As I sit here at the beginning of 2016 I am excited about what The Freeman Foundation accomplished in 2015, and about our plans for the next year. In 2015 we hosted our first Lights Out Blindfolded 5K in Corbin, KY, and began an initiative to help feed disabled orphans at an orphanage in Haiti. In the upcoming year we are hosting two more Lights Out Blindfolded 5K’s, as well as, our first Lights Out Dinner in the Dark. With these events, we hope to continue accomplishing our vision to “raise awareness of the needs and potential of people with disabilities.” Two Articles I came across in the past year reinforced in me the need for a foundation like The Freeman Foundation.
First, I read about a blind father in New York who had his children taken from him. Why, you might ask? Because a judge determined that he could not provide for them due to his blindness. The judge thought that he posed a risk to the safety of his own children. If Christopher Roberts wanted to spend time with his children, then he had to pay a sighted nanny to be with him during that time. The judge implied in his decision that Roberts was less than a person because of his blindness, and refused him the right to care for his children. You can read the complete article here.
Second, I read the story of Lily-Grace Hooper, an elementary school student in South Gloucestershire, UK. Lily-Grace was told that she could no longer use her white cane while at school. School officials were afraid that other students and teachers might trip over it. Several students and employees came out on social media in support of the school’s decision. For this reason she has been forced to attend a different school. Read the complete story here.
Both of these stories highlight the short-sidedness and false assumptions held by many people concerning individuals with disabilities. The Freeman Foundation desires to use its events and initiatives to begin breaking through these barriers. We hope that you will join us on this journey. You can do so by participating in our events, or by giving a financial donation. We also ask for your prayers as we continue promoting the truth that “disability does not equal inability.”