The Big Share goes live on Tuesday, March 4! This annual one-day giving event is organized by Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) to benefit the Council and dozens of other local nonprofits.
The Council’s theme for this year’s The Big Share is Accessibility for All. Accessibility can look different depending on what a person needs to live independently and to fully participate in society. For example, someone who is blind or low vision and wants to enter the workforce can receive access technology training to fully utilize all the accessibility features built into many computers.
Sometimes, accessibility means both the individual learning new skills as well as larger societal changes. For example, someone with vision loss should learn how to use a white cane to travel confidently throughout their community, while at the same time communities need to expand transportation options for nondrivers so that they can get to medical appointments, go grocery shopping, and meet with friends safely and independently. The Council is committed to making our world more accessible for everyone, and your gift will help us do that.
When Janae O’Connell started painting in 2021, she had already been diagnosed with advanced macular degeneration. But thanks to some trips to the Council and our Sharper Vision Store, she was able to obtain the lighting and hands-free magnifiers she needed to create her art. “I’m not so set in my artistic ways, and I consider myself an adapter, so I had fun finding new ways to create my paintings,” Janae said. Just a few years later, Janae’s work graced the Council’s walls as one of the featured artists at last fall’s Gallery Night. With the right equipment and know-how provided by the Council, Janae was able to learn a new skill and didn’t let her vision loss stand in her way.
Help us make our world more accessible for all Wisconsinites during The Big Share on March 4. If you don’t want to wait, you can make give early. Our Big Share webpage is live now.
The Big Share raises funds for CSW’s 70 nonprofit members, including the Council. CSW members represent a wide range of important causes, from voting rights to racial justice to housing advocacy to environmental protection. The Council is a proud CSW member and collaborates often with other member organizations.
