• Badger Association Materials
• Vision Loss Resources
• Glossary of Eye diseases

Vision Loss Resources

The Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired is proud to be a member of NCPABVI, National Council of Private Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The National Council of Private Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired is organized for charitable and educational purposes, including improving the quality of life for those individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Whether you or someone you know is losing eyesight, there are local organizations and visually impaired support groups which offer assistance:

Organizations

AMC Theaters — movies with audio descriptions and closed captioning. AMC Mayfair Mall 2500 North Mayfair Road
Wauwatosa, WI
414-777-0467

American Council of the Blind

American Diabetes Association — the Diabetes Association promotes knowledge of diabetes through public and professional education, and it seeks cure and control through research and information dissemination.
Southeastern Wisconsin Office
2323 North Mayfair Road
Suite 502
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
414-778-5500
1 888 DIABETES (342-2383)
414-778-5511 (fax)

American Education and Rehabilitation International — is a professional association for workers in the field of blindness. Wisconsin has a state affiliate that sponsors one annual meeting each year. This organization also offers scholarships or grants to blind or visually impaired students.

Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired — provides low vision consulting, adaptive appliances, residential options, Volunteers in Visual Assistance, information, referral, advocacy, self-help groups and many other programs, activities and events.
912 N. Hawley Road
Milwaukee, WI 53213
414-258-9200
Toll Free 877-258-9200
Fax: 414-256-8744
Voice mail: 414-256-8750

Blind Bowling Leagues in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Blind Bowling Association (WBBA) — provides information on bowling leagues. = 3223 S. 26th Street Milwaukee, WI 53215

Blinded Veterans Association of Wisconsin, Inc.
Zablocki Medical Center, Room C753M 5000 West National Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53295
414-382-5220
1-800-669-7079

Castaway Computers, Inc. — Accepting donated computer equipment and software from companies, refurbish the equipment, load available software, and upgrade the equipment. Castaway donates the computers to individuals, families, schools, charities, and agencies including religious, scouting, genealogical, historical, and other nonprofit entities.
P.O. Box 1653 Milwaukee, WI 53201-1653
414-430-5773
414-430-5774
Email: halcastaway@yahoo.com

Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Ministry to Persons with Disabilities
Ron Spitz, Director
3501 S. Lake Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53207
414-769-3401
Email: RSpitz@ccmke.org

Center for Blind and Visually Impaired Children
5600 West Brown Deer Road Suite 4
Milwaukee, WI 53223-2346
414-355-3060
Fax: 414-355-3547

Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, Inc.
3195 S. Superior Street
Milwaukee, WI 53207
Voice/TTY/Telebraille: 414-481-7477
Email: rsilver@execpc.com

Community Information Line (Milwaukee) — a 24-hour access point for information about family, health and social services in Milwaukee County. 414-773-0211

Elderlink — information and assistance for older adults. Milwaukee County Department on Aging
235 West Galena Street
Suite 180
Milwaukee, WI 53212
TTD: 414-289-8591
414-289-6874

EyeHelp — EyeHelp was formed to offer a unique reference point on eye problems and eye care. Whatever your eye colour or condition, you'll find useful advice on eye care, glasses, lenses and treatments here. Their concern was that there was no single UK resource for interesting features and practical advice on this subject. Their features and articles are written by professional journalists and experts - who have a particular interest, or a background in this area.

Eye Institute Center for Prevention of Eye Disease — diagnosis and assessment of low vision; prescribe low vision aids and training; independent living skills.
925 North 87th Street Wauwatosa, WI 53226
414-456-2020
Fax: 414-456-6300

Holy Assumption School
1526 S. 72nd Street
West Allis, WI 53214
414-476-0508

Independence First — advocacy and referral, adult day social/leisure programs, personal assistance services, benefits counseling, sports/leisure/recreation, assistive technology. newsletters and bulletins are available online and by email.
600 West Virginia Avenue
Suite 301
Milwaukee, WI 53204-1516
Voice/TTY: 414-291-7520

Industries for the Blind — is a private organization that provides training and employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired persons.
3220 West Vliet Street Milwaukee, WI 53208
414-933-4319

Legal Advice — free legal advice and representation is given on civil matters to individuals or groups with low income.
Milwaukee Office 230 West Wells Street
Room 1-800
Milwaukee, WI 53203

Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee 229 East Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 200
Milwaukee, WI 53202-4231
414-765-0600

Lupus Foundation of America, Wisconsin Chapter
8544 West National Avenue
Suite 22-24
West Allis, WI 53227
414-541-3033

Midwest Association for the Blind — a statewide association composed of both blind and sighted members with regular meetings throughout the state. The Association provides social outlets for its membership and also supports issues pertaining to the general welfare of the blind.
725 South 95th Street
West Allis, WI 53214

Milwaukee Area Technical College — provides accommodations to students: notetakers, screen reading programs, transportation, and assistive technology instruction. = 700 W State
Milwaukee, WI 53233

Milwaukee County Executive, Office for Persons with Disabilities — links to programs and projects (including the paratransit program) run by Milwaukee County.
414-278-3932

