Smartphones can be life-changing for people living with vision loss because of the many existing accessibility smartphone apps. However, purchasing a smartphone advanced enough can be a bit of a costly affair, and many blind and low-vision people still don’t own a smartphone. In Canada, the CNIB has started an initiative to bring smartphones to blind and low-vision individuals called Phone It Forward. With this program, people can donate their old smartphones in return for a tax receipt, and the phones will be refurbished and given to blind and low-vision Canadians in need of a smartphone. When receiving the smartphone, the blind or low-vision individual will be trained in how to use the phone that will already be set up with a wide variety of accessibility apps, so that they’ll be able to benefit from the full potential of the technology.

At Be My Eyes, we absolutely love this original initiative, and we highly encourage our Canadian volunteers to donate their used smartphones to Phone It Forward. Your contribution can have a direct impact in the life of an individual living with sight loss.

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