Earle Baum Center of the Blind, Inc.

Founded in 1999, the mission of the Earle Baum Center (EBC) is to provide opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired to improve and enrich their personal, social, and economic lives. Headquartered in Santa Rosa, EBC provides both one-on-one and group programming to our clients, including Therapy, Independent Living Skills Classes, Orientation and Mobility Training, Braille Instruction, and Assistive Technology Services, among others. We also have a Low Vision Clinic and provide Glare Evaluations that include matching individual sight loss with specialized lighting, magnification, and a host of tools focused on enhancing remaining sight.

EBC was established in honor of Earle Baum, a blind farmer born in 1896. Earle lost the majority of his sight by age 17, and although his hopes of becoming a journalist were dashed, he went on to live a happy and productive life as a farmer, develop many talents including composing music and dancing, and inspire those around him. Today, EBC proudly continues Earle's legacy by providing a warm and welcoming place for blind and visually impaired individuals to acquire the skills, support, and companionship they need to pursue their life goals, which may include securing employment, pursuing a new passion, mastering a technical skill, or traveling the world.

EBC serves more than 400 people annually in Sonoma, Napa, Lake, and Mendocino counties. We serve men and women from age 18 + with an average client age of 72. We make every effort to ensure that those who need our services are able to access them without unnecessary financial hardship. Less than 1% of our clients pay full price, with most averaging $20 per hour for services (our operating cost is $150 per hour).

We offer a wide variety of services for individuals with sight loss. For new students, we offer:

• Introduction to Vision Loss: Designed for people who have recently experienced sight loss or not yet dealt with their vision loss. Includes information, techniques, and equipment to allow individuals to continue leading an active life.
• Adjustment to Disability: One-on-one counseling sessions designed to address the emotional side of vision loss.
• Living with Vision Loss: Assisting clients in adjusting to the emotions of losing their sight.

For individuals ready to take the next step in improving their independence, we offer:

• Assistive Technology Services: Evaluates an individual's skills and needs, then offers individualized recommendations and training to ensure our clients' full participation in today's world of electronic communication and information storage and retrieval. Training is offered in the use of adaptive hardware and software such as notetakers, cell phones, magnifiers, screen readers, scanning and optical character recognition, Global Positioning Satellite systems, and more. This includes oneonone instruction.
• Orientation and Mobility: Teaches skills required to travel independently, safely, and confidently. Specific instruction covers spatial concepts, sensory awareness, independent movement including cane skills, and the use of public transportation. Includes oneonone
instruction.
• Independent Living Skills: Adaptive skills for cooking, hygiene, shopping, financial management, cleaning, and more. Includes group classes and oneonone instruction.
• Braille Instruction: Much more than a reading tool, Braille is integral to independence. Students learn labeling of many items including foods, files, clothing, games, and more. Includes group classes as well as one-on-one instruction.

We also offer an array of educational and recreational programming to enhance the lives of our clients, such as Art History, Ukulele, Birding by Ear, Tai Chi, Tap Dancing, and Yoga; as well as field trips, from ocean excursions to museums visits. In addition, EBC provides outreach programs that include roundtable discussions on challenges, needs, and questions from the group. Sessions are held at libraries, senior centers, and living facilities across the four counties we support.

EBC is led by the following staff:

Robert Sonnenberg, CEO: Mr. Sonnenberg joined EBC in September 2016 as Director of Development. In December 2018, he was appointed Interim CEO and in July 2019 this was made permanent. From 2006-2016, he served as Associate Director Planned Giving and then Major Gifts Officer for Guide Dogs for the Blind, where he was responsible bringing in revenue through cultivating strong relationships with a portfolio of more than 250 major donors. He previously worked for California State Automobile Association as a Life Specialist and as a financial consultant. Mr. Sonnenberg is an active member of the community and currently serves on the Marin County Estate Planning Council, as a council member at Whistlestop, and Board member of Community Institute of Psychotherapy. He holds a MBA in finance from Golden Gate University and a B.S. from Colorado University.

Kati Aho, Director of Operations and Programs: Ms. Aho joined EBC in October 2014.  In her role, she oversees the day to day operations at the center. Prior to working at EBC, she spent over 30 years in the electronics industry in the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Manager. Ms. Aho graduated from University of San Francisco with a BS in Informational Systems Management and a focus on Organizational Development and the creation of synergistic, self-managed work teams.  She serves on the Board of Directors at the Sonoma Humane Society and Forget Me Not Farm.

Jeff Harrington, Manager and Assistive Technology Specialist: Mr. Harrington came to EBC in 2001 from the Disability Services Legal Center, first serving as an Assistive Technology Specialist. He is a licensed and registered Occupational Therapist. Shortly after his arrival at EBC, Mr. Harrington was promoted to the Manager of Assistive Technology, where he oversees the department staff, assets, technical training, the tech club, and annual technology fair. He also trains people with sight loss, utilizing tools and devices to increase independence. Mr. Harrington wants to bridge the digital divide so people with vision loss will have the same opportunity to communication as the rest of the world.

In 2019, our 20th anniversary, we are delighted to celebrate what we have accomplished over the last two decades while also look ahead to the next era of EBC. Over the last year, we:

• Served a total of 420 blind and visually impaired individuals through our on-site programs and outreach.
• Delivered more than 5,470 hours of core instruction services (Orientation and Mobility, Adaptive Technology, Independent Living Skills, and Braille) to 386 clients.
• Provided 320 hours of Low Vision Clinic support for 81 people.
• Leveraged over 5,000 hours of assistance and support from 78 volunteers.

We also recently completed an ambitious new strategic plan, designed to better serve our clients, position our organization for long-term financial strength, and cultivate new donors.

For 20 years, the EBC has served a critical need in the North Bay, providing a welcome place for individuals with sight loss to gather, socialize, and learn. There are currently no other organizations in the North Bay providing the same services, and with a rising number of individuals suffering from vision loss in California each year—and a growing aging population—EBC's programming and resources are now more important than ever.