CNIB to open new facility in London

The CNIB Foundation is opening a new community hub to help Londoners with impaired vision.

According to executive director Rob Gaunt, the foundation offers rehabilitation programming for people who are blind or partially sighted.

“We’re looking at engaging members of the blind and partially sighted community in internships so they can gain some real, practical work experience.”

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They will also offer a unique program that reuses smartphones.

“The Phone it Forward program is an opportunity for people, corporations, organizations, etc. to donate their used smartphones,” said Gaunt.

“Working with Fixed Wireless Repair, we wipe the phones of any residual data, they are refurbished and then they are put back into the hands of individuals who are blind or partially sighted,” he said.

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The goal behind the new space, located at 171 Queens Ave. Suite 101, is to help empower individuals to have the skills they need to succeed in academics, employment and their day-to-day-lives, said Gaunt.

When he spoke with stakeholders about the new facility, Gaunt said they wanted to make sure it focused on employment and technology, but there was a third element that’s a little less tangible.

“It was really around equality and equity in our communities and what that means for individuals who are blind and partially sighted.”

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The CNIB Foundation is hosting an open house at their new facility at 4 p.m. Wednesday.