‘Legacy is the impact we leave on others’
A Foundational Bedrock
For over fifty years the Metropolitan Washington Ear (MWE) has empowered individuals who are print disabled, have low vision and blind, the opportunity to live in and participate in a sighted world.
From its inception, MWE believed one way to help reduce isolation and depression within this population was to make available local, state, regional, national and international news 24/7. Today, hundreds of trained volunteers read the news to more than 5,000 listeners in Maryland, Virginia and DC from MWE’S in-house radio studios or in their own homes.
What about the Future?
Today there are over 200,000 blind, low vision, and print disabled individuals residing in the metropolitan Washington region that are ageing and living longer. In addition, according to population statistics, every day 10,000 people reach the age of 65 where it is estimated that one out of three of them could become visually impaired making it a challenge to watch television, use computers and their cellphones.
The Need for Additional MWE Services is Growing.
Numerous listeners and other low vision, blind and print disabled individuals have expressed the need and value for essential training in the use of a white cane, learning braille, becoming proficient in technology and maintaining and expanding MWE’s radio reading and Dial-In programs. These services and their related costs are:
White Cane Training 
It takes approximately two hours a week for 6 months to become proficient and independently navigate using a white cane. Your gift of $760 will underwrite one full month of training. Your gift of $4,560 will underwrite the entire 6-month training program.
Braille Training 
It takes approximately five hours a week for six months to become familiar enough to read and write braille. Your gift of $800 will provide one month of braille training. Your gift of $3,000 will underwrite the entire 6-month training program.
Technology Training 
Experienced trainers, who themselves are blind, teach the fundamentals of using cellphones, computers and other technology. Training costs $65 per hour with a minimum of two hours a day for training. Your gift of $500 will provide one week of training. Your gift of $2,000 will provide one month of training and your gift of $8,000 will provide four months of this valuable training. Graduates can now apply for and hold tech-related jobs thereby creating additional self-worth, confidence and independence.
Radio Broadcasting 
The opportunity to sponsor a day, a week or a month of MWE radio reading service is now available. For a gift of $400 you can provide an entire day of radio broadcasting. A gift of $2,800 will support a full week of radio broadcasting reaching thousands of listeners. Your gift of $11,200 will sponsor a full month of radio days. If they choose, sponsors will be mentioned at the end of each radio program they financially support.
Audio Description 
MWE’s trained audio describers narrate key visual elements for plays, museum tours, sports events, parades, etc. These descriptions are inserted into natural pauses in the program’s dialogue making these events more accessible to individuals who are visually impaired or blind. Your gift of $100 will purchase one theater ticket. Your gift of $500 will train one volunteer audio describer. Your gift of $1,000 will provide transportation to and from a performance for 12 people.
Our Hope
We hope you are as enthusiastic as we are about the future of MWE and wish to join us in this unique Legacy Campaign by financially supporting one or more of these programs.
Take the Next Step.
Please take a moment to visit MWE’s website (washear.org). Scroll down to the donate button and tell us how much you wish to donate. Or, if you prefer, you can complete the donation form below.
Recognition
All donors will be recognized on our ‘Wall of Fame’, in our monthly newsletter, on our website and receive a personalized Certificate as a Legacy Campaign Donor.
You may make your donation on the www.washear.org/support-mwe web page.