By Teresa Valenzuela, Community Outreach Manager, San Diego Futures Foundation

San Diego Futures Foundation provides a variety of programs and services to bridge the digital divide in San Diego County. Our mission as a technological nonprofit is to use technology to improve people's lives. We were founded in 1999, when the County of San Diego outsourced its IT services. We've been bridging the digital divide ever since. And for good reason: thousands of San Diegans, many of whom are blind or visually impaired, do not have access to the internet, a computer, or help using that computer.

San Diego Futures Foundation offers county residents hardware and educational services ranging from the purchase of a device to free digital literacy services.

Our Digital Literacy: Adaptive Technology program is a partnership with the California Department of Rehabilitation to help blind or visually impaired individuals become computer literate and secure a spot in the workforce. 

San Diego Futures Foundation’s own blind or visually impaired instructors teach our clients using JAWS, a computer screen reader program for Microsoft Windows that allows them to read the screen using text-to-speech or Braille displays. We take pride in offering a tailored curriculum that meets our clients’ specific needs. It's rewarding to see people transition from unemployed to employed, such as San Diego Futures Foundation’s very own Julia Cardenas, an Adaptive Technology instructor. 

Here is her story: 

“I can't begin to convey how grateful I am for the San Diego Futures Foundation's Adaptive Technology (AT) computer training course. I was unable to use a computer at all before the program started.

“In the fall of 2014, I suffered a significant loss of vision and felt totally cut off from the outside world. I had no notion of how to use the computer's interface. My surroundings were completely dark. When I started the AT program, my life was transformed. My AT instructor, Allison Depner, and I bonded right away. Working with a member of the blind community was motivating. 

“Allison has inspired me to move forward and has helped me regain my self-confidence. Having finished the AT program, I take great delight in knowing that I can write precise emails and expert Word documents, as well as browse job listings and stay connected with the rest of the world. Learning technological skills is crucial in the modern world. Members of the blind community must maintain their abilities in light of technology's constant growth and change. We need to be competent if we want to succeed at work. I respect the objectives of the SDFF AT program. People who take part in this program report that their lives are getting better. I will always be grateful for what the program has done for me. I'm thankful and, in fact, am now an instructor for the AT program. I want to share what knowledge I gained with others.”

Julia has done more than share her personal experience; she has also assisted other blind or visually impaired clients in completing the AT program, many of whom are now employed. Our programs and services go beyond simply providing a device and training in digital literacy. As a technology nonprofit, we take pride in connecting people to family and friends, resources, and services. 

For more information, please contact us at (619) 391-0050, visit our website or drop by our office at 4283 El Cajon Blvd., Ste #220, SD, CA, 92105, during normal business hours. We are excited to serve our community, and we are excited to serve you.

Photo: Julia Cardenas, left, an Adaptive Technology instructor.