Braille Institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is to positively transform the lives of those with vision loss. We offer a broad range of free programs, classes and services serving thousands of students of all ages helping to demonstrate that vision rehabilitation is a beginning, not an end.

We serve the community from seven centers, and hundreds of community outreach locations throughout Southern California, and lead popular national programs like Braille Challenge and Cane Quest. Our staff and volunteers understand losing your vision can be scary, but we believe it is not the end of independence, but a new way of living.

A variety of free classes, workshops and support groups are available to help you or a loved one stay active, remain independent and enjoy connections with others.

Sign up for individual events, workshops and seminars – free and open to everyone. Register online or call 1-800-BRAILLE (272-4553) Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm.

Community Blood Drive Camino Real Marketplace Tuesday, May 4, 2021 1:30pm - 6:00pm in the Bloodmobiles near the movie theater To make an appointment visit www.blood4life.org using sponsor code 1388 or call (805)542-8500. There is an urgent need for all blood types and a severe shortage of O type blood. Donations benefit local patients needing

Join UCSB Arts & Lectures as they present author, advocate and public policy expert Heather McGhee to discuss The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together on Tuesday, May 4 at 5 p.m. Pacific.

Parents, teachers, and Santa Barbara County professionals who work with youth ages 12-18 are encouraged to participate in a free, upcoming Youth Mental Health First Aid training.

Join UCSB Arts & Lectures as they present Classical Music Treasures Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott, Songs of Comfort and Hope on Wednesday, May 5 at 5 p.m. Pacific.

A record-breaking grants pool will be awarded by the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara at its Annual Celebration of Grants event on May 5.

A record-breaking grants pool will be awarded by the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara at its Annual Celebration of Grants event.

With each of her performances, the Philadelphia-born contralto Marian Anderson (1897–1993) tested limits and broke boundaries. She is best remembered for her gripping recital on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday in April 1939, when some 75,000 people gathered to witness her sing. On account of her race, Anderson had been prohibited from performing at the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Constitution Hall and other venues in Washington, D.C. The concert on the National Mall, therefore, became a watershed moment in the struggle against segregationist policies and discrimination.

Experiment with an assortment of drawing tools inspired by Eugene Berman’s mixed media on paper "Composition II" (1940).

Our spring plant sale is still happening at Trinity Gardens through May.

Hike Oso Flaco Lake with the Land Trust. This easy 2-mile hike will take us across the boardwalk that spans the lake, looking for birds as we go. We will continue through a back-dune area that has willows, Pacific wax-myrtle, and lovely blue and yellow bush lupines, as well as many other interesting plants. After a while, we will approach the ocean, where we can look for shore birds and also see some interesting dune vegetation.