December 21, 2011                                                                                                   

For the third year in a row the J.H. Baroco Foundation donated money to Independence for the Blind of West Florida, Inc. (IB West) to help fund services that provide rehabilitation education to blind and visually impaired individuals in Northwest Florida.  The $5,000 contribution will be used among other things to purchase assistive training devices and computer equipment that the blind and visually impaired in our community are in need of.  Thanks to the generous donation from the J.H. Baroco Foundation, Independence for the Blind will be able to continue providing much needed services, such as Assistive Technology and computer training. 

The staff and board of directors of Independence for the Blind are very thankful for this gift.  Each year it becomes more difficult to keep up with the rising costs of not just training aids and equipment, but basics such as gas, food, and utilities.  Rising fuel costs hit Independence for the Blind especially hard because they serve a ten county area and a lot of instruction must be done at their clients homes in Bonifay, Panama City, Chipley, and Destin, as well as in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Navarre and Milton.  Each and every contribution helps, whether it is a generous gift such as this one from the J.H. Baroco Foundation, or a gift of $10 cash, cleaning supplies, or food items for the training classes.  Also, unlike donations to larger, national charities, every donation that Independence for the Blind receives is immediately put to use, and every dollar received is spent right here in the local area in support of member's  of our own community.