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MAB Community Services is dedicated to helping reduce fears and isolation caused by sight loss, empowering individuals to live with dignity and to provide access to a full range of sight loss services. With offices in Watertown, Brockton, Springfield and Worcester, our programs serve more than 7,000 blind and partially sighted individuals, every year.

Description:
MAB Community Services is committed to serving people with vision loss. We offer the following services:

PEER EMPOWERMENT PROJECT: Throughout Massachusetts, self help support groups provide the opportunity for participants to share coping mechanisms, fears, frustrations and resources as their vision changes. Groups are led by visually impaired peer coordinators.

ELDER REHABILITATION PROJECT: Rehabilitation Teachers and Community Aides teach specialized in-home skills and provide adaptive equipment to elders first experiencing sight loss who are not legally blind.

INFORMATION CENTER: The Center provides information and resources locally, nationally and internationally to consumers, their families and health care professionals.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM: We match volunteers statewide with blind and partially sighted consumers to assist with shopping, reading mail, writing checks for bills and friendly visiting.

BRAILLE PROGRAM: Custom braille transcription of print materials is provided to individuals and organizations across the country.

RECORDING STUDIO: Custom cassette recordings of print materials are provided to individuals and organizations across the country.

ADAPTIVE PRODUCTS INFORMATION CENTER: Information about specialized products for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

VIHAB: The Vision Habilitative Services Department provides Orientation & Mobility and Low Vision Services for adults with mental retardation and vision loss. Referrals are made by individuals' DMR Service Coordinators.

MAB CONNECTIONS: Recorded information about the services and programs of MAB Community Services. Consumers can obtain weekly updates on grocery specials, entertainment and television listings for the Greater Boston area by dialing 617-923-2790.

History:
MAB Community Services- formerly the Massachusetts Association for the Blind,headquartered in Brookline, recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in November of 2003. We are the oldest agency in the country to provide services to blind and partially sighted people. Since 1903, MAB has evolved and grown to offer a full range of services for disabled adults and children and brain injured adolescents through 'The Ivy Street School'. Individuals who are blind and partially sighted are served through our community service division.
MAB Community Services, with its 9 vision related programs, grew out of the merger of MAB and VISION Foundation in 1998.

Contact people:

Karen Matthews, Coordinator Of Volunteer Services, (phone), (email) Robert Pierson, (phone), (email)

Address:

Opportunities Throughout Greater Boston Watertown, MA 02472 (See a map)

Directions:

The opportunities are not at our office - they are available throughout Greater Boston and beyond. Our office (for trainings and interviews) is at 313 Pleasant St. in Watertown, close to the Waltham town line. This is a four-story building. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: Checking on this info For maps or information, please see http://www.mbta.com

Overall Experience   
"I enjoy recording......the variety is fun."

It is a pleasure to be able to do this as several members of my family have gone blind and I appreciate the benefits of recording. posted on February 1, 2001

Overall Experience   
"There is always satisfaction in a job well done."

"...Robert (Studio Supervisor) does a wonderful job of encouraging and praising......" --Peter W. posted on August 17, 2000