Freedom Link

Looking for a program that is FUN and promotes INDEPENDENCE

Freedom Link mentors and mentee Haley Ireland stand in front of Wrigley Field.

Freedom Link mentors and mentee Haley Ireland stand in front of Wrigley Field during the June 24, 2017 Freedom Link outing.

Mentee Haley Ireland and Freedom Link mentors stand in front of the famous ivy-covered wall at Wrigley Field.

Mentee Haley Ireland and Freedom Link mentors stand in front of the famous ivy-covered wall at Wrigley Field during the June 24, 2017 Freedom Link outing.

 

Looking for a program that is FUN and promotes INDEPENDENCE for blind teens?

Freedom Link is a transition program for blind and visually impaired students, grades 7-12. The program offers students the opportunity to build skills and confidence while they work with adult blind mentors. Students and mentors take fun and exciting excursions and participate in many other activities that help students learn valuable nonvisual skills. Participants will strengthen abilities and build confidence as they forge friendships with other blind and visually impaired students and learn from adult blind mentors.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to travel with and speak to blind adults to help me figure out how to live with blindness,” says Josh, a former Freedom Link participant. “I enjoyed being shown how to use public transit and other resources to become independent, and I am putting these skills to use in my daily life.”

Freedom Link meets one Saturday a month from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The program begins in October 2021 and runs through August 2022.

Freedom Link is sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois. We are deeply grateful to Steve Pangere and our other generous funders for making this program possible. Freedom Link was the recipient of a 2017 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind.

The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois is grateful to everyone who worked to make our Freedom Link program the prototype for youth programs in Illinois.

Without the love, hope and determination of our Freedom Link students, mentors and donors we had more than ten years of exploration and adventure. Stay tuned as we look to the future and develop a program that builds upon the strengths of Freedom Link. If you want to know about our plans for a new youth transitions program for blind students in Illinois, contact Deborah Stein at dkent5817@att.net or Teresa Fabre at tere.fabre91@gmail.com.