Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Stabler Foundation Awards Grant to Purchase a New Van

Harrisburg, PA -- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Stabler Foundation awarded Tri-County Association for the Blind (TCAB) a grant, to purchase a new 2006 Chevy Uplander van. The new van is wheelchair accessible and will be used to transport people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise disabled.

The Tri-County Association for the Blind is a private non-profit organization, that provides opportunities to help blind and visually impaired individuals flourish within and enrich their communities. TCAB, which services Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties provides the following services: Access Technology, Prevention of Blindness, Social Services, Harrisburg Area Radio Reading Service, Low Vision Services, Carpeting & Janitorial Department, and a Production Facility.

Danette Blank, executive director, explained that almost all the departments with in TCAB will benefit from the new van. Social services will be able to transport clients to Dr's appointments, the grocery store or provide rides for their clients to and from their homes, for monthly support group meetings. Prevention will utilize the van to transport the children and teens that attend the annual "Onward and Upward" and the "Out of Site Club" camps that are organized by TCAB each summer. Low Vision services, will utilize the van to transport equipment that can be demonstrated to clients in their homes, that have needs for low vision equipment like video magnifiers.

TCAB will also provide transportation to their own 50 employees, who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise disabled. Employees in the Janitorial and Carpet departments of TCAB often need rides to work and the new van will make it more convenient. The Production department will also benefit as they will now be able to transport employees from the production facility to the warehouse.

The new addition of the van will provide different benefits for each department at TCAB and overall will make transporting clients and employees easier.

For more information on the Tri-County Association for the Blind, call (717) 238-2531; visit our web site at www.tricountyblind.org, or e-mail info@tricountyblind.org.