We are fundraising to reduce costs for our DeafBlind Retreat of New England
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DeafBlind Support and Access Network (DBSAN) is asking for your sponsorship of our DeafBlind Retreat of New England to be held this August at Camp Wightman in Griswold CT. This is the second DeafBlind retreat of its kind to be hosted in the Northeastern United States.
DBSAN is a nonprofit organization offering support and access to the DeafBlind community. We provide DeafBlind participants with a safe environment where they can learn, grow, and try new things at their own pace. Our goal is to provide complete access to enable socialization to reduce isolation.
Our retreat will build DeafBlind identity, self-esteem, and self-confidence among participants by promoting and teaching the values of Autonomy, Teamwork, and Responsibility. They will have opportunities for individual and community growth as well as for interpersonal collaboration and connection.
The Need. There are few opportunities for DeafBlind people to be together and to develop the kinds of relationships needed to alleviate the social isolation most experience. Communication is a major barrier. Those who work with DeafBlind people – and even family members – aren’t aware or skilled in effectively communicate with them.
Much of the communication and information sharing DeafBlind people receive is done in visual ways, such as pointing. They miss the components of conversation such as facial expressions, body language, or the surroundings. This leaves them missing important information.
The DeafBlind Retreat will be a space where communication feels natural and accessible. We will be teaching the language of DeafBlind people: ProTactile. ProTactile is when communication and information sharing happen equitably through touch. The retreat will be a ProTactile Zone.
Your sponsorship will help make this retreat possible for approximately 20 DeafBlind people..
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