CNIB Foundation is asking Manitobans to “phone it forward” to support people who are blind and partially sighted in the province.
Phone It Forward is a worldwide program that refurbishes used smartphones and gives them to people with sight loss to help them communicate and access services.
This year, CNIB is teaming up with Winnipeg Public Libraries. The libraries will serve as drop-off locations for the smartphones.
“We’re asking Manitobans to check their desk drawers for modern smartphones not being used – and to donate them at participating public library locations,” said Leonard Furber, the executive director for CNIB Manitoba.
He added: “Many Canadians own multiple phones, regularly upgrading to a newer model. Let’s get those phones into the hands of people in our community who neeed them.”
According to a CNIB release, 46 per cent of Canadians who are blind don’t own smartphones, or not one that’s advanced enough to assist them in daily living.
The unemployment rate for people with sight loss is triple the Canadian average, making affording a high tech cell phone difficult for many.
CNIB said smartphones can empower people with sight loss in a number of ways, including navigating with GPS, identifying faces, reading printed text, and confirming correct medications.
Visit phoneitforward.ca for a list of eligible smartphones and to find a list of participating libraries.
