Dozens of blind and visually impaired Prince George鈥檚 County residents stepped into the long-awaited new Sight and Vision Center in Largo 鈥� a facility advocates say will bring critical services closer to home for thousands who previously had to travel miles outside the county for help.
Officials at Monday’s tour of the new facility said a little over 3% of Maryland鈥檚 residents are 聽In Prince George’s County, that equates to tens of thousands of people.
Previously, they’d have to travel to either Baltimore, D.C. or Montgomery County for services geared toward them. Later this month, when the center holds its official grand opening and ribbon cutting, that will change.
鈥淵ou don’t always see them, because they might be stuck in their homes because they’re not getting services,鈥� said Prince George’s County Council member Jolene Ivey, who pushed for the space to open up this center.
She was quick to credit County Executive Aisha Braveboy for finding the space in a county-owned building.
鈥淭hey don’t know how to go out safely into the community. How are they supposed to get to Silver Spring or D.C. for these services?鈥� she asked.
For those in the blind community who gathered there for the first time, the joy and excitement knowing there鈥檚 a facility for them was obvious to everyone else in the room.
鈥淚t’s very important, extremely important,鈥� Chiko Dinaka said, describing the new facility as a place where 鈥済entlemen and ladies can get together and have meetings, and they can learn about different technology, like learn how to use a computer, how to use a Braille writer, how to navigate life.鈥�
鈥淎s a blind person in a blind community, this is great,鈥� said Eric Phifer, of Landover. 鈥淲e haven’t had resources. I had to go all the way to Montgomery County.鈥�
While everyone inside gathered to celebrate, it was apparent there was a strong bond within the community, something those who showed up were eager to confirm.
鈥淲e help each other. We look out for each other. As you can tell, the camaraderie is excellent, and I like being around them,鈥� Phifer said.
Now, with this service center, 鈥淚t’s going to grow. This is going to grow exponentially,” he said.
Marcus Robinson, chief operating officer of the a nonprofit that helps provide reading and audio services to the blind community around the D.C. region, will help oversee the new facility. He said the new Sight and Vision Center will play a role in helping blind and visually impaired people gain more independence.
鈥淥ne of the things that most people have a misconception is that every blind person has somebody to read a letter for them, or to cook for them, or things of that nature,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淪o what winds up happening is that a lot of times, people who are blind and low vision feel very isolated.鈥�
He reiterated that the goal of the new center is to make sure people can learn to read Braille, use a white cane to get around and even use technology that can help them call rideshares or navigate the online world.
鈥淚t’s as important as it is to have a public school for your child to go to,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚magine trying to teach someone who’s blind how to cross the street again or navigate anything in their life.鈥�
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