Milwaukee County Housing Program and Community Development — barrier-free housing information for disabled individuals, including adaptive equipment for the sensory disabled.
Courthouse Annex
907 N. 10th Street
Room 311
Milwaukee, WI 53233
414-278-4894

The Milwaukee Repertory Theater — offers programs in large print, audio description of the performance on audio tape, and, for selected performances of each play, full audio description using small ear pieces and radio transmitters. Call for the schedule of interpreted and audio-scheduled performances.
414-224-9490

National Council of Private Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NCPABVI) - Representing the non-profit sector of services for those who are blind or visually impaired; adult rehabilitation centers, residential schools for the blind, dog guide schools, pre-schools and services for blind children, and national organizations for people who are blind.
8760 Manchester Rd
Saint Louis, MO 63144
314-961-8235 <./p>

National Industries for the Blind
1901 North Beauregard Street
Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22311-1727
703-998-0770
Fax: 703-998-8268

Newsline for the Blind — a 24-hour toll-free telephone newspaper reading
service accessible from any touch-tone telephone. Users must fill out an application and return it to the National Federation of the Blind. It takes approximately two weeks for the NFB to process the application. Three national papers, Chicago Tribune, New York Times and Washington Post, and three Wisconsin papers, the State Journal, Capital Times and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel are available. For information in Milwaukee contact Marsha Valance at 414-286-3010.

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin
759 North Milwaukee Street
Suite 305
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414-765-0505
Email: info@preventblindnesswisconsin

Summerfest (Milwaukee, WI) — the “Accessibility Brochure” is available in braille, large print or cassette formats; it includes “outlines of the services available, Marcus Amphitheater seating policies, parking information, as well as maps and descriptions of the grounds.”

Transit Plus (Milwaukee County) — serves people with a disability that prevents them from using ordinary mass transit facilities.
1942 N. 17th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53205
414-343-1700
TTY: 414-343-1704

Vision Unida, Inc. — offers a 12-step recovery program for people with disabilities.

Latino Resource Center
2316 West National Avenue <
Milwaukee, WI 53204
414-744-8474

VisionConnection The friendly, accessible and interactive global Internet portal for people who are blind or partially sighted, the professionals who work with them, the families and friends who support them -- and anyone looking for the latest information on vision impairment, its prevention and vision rehabilitation.

Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) — coordinator provides outpatient services to blinded veterans for physical, social, and psychological needs, and reviews benefits once a year.

Volunteer Services for the Visually Handicapped — braille transcription, including braille music; taping textbooks and other materials to order; braille classes for sighted people wishing to become certified Braille transcribers.
803 West Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233
414-286-3026

Wisconsin Bureau for the Blind
Milwaukee North
912 N. Hawley Road
Milwaukee, WI 53213
414-615-0135
Milwaukee South
2745 S. 13th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53215
414-902-5937

Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy
Milwaukee Office
2040 West Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 678
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Voice/TDD: 414-342-8700
Toll-free: 1-800-928-8778

Wisconsin Regional Library for the Blind and Visually Handicapped — the library sends books postage free and loans cassette players, special phonographs, talking books, and descriptive videos at no charge. The library recommends a web site as a guide to sources of information in alternative formats accessible by people with print disabilities.
813 West Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233
414-286-3045 or 1-800-242-8822

Wiscraft, Inc. — provides skill training and sheltered employment for the blind. Services are intended to assist individuals in reaching their maximum work potential for either community employment or sheltered employment with the company.
5316 West State Street
Milwaukee, WI 53208
414-778-5800
Fax: 414-778-5805

Wisconsin Council of the Blind

Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services

Zablocki VA Medical Center
5000 West National Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53295

Zerrecon, Inc.— is a consulting firm that provides engineering and rehabilitation services, including assistive technology such as screen readers and enlargers. They also have an excellent, if slightly outdated, “Recommendations for Purchase of Computer Systems” that covers all the bases.
1549 N. 51st Street
Milwaukee, WI 53208-2216
414-771-7140
Fax: 414-771-7146

Visually Impaired Support Groups

Visually Impaired Support Groups offer an opportunity to discuss concerns about vision loss. Some groups have guest speakers, some focus on socializing, and others are a combination of resources and social events.

Hales Corners Support Group = Forest Ridge Community
Senior Residence
11077 West Forest Home Avenue
Hales Corners, WI 53130
Contact: Sue Olsen
414-425-1148

Juniper Court Support Group = 3209 S. Lake Drive
St Francis, WI 53207
Contact: Joan Yelangin
414-744-9959

Library Square Support Group = Library Square Retirement Community
1820 S. 75th Street
West Allis, WI 53214
Contact: Carol Keely
414-774-4411

Milwaukee Vision Loss Johnson Health Clinic = 1230 West Grant Street
Milwaukee, WI 53215
Contact : Donna Strayer
414-286-8892

Mt. Carmel Support Group = Mt. Carmel Nursing Home
5700 West Layton Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53220
Contact: Sarh Kleiner
414-281-7200 ext. 3283

South Milwaukee Support Group = Grobschmidt Senior Center
2424 15th Avenue
South Milwaukee, WI 53172
Contact: Sandra Quinlan
414-768-8045

Vision Loss Support Group = Badger Association
912 N. Hawley Road
Milwaukee, WI 53213
Contact: Rob Buettner
414-258-9200