National Federation of the Blind of Arizona

06/12/2026

Are you a blind or low vision student pursuing your goals in college, graduate school, vocational training, or another postsecondary program?

The National Federation of the Blind of Arizona is awarding THREE $1,200 scholarships to outstanding blind and low vision scholars, and applications are due June 30, 2026!

But this opportunity is about much more than the money.

Scholarship finalists will have the opportunity to attend the 2026 NFB of Arizona State Convention, connect with successful blind professionals, build relationships with other students, and become part of a network that believes blindness is not what holds you back.

Want to learn more?

Join us virtually on Sunday, June 14 at 7:00 PM Arizona time for a scholarship information session and Q&A. Hear from past scholarship winners, learn what makes a strong application, and get all your questions answered.

👇 COMMENT “SCHOLARSHIP” BELOW and we’ll send you the Zoom link!

Please share this post with any blind or low vision student Arizona residents or students studying in Arizona who should know about this opportunity.

06/03/2026

Ever wonder what a day may consist of at BELL Academy? Here is just an example of one of the days exactly a week ago.

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Today we began our day by enjoying the playground and playing lots of games! After playing outside we came inside to do our good morning bellringers and to play Simon says.

the younger kids then went to make paintings and have snack time while the older kids went to learn about cane travel through games and play!

Next, the younger kids went to braille reading where they played with braille Legos and learned valuable life lessons through fun stories while the older kids practiced with braille writers and played fun games to help them learn.

The older kids then went to braille reading where they learned with braille Legos. While the younger kids went to braille writing where they danced to songs about the braille alphabet and played fun games!

After the older kids went to braille reading they all went to their STEM group where they built tinfoil boats with their learning shades on to learn about density and to practice mobility skills with their learning shades on while the younger kids had O&M lessons where they got to practice their cane skills!

After the morning activities the kids all had a delicious lunch, and all went to play sports with their learning shades on.
And lastly to wrap the day up the students had journaling and reflected on the day they had!

Thank you for spending just a day with us at the NFB Arizona BELL Academy

06/02/2026

Last week was the start of Arizona’s NFB BELL academy. We always love to start the week with the students showing off their cane skills and being cheered on by others in training. It is a big deal to both the participants in the parade and the spectators cheering them on. Even though it is a week later we hope you cheer them on too. 📣🎉🥳Pictured: kids wearing learning shades using their canes marching in a line or in groups of friends people standing around cheering.

03/16/2026

Spring is waking up in Tucson 🌵☀️ and that means it’s time for one of our favorite traditions of the year!

Join the National Federation of the Blind Tucson Chapter for our Annual Spring Picnic!

When: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM
Where: Rillito Regional Park – Ramadas 3 & 4
4502 N 1st Ave
Tucson, AZ 85718

We’re firing up the grills and bringing the community together for an afternoon of great food, connection, and fun. The chapter will be providing:

🌭 Hot dogs
🍔 Hamburgers & cheeseburgers
🌱 Veggie burgers
🥔 A variety of chips
🥤 Soda and water

Members are welcome (but not required) to bring a side dish or dessert to share and help make the picnic even better!

This is always a great chance to relax, catch up with friends, meet new people, and celebrate the strength of our community. Whether you’re a longtime member or someone who wants to learn more about the work of the National Federation of the Blind, we’d love to see you there.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please reach out to Tim Calk 520-304-7375 or [email protected]

Come hungry, bring your friends, and let’s make it a great day in the park! 🌞🌭🍔

03/02/2026

Gain hands-on experience driving innovation in the blindness field while contributing to the movement that raises expe

02/14/2026

Happy 114th birthday Arizona! We are proud to be active community members of this beautiful state!

PD: outline of the state of Arizona with hearts floating around and a cactus. The logo of the NFB of Arizona and the words in print and in braille “Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Birthday Arizona”

01/28/2026

Thank you, Senator Kelly, for taking the time to meet with members of the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona. We appreciate your willingness to listen, learn, and engage on the issues that matter to blind Arizonans and our families.

Our community is strong, solutions-focused, and committed to ensuring blind people have equal access, opportunity, and the tools to live the lives we want. We’re grateful for the conversation and look forward to continuing to work together to build a more accessible Arizona.



Photo Description: Senator Kelly actively listening to NFB members talking about our legislative initiatives in his office.

01/22/2026

NFB of Arizona Phoenix Seminar Recap!

This past Tuesday, we held our Phoenix Seminar, and whew… we came ready to WORK.

With about 60 people in attendance and around 20 legislative appointments, we made real movement on every one of our priorities:

✅ SB1001 (Older Blind Living Bill)
We gained strong support and continued building momentum to ensure older blind Arizonans have the resources and services they deserve.

✅ SB2320 (Teacher Qualifications Clarification)
This bill was introduced and will help clarify qualifications for teaching blind students across Arizona, strengthening access to quality instruction.

✅ SB2388 (Websites & Public Accommodation)
Also introduced, this bill would remove websites as exempt from being considered places of public accommodation. Accessibility matters and we’re pushing forward.

We also dropped off advocacy packets, and many NFB members registered with the State of Arizona so they can request to speak on our bills if needed. That’s how you build power: prepared, present, and persistent.

And here’s the truth: the work has just begun.
Introducing bills and building support is only the start. Now we keep showing up, keep educating, and keep pushing until these priorities become LAW.

Here’s how YOU can help get these bills passed:

1) Stay informed and spread the word
Talk about these bills with friends, family, coworkers, and community partners. Awareness builds momentum.

2) Contact your legislators
A quick call, email, or message matters more than people think. Let them know you support:
SB1001, SB2320, and SB2388

3) Register to speak on bills (it’s powerful!)
You can register with the State of Arizona’s Request to Speak system so you’re ready when hearings happen. Even clicking “Support” helps strengthen our voice.

4) Show up when it counts
Attend hearings, join our advocacy days, and be ready to take action when we send alerts. Numbers move decisions.

Together, we are building something bigger than one day at the Capitol. We are building a future where blind Arizonans have access, opportunity, and equality. Period.

To everyone who showed up, spoke up, traveled, advocated, and represented… THANK YOU.
Now let’s finish what we started!

01/12/2026

The Phoenix Chapter is back again with a yummitastic fundraiser! Poppin Popcorn has so many flavors, it will make your head spin. You will want to buy them all! But wait! There's more! On top of all the flavors of popcorn, there are snack mixes, baking mixes, soup mixes, cookies, cookie dough, candy, and even coffee. Purchase your treats and donate at the same time to the Phoenix Chapter by clicking this link:

Our group is having a fundraiser and you can help!

11/03/2025

The Tucson Chapter had a great Blindness Equality Achievement Month! We spent a weekend at Tucson Meet Yourself event where we had a table selling braille and tactile key chains, peanuts for our Texas Roadhouse fundraiser and brailling out people’s names for free! We also presented a Panel Discussion: « What If Being Blind Wasn’t a Barrier? »

Our Texas Roadhouse fundraiser was also a huge success! The restaurant was packed with people supporting us! We had a great October!