June 2026

Welcome to the June edition of our NC DeafBlind Newsletter for families. We invite you to join our mailing list and reach out if you would like more information, community resources or support advocating for your child! Please feel free to share this information with friends and families! If you are new to us, click on the link below to sign up for the mailing list.

Governor Stein Proclaims June As

DeafBlind Awareness Month!

Whereas, it is in the interest of all North Carolinians to encourage the full inclusion of DeafBlind people with access and opportunities made possible by the development of self-advocacy skills and effective use of appropriate resources, such as specialized adaptive technologies, Haptics, Protactile, Support Service Providers, and CoNavigators...

Read the Full Proclamation from the Governor's Office

In recognition of the achievements, contributions, and potential of people who are DeafBlind, the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults (HKNC) celebrates the last week of June as “DeafBlind Awareness Week.” This year, DeafBlind Awareness Week runs June 25-July 1, 2026.

This national advocacy campaign has been observed annually since 1984, when President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation establishing this special week of recognition. The purpose of DeafBlind Awareness Week is to raise public awareness about individuals who have combined hearing and vision loss, a population that spans all ages, backgrounds, and communities across the country.

Click here to learn more

Project Partners

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Events/Support Resources

DeafBlind Awareness Month

Keeley Park Walk Through

DSDHH invites you to come join members of the DeafBlind community for a walk

through Keeley Park and experience how DeafBlind individuals access and enjoy nature trails.

It is an opportunity to learn and observe how DeafBlind individuals navigate the park with the support of a Support Service Provider (SSP) or a CoNavigator (CN). Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Check out this list of Summer Camps for DHH Children- created by NC EHDI. It includes options in eastern and western North Carolina.

Free Webinar: Building Concepts Through Experience Stories for Children Who Are Deafblind

In this session, participants will

learn how to transform everyday

experiences into engaging, personalized

stories that foster concept development,

language growth, communication, and

literacy skills. Join us to explore practical

strategies and examples that can be

adapted for learners across a variety of

ages and abilities. Click here to register.

This summer, the National Library Service, in partnership with the Braille Institute Library, invites you to “Unearth a Story.” Join us as we explore the histories, landscapes, and voices hidden just beneath the surface of the world around us.The 2026 Summer Reading Program features two exciting ways to participate.

Click here to learn more and sign up today!

Ablr Futures Academy is a virtual after-school program for high school students who have a visual impairment, helping students build career readiness, college preparation, self-advocacy, and leadership skills. Through weekly interactive sessions, students connect with peers and mentors while preparing for life after high school. Designed as a four-year pathway, Ablr Futures can support students throughout their high school journey with age-appropriate programs that help them discover their strengths, build essential skills, launch into college or careers, and develop as leaders.

Students don't just gain knowledge, they walk away with tangible tools to help them take the next step, including resumes, interview experience, college essays, scholarship plans, career portfolios, workplace readiness skills, and individualized action plans that prepare them for success after high school.

Interested students, families, educators, and VR counselors can learn more and apply at https://ablr360.com/ablr-futures/ or contact Jessica Hardy at Jessica.Hardy@ablr360.com for additional information.

The NC Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) offers local events, subscribe to their contact list to receive information: Click here to sign up.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services- EHDI (Early Hearing Detection and Intervention) Services - The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program works to ensure that all newborns and toddlers with hearing loss are identified as early as possible and provided with appropriate audiologic, educational and medical intervention.

EDHI’s Parent-to-Parent Support Group Flyer created by parents for parents. We hope you will connect with a group near you. You can download and print the flyer HERE.

Sign for the EHDI mailing list

Family - 2- Family Communities (F2FC) - F2FC brings families together via distance technology to connect, share information and resources, and offer support to one another in the journey of supporting their family member with deaf-blindness.

Hands and Voices NC Chapter: Supportive community for parents, families, and advocates of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. This parent-driven, professional-collaborative group is dedicated to fostering connection, sharing resources, and empowering families—without bias toward any specific communication mode or method.

New Resource: Meal Planning and Grocery Shopping

From Empower VI - this resource is written for blind and low vision youth who are building independence with meal planning and grocery shopping. The tips, tools, and strategies here are meant to help you find what works best for you. To access this resource,

click here. Empower also has transition-focused courses for students, including time management, how to write a professional email and more. Click here for a list of courses.