VOICEcorps reading service

04/17/2026

When Matthew Shifrin, a blind man from Massachusetts, was 13 years old a babysitter gifted him with a Lego set. It wasn’t just any ordinary Lego set, it had instructions written in braille! 😮

Now at 28 years old, Shifrin owns the non-profit Bricks for the Blind which provides instructions for completing Lego sets for free to anyone who is blind for visually impaired. This is no small task or operation…as of the writing of the ABC article we are sharing, he has instructions for 540 sets! 🙌

Matthew’s story is inspirational because he didn’t allow his disability to deter him for making a difference for others who are blind, he simply passed along the goodwill extended to him.

Be sure to extend some goodwill yourself and tell anyone you may know with a print-disability about VOICEcorps. We are sure it will make a positive impact on their lives. ☺️
Listen here ➡️ https://voicecorps.org/listen/
or tell your Amazon Alexa to “Play VOICEcorps skill!” 👨‍🦯‍



Alt-text: A man wearing dark glasses sits at a desk. A completed Statue of Liberty Lego set sits next to him as he picks up Lego pieces while creating a new set.

Matthew Shifrin loved building Lego sets as a child

04/17/2026

If you live near Reynoldsburg or are traveling around our great state this weekend, consider a visit to a Winking Lizard restaurant as they have been recognized by Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities for their inclusive accessibility accommodations! 🏆

They offer braille displays and materials, accessible parking, seating, and restrooms, along with allergy information listed on their website. 💻

No matter where you go this weekend, have a wonderful one and we thank our listeners, volunteers, donors, and community members for supporting us! 💙
Visit us @ https://www.voicecorps.org/ to learn more about what we do and how you can get connected to us!

Winking Lizard Tavern is an Inclusive Place for guests and employees.

Winking Lizard locations in our Online Resource Guide:

- Avon
- Beachwood
- Bedford Heights
- Brunswick
- Canton
- Copley
- Downtown Cleveland
- Independence
- Lakewood
- Macedonia
- Mayfield Heights
- Mentor
- Peninsula
- Reynoldsburg
- Washington Square

Learn more about these Winking Lizard in our Online Resource Guide at
https://www.cuyahogadd.org/resources/individual-family-resources/online-resource-guide/inclusive-places/food-shopping-services.

Image description: Online Resource Guide, Inclusive Places, Winking Lizard Tavern with restaurant signage on a building front.

04/14/2026

Spring has sprung! 🌼

It’s time to clean up those flower beds, plant those seeds, and get inspired with our volunteer-read program “In the Garden”!

Whether you are plant pro with the greenest of thumbs, or a novice who can’t keep a houseplant alive, we’ve got you covered! Green thumbs are welcome but not required! 👍

“In the Garden” airs every Saturday at 6PM with a replay Sundays at 5AM. Listen here➡ https://voicecorps.org/listen/ or tell your Alexa smart speaker to “Play VOICEcorps skill!”



Alt-text: A person waters plants with a metal can in a garden. The top of the photo has a light brown banner with "Get gardening tips & get inspired!" written. The bottom of the photo has a pale green banner with "Tune in to “In the Garden” Saturdays @ 6PM (No green thumb required)" written. The VOICEcorps logo is centered at the bottom.

04/11/2026

Dyslexia has been in the spotlight as of late, but what exactly is dyslexia and what makes it one of the most diagnosed(though still under-diagnosed) print-disabilities? 🤔

According to this article from Forbes written by Mill Etienne, dyslexia is a “neurobiological difference in how the brain processes written language. It leads to difficulty with reading and spelling despite average or above-average intelligence.”

Dyslexia has no bearing on one’s intelligence, and is often overlooked in classrooms with young students. Students may be perceived as having a lack of effort when in reality, they are struggling. 💔

If you struggle to read on your own, we at VOICEcorps reading service encourage you to sign up with us to receive our FREE broadcast of news, articles, information, books, and entertaining programming for our print-disabled audience.

