Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma Supports Employment
Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma (MCFOK) has awarded a two-year grant in the amount of $200,000 to NewView Oklahoma to launch a statewide employment initiative aimed at transitioning Oklahomans who are blind or have low vision from Social Security disability benefits into sustainable employment. The grant will support NewView Oklahoma’s efforts to address the economic and health disparities faced by individuals with vision loss.
In 2019, NewView Oklahoma participated in a large-scale research project to collect up-to-date statistics around vision loss, comorbidities, employment, and more. It was found that people with vision loss are almost three times as likely to report an annual income of less than $10,000.
The 2019 Big Data Project found that 52% of working-age Oklahomans (ages 18–64) who are blind are unemployed—that’s almost 73,000 individuals not participating in the workforce. Research also shows that unemployment and limited income are linked to higher rates of comorbidities such as stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression. By helping adults with low or no vision return to the workforce, NewView Oklahoma – through funding from MCFOK – has the potential to reduce these health risks by addressing social determinants of health like income stability, purpose, and community connection.
In contrast to the concerning findings reported by the Big Data Project, NewView Oklahoma has dedicated 75 years of service to empowering Oklahomans living with vision loss to participate fully in life, starting with employment opportunities. NewView Oklahoma strives to provide the resources and support necessary to maximize opportunities for independence through all stages of life. As a result, our experience confirms through hundreds of success stories that it is possible for Oklahomans with low or no vision to be employable, skilled adults who are competitive at all levels of the workforce.
In 2024, NewView served 14 working-age adults through our MOVE program; an immersive four-month long program that focuses on learning assistive technology and offers access to several specialized training and occupational therapy programs. Additionally, NewView offered 667 assistive technology training appointments throughout the year. The Ticket to Work program will be an additional resource to MOVE graduates to help them find employment upon completion of their assistive technology training.
The Ticket to Work services will be free to low-vision participants across Oklahoma, with a goal of a portion of participant costs provided by SSA. All services will work in tandem to help low-vision individuals progress toward financial independence and meaningful employment.
The funding received from Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma will empower NewView Oklahoma to offer services like career and benefits counseling, resume development, practice interviews, development of personalized work plans and employment goals, job placement, employer development and training, and ongoing support.
“NewView provides meaningful tools to support clients seeking employment opportunities,” said John Logan, Executive Director. “We sincerely believe that NewView’s programs improve the lives of the low-vision community.”
