make the sacrifices required by this public health emergency.

 

Mark A. Riccobono, President

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

(410) 659-9314 |  <mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
officeofthepresident at nfb.org 

 

 

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The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.