Contact us➡ https://voicecorps.org/contact-us/
Volunteer with us➡https://voicecorps.org/get-involved/volunteer/
Support us➡https://voicecorps.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/



Alt-text: A student and a teacher sit at a desk. The teacher is helping the student follow along with reading the book in front of them at the table.

Dyslexia is common and not tied to intelligence. Early recognition and targeted intervention are key to unlocking potential and preventing long-term academic gaps.

04/09/2026

We wanted to share this post from Blind on the Move on the topic of expiration dates. ‼️

The ability to read expiration dates is so vital to many of us, yet is something that those of us with sight may take for granted. We hope that these tips are helpful to you and we encourage VOICEcorps listeners and volunteers to share their own ideas or "hacks" you use in the comments down below! 🙂



Alt-text: Photo of an organic half&half carton with expiration dates printed at the top.

Visit us @ www.voicecorps.org for more on our reading service.

Managing Expiration Dates When You’re Blind or Have Low Vision

Expiration dates can be frustrating; they’re often tiny, low-contrast, or stamped in hard-to-find places. But with a few practical strategies, staying safe and organized is absolutely possible.

Here are some real-life tips many blind and low-vision people use every day:

1. Use your phone’s camera
Apps like Seeing AI or Envision AI can read printed text aloud. For tricky labels, Be My Eyes lets you ask a volunteer or AI assistant to help locate and read the date.

2. Label items right away
When you buy food or medicine, add a braille label, tactile marker, or a simple voice note with the expiration date. Doing this once saves stress later.

3. Organize by “use first”
Keep older items at the front of the fridge or pantry and newer ones in the back. This simple system works even without reading labels.

4. Use voice reminders
Set a reminder on your phone or smart speaker for important expiration dates, especially medications or refrigerated items.

5. Trust multiple strategies
Many people combine tools, for example, scanning with an app and double-checking with Be My Eyes when something feels uncertain.

Expiration dates shouldn’t take away independence or confidence. With the right tools and habits, you can manage them safely and on your own terms.

04/07/2026

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month and we at VOICEcorps want to recognize the significance of Parkinson’s disease within the print-disabled community. 🧠

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder affecting one’s nervous system. This impacts the affected individual’s ability to hold printed materials, and they often also experience cognitive and sensory impairments. It is estimated that globally, 10 million people are living with the disease. 🌐

We encourage anyone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s to tune in to VOICEcorps so that they may have no interruptions to access to the world via our broadcast service. If you know someone who could use our service, please make sure to forward them our information. 💙

Visit us online at https://voicecorps.org/



Alt-text: The image features a light blue background with a prominent silver ribbon in the center, symbolizing Parkinson’s Disease Awareness. To the left is a simple line drawing of a brain outlined in dark blue, surrounded by yellow squiggly lines, indicating movement or shaking. On the right, there is an outline of a human head in profile, also drawn in dark blue, containing a brain with similar yellow lines suggesting action or energy.

04/05/2026

We at VOICEcorps reading service hope that our listeners, volunteers, community members, and their families all have a wonderful Easter Sunday! 🌸

If you are out and about visiting family, on your way to church, or are just hanging out around the house we hope that you enjoy your day and keep in mind that VOICEcorps is on the air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including all holidays.

Wondering how to listen? Just turn on your VOICEcorps provided SCA radio, your Alexa smart speaker, or visit our website to hear our broadcast. 🤗

Listen here 👂➡https://voicecorps.org/listen/
What’s on? 🤔➡https://voicecorps.org/programming/schedule/



Alt-text: A white wicker basket filled with pastel eggs, flowers, and a sprinkle-topped cake, with Easter greetings above and below.

04/03/2026

The year is hopping right along and Easter is this Sunday, April 5th! 🐰

We wanted to share this article written by Veronica Lewis that features tips and tricks on how to make Easter egg hunts more accessible for children with low vision or other disabilities so that everyone is included! 🤗

Some tips to consider: using shiny, reflective, or neon-colored eggs (though skip green eggs as they tend to blend in with the grass), filling the eggs with not just candy but also glow sticks, and even placing eggs at eye level instead of on the ground.

