Skip to main content

Bravo to Trader Joe's for trying to be more VI and blind friendly

This press release is admittedly a little dated, but I'm sort of catching up here. I'm running it just as an FYI - but I have to say, this has been an issue of concern for me for some time. It seems self-service kiosks etc. are increasingly becoming the norm in more and more places. They aren't always easy for me to use - and frankly, it's extremely annoying to have to run around looking for store assistance. Where I find them particularly annoying are airlines. The line turns into a giant blob and it's hard to even figure out where the line is to talk to a human and get some help.


Contacts:
Mitch Pomerantz
American Council of the Blind
(626) 372-5150

Adrianna Montague-Gray
American Foundation for the Blind
(212) 502-7675


Blind Community Leaders Applaud Trader Joe’s Commitment to Improve Point-of-Sale Equipment to Benefit Shoppers with Visual Impairments

SACRAMENTO, Calif., August 19, 2009 – American Council of the Blind (ACB), the California Council of the Blind (CCB) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) announced today that they have collaborated with Trader Joe’s to improve the checkout experience of guests with visual impairments and help ensure their privacy. The AFB, ACB, and CCB applaud Trader Joe’s efforts.

Trader Joe’s has added tactile keypads to point-of-sale devices at all their locations. The new improvements allow shoppers who have visual impairments or difficulty reading information on a touch screen to privately and independently enter their personal identification number (PIN), protecting their financial privacy.

“Trader Joe’s is a very popular store for the thousands of ACB and CCB members across the country,” said Jeff Thom, president of the CCB. "Today’s announcement is just one more example of the company’s dedication to customer service.”

Trader Joe’s operates more than 325 stores in 25 states plus the District of Columbia.

About the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and the California Council of the Blind (CCB)


The American Council of the Blind is a national consumer-based advocacy organization working on behalf of blind and visually impaired Americans throughout the country, with members organized through 70 state and special-interest affiliates. The California Council of the Blind is the California affiliate of the ACB, and is a statewide membership organization, with 40 local chapters and statewide special-interest associations. The ACB and CCB are dedicated to improving the quality of life, equality of opportunity and independence of all people who have visual impairments. Their members and affiliated organizations have a long history of commitment to the advancement of policies and programs which will enhance independence for people who are blind and visually impaired. More information about the ACB and CCB can be found by visiting www.acb.org and
www.ccbnet.org/.

About the American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national non-profit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources. AFB is also proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and honor the over 40 years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB. For more information, visit us online at www.afb.org.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ratner's Cheesecake

Here's another recipe from Toby! Thanks Toby......and I'll get the others posted soon! Ratner's Cheesecake and plain cookies Ratner's was a Jewish dairy restaurant in the lower East Side of Manhattan. This recipe, from my disintegrating, no longer in print Ratner's cookbook, is the closest I've ever gotten to reproducing the rich, heavy cheesecake my mother made when I was a kid. It's worth the time it takes to prepare and every last calorie. Dough Can be prepared in advance. Makes enough for two cakes. Can be frozen or used to make cookies – see recipe below. 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup shortening 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 cup butter 2 eggs 3 cups sifted cake flour ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients with hands. Refrigerate 3 -4 hours, or preferably overnight. Filling (for

The next generation with Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome

I'm so behind on posting about the trip to Puerto Rico. Since the episode of Mystery Diagnosis on Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome ran right after we got home, it's been a little busy. These, however, are my favorite pictures from Puerto Rico. I know, not pretty senery etc - but these little guys and gals inspire me. They are the next generation of folks with HPS, and if we keep up the hard work, they will live better lives because of it. They motivate me.

Some good news about Pirfenidone

Below is a press release from Intermune, the company that makes Pirfenidone. They have essentially reviewed the various clinical trials going on, and decided that Pirfenidone is safe and well tolerated. That would pretty much go along with what we've observed in the HPS community as well. We have a few folks that have been on the drug since the late 90s and continue to do well. Of course, as a journalist, I do have to say consider the source - but at the same time, as someone in a Pirfenidone trial, it's good to know. Results of Comprehensive Safety Analysis of pirfenidone In IPF Patients Presented At European Respiratory Meeting - Analysis shows safety and tolerability of pirfenidone across four clinical trials - VIENNA, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- InterMune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITMN ) today announced that the results of a comprehensive review of safety data from four clinical studies were presented at the 2009 European Respiratory Society Annual Congress in Vienna, Austria