Virginia Voice, Inc.

Connecting Individuals with disabilities to information, culture and community using technology and the human voice

Richmond, VA   |  www.virginiavoice.org

Mission

Connecting Individuals with disabilities to information, culture, and community using technology and the human voice.

Notes from the nonprofit

We are pleased to announce the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer at Virginia Voice, Inc., effective January 3, 2022. Yvonne Mastromano is the current CEO at Virginia Voice. Please enjoy the attached press release with this announcement.

Ruling year info

1978

Chief Executive Officer

Mrs. Yvonne E Mastromano

Main address

P.O. Box 15546

Richmond, VA 23227 USA

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Formerly known as

Virginia Voice for the Print Handicapped, Inc.

EIN

54-1076238

NTEE code info

Blind/Visually Impaired Centers, Services (P86)

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (A01)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Virginia Voice Audio Reading Service

On daily broadcasts, volunteers read from current print and online publications, including information from organizations that provide services for individuals with disabilities. These readings are broadcast 24 hours a day via closed-circuit radio and on our website as live-streaming or on-demand programs. We also produce Community Connections, interview-style programs designed to connect our listeners to services, organizations, people, places and events in our RVA community. Another popular program presents readings from The Onion, a satirical website that parodies traditional news with stories, editorials and man-in-the-street interviews. In several programs, our volunteers read from publications specifically for school-age listeners: KidStuff, Just for Teens, and Current Affairs. In partnership with Henrico County libraries and schools, we provide books that appear on recommended reading lists for middle and high school students.

Population(s) Served
Older adults
Seniors
People with vision impairments
People with physical disabilities

In 2017, Virginia Voice launched our Live Audio Description for Theater program, which provides equitable access to the performing arts for individuals with severe vision loss.  It uses wireless technology to allow :audio describers" (positioned in the back of the theater) to provide real-time descriptions of the visual elements of live theater in between the actors' dialogue. Presently, live audio description is not being offered to Central Virginia theater-goers. In March 2017 in our annual phone survey, we asked our listeners about their experiences with local theater performances. 26% reported that they do not attend local theater performances because of their low vision. The pilot program was completed successfully in 2017.  We plan to resume this programming post-COVID and expand our program reach to include children's theatre, the VA Department of the Blind and Vision Impaired, the McGuire VA Hospital, and senior residential facilities.

Population(s) Served

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

Giving Tuesday RVA 2019

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    We connect individuals with blindness and vision impairment to news, information, arts, and culture through technology and the human voice. We seek to enhance the viability of our Central Virginia community by serving people with blindness, vision impairment and other disabilities that prevent them from reading or accessing visual elements of publications, events and performances.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Suggestion box/email,

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    We adjusted the schedule and the way in which our volunteers support our services due to risks associated with COVID-19.

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    Our staff, Our board,

  • How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?

    Learning from our listeners strengthens the quality and accessibility of the services that we provide.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive,

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Our listeners are uniquely challenged. We are working on technological solutions to interact more.,

Financials

Virginia Voice, Inc.
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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Virginia Voice, Inc.

Board of directors
as of 1/11/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Ms. Alexandra Wiles

HR Manager Schabel Engineering

Term: 2021 - 2022


Board co-chair

Ms. Susan Conway

HR Director - Richmond Times Dispatch

Term: 2017 - 2023

Crystal Crawley

Virginia State Police

Susan Early

Greycourt Consulting

Jan Thomas

Hirschler-Fliesher

Alexandra Wiles

Schnabel Engineering

Marshall Morton

Media General, Retired

Dave Howard

C&F Bank

Sue Conway

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Tina Egge

Leadership Metro Richmond, Retired

Harold Harris

VCU Health Systems

Suzanne Kim

Medarva Low Vision Center

Jimmy Morris

Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired

Stephen Hayes

WTVR CBS 6

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 01/07/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Multi-Racial/Multi-Ethnic (2+ races/ethnicities)
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/05/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.