We hope that this sparked some conversations or ideas for how to best include every child during a fun tradition for many families. Be sure to tune into VOICEcorps for 24/7 programming on a wide range of topics, including disability news right here ➡https://voicecorps.org/listen/ or tell your Alexa smart speaker to "Play VOICEcorps skill!"



Alt-text: Bright green border surrounds blog post title "Accessible Easter Egg Hunts For Low Vision" written in a bold, black font.

Here are my favorite tips for how to make Easter egg hunts accessible for low vision kids, focusing on low cost tools and adapting existing Easter eggs

03/31/2026

In this fast-paced world it can be difficult to keep up with changes in accessibility requirements and laws here locally as well as across the county, and that’s where VOICEcorps comes in! 🫡

We air our Disability Scoop program every Friday at Noon to keep our listeners informed of changes to laws, requirements, and programs that may impact or enrich their lives.

Anyone with a print-disability is eligible to receive our FREE broadcast service. Need a radio to listen? Have an Amazon Alexa? Prefer a live stream off our website? Visit our website today to learn how to get hooked up with 24/7 audio access to the world! 🫶

Learn more ⭐➡ https://www.voicecorps.org/

Listen live⭐➡https://voicecorps.org/listen/

Support us ⭐➡https://voicecorps.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/



Alt-text: Butterflies with blue gradient coloring with a wheelchair graphic with text about disability news on VOICEcorps.

03/27/2026

The more you know: While some of the 3.3 million people over 40 with low or no vision may have experienced this since childhood, there are a large number of individuals who are just now learning hoq to navigate what is to them, a whole new world. 😮

Ranjoo Prasad, an optometrist at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, focuses on rehabilitation for low vision and offers some great advice. Some of her tips include: using magnifiers, increasing font sizes on phones and other commonly used tech items, protecting your eyes from the sun’s harsh rays, and even joining support groups in hopes of staying connected and social with others. 🫂

Those with low vision, no vision or other print disabilities can really benefit from services like us here at VOICEcorps. We bring information, entertainment and kind, friendly voices to help folks navigate and keep up with the world. 🌎

Listen here ➡https://voicecorps.org/listen/ or tell your Amazon smart speaker to play VOICEcorps! 🗣



Alt-text: The image depicts two women walking together outdoors on a sunny day. The woman on the left is older, wearing a gray coat, maroon shirt, and a red beret. She holds a cane in her right hand. The younger woman on the right is wearing a mustard yellow coat with a green scarf. They walk arm in arm, smiling at each other.

Ranjoo Prasad, OD, a staff optometrist at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center who specializes in low vision rehabilitation, shares tools and resources for navigating life with low vision.

03/24/2026

We are proudly located in the heart of central Ohio where it is always Buckeye season and are even more proud to bring you local sports news and information with our reading of Buckeye Sports Bulletin every Friday at 3PM! 🏟

Longtime volunteer reader Will Logan keeps our listeners updated on the schedules, rosters, and stories for the football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, and volleyball teams so that you can talk sports like the pros! 🏆

Wondering how to listen? Our broadcast service intended for those with a print disability is available on our website ➡https://voicecorps.org/listen/ or with Amazon’s Alexa speaker…just say 🗣 “Alexa, play VOICEcorps!”



Alt-text: A packed football stadium during a game, with text overlays promoting VOICEcorps Buckeye Sports Bulletin program.

03/21/2026

A trail you can feel? 🤔

Hogback Ridge Park in Sunbury, OH (just 25 miles outside of downtown Columbus) opened it’s braille trail in April of last year. Last month the 2025 OPRA Governor’s Award was given to the park for excellence in accessibility. 🏆

The trail is 0.4 miles and begins with a 3D tactile map. Along your journey you will find other tactile features along the fully connected loop. The article we are sharing features pictures and more on what to expect if you decide to visit.
If you ever make it out to Sunbury to visit the park, please let us know! We would love to hear about your experience. 💙

VOICEcorps reading service exists to enrich the lives of our audience of print-disabled individuals. Feel free to listen here 📻➡ http://voicecorps.org/listen



Alt-text: Pictured is an information placard with a photograph of a bird on one half and braille on the other half.

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