Bridging Voice

03/24/2026

A huge milestone for us: our first publication in a peer-reviewed journal! 🎉

Our new editorial explores how eye health can directly impact eye-gaze communication for people living with ALS—and how solutions like proper eye care and scleral lenses can help restore access to reliable communication.

This work reflects what we see every day: communication technology only works when the whole person—including their eye health—is supported.

🔗 Learn more and access our eye health resources at: https://bridgingvoice.org/publication-in-ovp-2026/

Published in collaboration with Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College

03/23/2026

Communication changes as ALS progresses. Planning ahead can make those changes less overwhelming and help everyone stay connected.

Join us April 14 at 3 PM for a free training on how to prepare for shifts in communication, what signs to watch for, and how to maintain meaningful connection every step of the way.

Learn more and register: https://buff.ly/R3Jdgdh

03/20/2026

Last week, ElevenLabs premiered their powerful docuseries 11 Voices, spotlighting people living with voice loss who are now able to speak using AI versions of their own voices.

We’re especially proud that five of the eleven individuals featured are Bridging Voice clients. Today, we’re honored to share Zac’s story.

In his video, Zac talks about how having his AI voice has helped life feel more normal again and has made it easier to stay connected with his family and continue being himself in everyday moments.

Watch Zac’s full video—including an amazing highlight from his adaptive ski trip!—to hear his story in his own words: https://elevenlabs.io/11-voices ⛷️💙

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Bridging Voice provides hands-on support to people living with ALS at every step of their communication journey. Through our partnership with the ElevenLabs Impact Program, we offer free AI voice clone licenses and personalized guidance for integrating them into daily life. Our team also supports the use of any communication technology, providing training and advice to meet each person’s unique needs. By combining technology with expert support, we help people with ALS make the most of their technology and stay connected to the people they love.

03/16/2026

More than 1,700 people in New York are living with ALS—and many risk losing their ability to communicate. Today, we’re launching the Bridging Voice New York State Initiative to help ensure that doesn’t happen.

Bridging Voice provides communication technology support free of charge to people living with ALS nationwide. As our organization has grown, we’ve increasingly focused on building statewide partnerships that allow us to expand access and improve communication support at scale. With successful initiatives in New Jersey and Maryland, we’re thrilled to bring this proven model to New York.

Through this initiative, our goal is to reach every New Yorker living with ALS, no matter how early or advanced their progression is. State initiatives allow us to go deeper and provide:
• Hands-on voice preservation, voice banking, and AI voice cloning support
• Proactive outreach and personalized services for every New Yorker living with ALS (rather than working solely with referrals)
• Training and education for clinicians and practitioners in the state
• Early access to Bridging Voice innovations

We’re deeply grateful for early leadership support from a Bridging Voice board member, an anonymous donor, and the Pulley Family Foundation, whose generosity is making this initiative possible and helping us scale services and build long-term capacity across New York.

The New York State Initiative brings together nonprofits, healthcare systems, and universities to ensure that no person with ALS in New York is left without a voice. We’re proud to collaborate with our service and referral partners: ALS United Greater New York, Empire State ALS Alliance, University of Rochester Medical Center, and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, with more partners to be announced.

Learn more and sign up for services if you live in New York:
https://buff.ly/y0HWPXi

03/13/2026

We’re incredibly excited for the premiere of the 11 Voices docuseries TODAY at SXSW!

Five of the eleven stories featured in this beautiful series are members of the community—people our team has had the privilege of working alongside to create personalized communication solutions. Each of them is now able to communicate using an AI version of their own voice.

These are people we’ve worked with, learned from, and cheered on, and seeing their stories shared with the world is really something special.

We’re proud to partner with ElevenLabs to help make voice restoration accessible for people with ALS. Thank you for all the time, effort, and thought that went into capturing these stories!

Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing the individual videos next week!

03/11/2026

We love this story 💙 CBS News 58 recently featured Amy McKnight who founded Opals 4 ALS — a nonprofit that connects people living with ALS to beauty and wellness professionals for a little well-deserved pampering through free services like haircuts, massages, makeup, nail care, and more. Amy started the organization after her own ALS diagnosis, recognizing how much a simple act of self-care can mean when the disease makes everyday tasks harder.

Currently operating in Wisconsin, OPALS4ALS is looking for volunteers and providers who are interested in sharing their skills to bring comfort, dignity, and moments of relaxation to people living with ALS. They hope to expand to more states as they become more established.

Peggy Merrill is also featured in the article as a client receiving free services through OPALS4ALS. We're so proud to call both Amy and Peggy Bridging Voice clients 💙. Both are using their own cloned ElevenLabs voices to communicate!

Learn more about OPALS4ALS at www.OPALS4ALS.org and check out the full story here:
https://www.cbs58.com/news/natalies-everyday-heroes-new-nonprofit-offers-pampering-for-people-living-with-als

03/06/2026

Join the Bridging Voice Team!

Bridging Voice is looking for an Associate AAC Specialist to help people living with ALS access the communication tools and technology they need to stay connected to the world.

This 100% remote, full-time role focuses on providing direct training, support, and problem-solving around AAC and assistive technology for individuals with ALS and their caregivers. You’ll work alongside a collaborative team of clinicians and technologists committed to one mission: ensuring communication remains possible at every stage of ALS.

If you’re passionate about AAC, assistive technology, and making a meaningful impact in people’s lives, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more and apply: https://buff.ly/9WGUM9v

02/10/2026

Join us on March 10 for a training on Bridging Voice's iOS Mirroring Version 2.0! We’ll cover system updates from Version 1.0, the installation process, and practical use cases for people living with ALS.

Bridging Voice’s iOS Mirroring is the first-ever solution to allow users to control their iPhones and iPads directly from a Windows device using access methods like eye gaze devices, switches, and alternative keyboards. This is a major step forward for people with ALS and others who rely on assistive technology! We hope to see you there.

🗓 Tuesday, March 10
⏰ 3:00 PM ET
🔗 Register here: https://buff.ly/fuaPa1H

02/04/2026

Join us in wishing the happiest birthday to our Executive Director, Karina Nagin! 🎉🍰

Karina leads Bridging Voice with an incredible mix of vision, compassion, and determination. Her leadership has helped shape Bridging Voice into the innovative and deeply person-centered organization it is today. From guiding our strategy and partnerships to advocating for better access to communication technology, she has the rare ability to think big while always keeping the voices and needs of our clients front and center. And she might be the only person who can keep our team meetings on track 😉!

We’re so grateful for your heart and dedication, Karina! Wishing you a birthday filled with all the love and appreciation you so deserve 💙

02/04/2026

Thank you so much to Rockin4ALS for this generous support! 💙

Connecting and communicating with family, friends, and the broader world is a critical component of the human experience. No diagnosis should be allowed to rob an individual of this possibility.