National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey Contact Listing

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds us back. Together with love, hope and determination, we transform dreams into reality.

The NFB is an organization where the blind and interested sighted persons can come together to plan and carry out programs to improve the quality of life of the blind.

The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey was established in 1976 and has grown to seven chapters and five divisions, including: 
Technology, Parents of Blind Children, Students, Seniors, and Sports and Recreation.

For additional information, please visit our state website at www.nfbnj.org

National Federation of the Blind National Center
President
		Mark Riccobono		410-659-9314	officeofthepresident@nfb.org

National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
State Board
President
		Joe Ruffalo			973-743-0075	nfbnj1@verizon.net
	First Vice President
		Linda Melendez		732-421-7063	lindamelendez220@gmail.com
	Second Vice President
		Mary Jo Partyka		609-888-5459	choirnfb@gmail.com
	Secretary
		Ellen Sullivan			302-658-2268	ems553@comcast.net
	Treasurer
		Andrew Rees			732-659-6002	amrees567@gmail.com
	Board Members
		Annemarie Cooke		609-859-4084	aec732@gmail.com
		Linda DeBerardinis		856-735-5559	ljdeber3@comcast.net
		Jane Degenshein		973-736-5785	jdegen16@comcast.net
		Mary Fernandez		732-857-7004	trillian551@gmail.com
		Vee Gaspa			434-989-1868	Veronica.gaspa@student.shu.edu
		Zoraida Krell			201-439-0120	krellbz@gmail.com 

For the time, location, and date of all chapter, division, and committee meetings please contact the number provided for each.

National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey Chapters

At Large Chapter (statewide)
		Joe Ruffalo, President			973-743-0075	nfbnj1@verizon.net

Capital Chapter (Mercer & surrounding counties)
		Mary Jo Partyka President		609-888-5459	choirnfb@gmail.com

Central Jersey Chapter (Middlesex & surrounding counties)
		Mac Biggers, President		801-916-9753	macbiggers@yahoo.com

Garden State Chapter (Camden & surrounding counties)
		Ryan Stevens, President		856-520-0016	RYSteve@comcast.net

Northeast Chapter (Bergen & surrounding counties)
		Dan Facchini, President		201-906-8655	danfb@verizon.net

Northern Chapter (Essex & surrounding counties)
		Rick Fox, President			973-743-6107	richardfox1@comcast.net

South Jersey Shore Chapter (Atlantic & surrounding counties)
		Phil Harrison, President		609-788-0890	pbharrison39@comcast.net

National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey Divisions

Parents of Blind Children-NJ
		Carol Castellano, Founder		973-377-0976	blindchildren@verizon.net

NJ Association of Senior Blind
		Jane Degenshein, President		973-736-5785	jdegen16@comcast.net

NJ Association of Blind Students
		Jonathan Zobek, President		609-216-0181	jrzobek@gmail.com

NFBNJ Sports & Recreation Division
		Linda Melendez, President		732-421-7063	lindamelendez220@gmail.com

NJ Association of Blind Technology Users
		Jane Degenshein, President		973-736-5785	jdegen16@comcast.net 

Projects, Programs, & Committees

Adopt Adaptive Equipment
		Joe Ruffalo, Coordinator		973-743-0075	nfbnj1@verizon.net

BELL (Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning) Academy
		Mary Jo Partyka, Coordinator		609-888-5459	choirnfb@gmail.com

Blind Children’s Resource Center
		Carol Castellano, Coordinator	973-377-0976	blindchildren@verizon.net

Blind Merchants/Entrepreneurs Committee
		Dan Facchini, Chair			201-906-8655	danfb@verizon.net

Blind Parents Committee
		Joanna Mallard, Chair			201-354-0098	joannmallard@gmail.com

Blind Veterans Information Program
		Joe Ruffalo, Coordinator		973-743-0075	nfbnj1@verizon.net

Braille Committee
		Mary Jo Partyka, Chair		609-888-5459	choirnfb@gmail.com

Braille Mentoring Program
		Mary Jo Partyka, Coordinator		609-888-5459	choirnfb@gmail.com

DeafBlind Committee
		Andrew Rees, Chair			732-659-6002	amrees567@gmail.com

Diabetic Committee
		Ed Godfrey, Chair			856-628-3657	edgodfrey1957@gmail.com

Fundraiser/Grant Writing Committee
		Ellen Sullivan, Chair			302-658-2268	ems553@comcast.net

Green Drop
		Linda DeBerardinis,Coordinator	856-735-5559	ljdeber3@comcast.net

Guide Dog Committee
		Dan Facchini, Chair			201-906-8655	danfb@verizon.net

Help America Vote Act (HAVA) 
		Ryan Stevens, Liaison			856-520-0016	RYSteve@comcast.net
		Anthony Lanzilotti, Co-Liaison		609-361-3038	tti777@gmail.com
		Andrew Rees, Co-Liaison		732-659-6002	amrees567@gmail.com

KNFB Reader
		Rick Fox, Liaison			973-743-6107	richardfox1@comcast.net

Legislative Director
		Ryan Stevens			856-520-0016		RYSteve@comcast.net
		Anthony Lanzilotti, Assistant		609-361-3038	tti777@gmail.com

Liability Insurance Committee
		Phil Harrison, Chair			609-545-8575	pbharrison39@comcast.net

Membership Engagement
		Rick Fox, Chair			973-743-6107	richardfox1@comcast.net

NFB-Newsline®
		Jane Degenshein, Coordinator	973-736-5785	jdegen16@comcast.net

PAC (Pre-Authorized Contribution) Plan
		Mac Biggers, Coordinator		801-916-9753	macbiggers@yahoo.com

Parliamentarian
		Ryan Stevens				856-520-0016	rysteve@comcast.net

Public Relations/Press Core Committee
		Annemarie Cooke, Chair		609-859-4084	aec732@gmail.com
		Mary Jo Partyka, Co-Chair		609-888-5459	choirnfb@gmail.com

Resolutions Committee
		Ryan Stevens, Chair			856-520-0016	rysteve@comcast.net

Rideshare Testing Program
		Trish Ebel, Coordinator			201-456-0091	patriciaebel0302@comcast.net

Scholarship Committee
		Mary Fernandez, Chair		732-857-7004	trillian551@gmail.com

Social Media Coordinator
		Zoraida Krell				201-638-3418	krellbz@gmail.com

Spanish Committee
		Rosa Santiago, Chair			201-892-6946	rosa.santiago901@gmail.com

The Sounding Board
		Kathy Gabry, Editor			201-998-9427	specialk38@aol.com
		Annemarie Cooke, Co-Editor		609-859-4084	aec732@gmail.com
		Mary Jo Partyka, Co-Editor		609-888-5459	choirnfb@gmail.com
		Barbara Shallit, Advertising Director	201-213-2885	barbart@tullensound.com

Transit Committee
		Linda Melendez, Chair		732-421-7063	lindamelendez220@gmail.com

Vehicle Donation Program
		Andrew Rees, Coordinator		732-659-6002	amrees567@gmail.com

Webmaster
		Brian Mackey					609-680-8488	webmaster@nfbnj.org

White Cane Committee
		Jane Degenshein, Chair		973-736-5785	Jdegen16@comcast.net
		Ann Marie Harris, Co-Chair		Lovey1160@gmail.com

Each year, the National Federation of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey awards scholarships at the banquet of each convention to worthy students with vision loss. For additional information pertaining to the national scholarships, please visit www.nfb.org/scholarships or contact the NFB Scholarship Committee at scholarships@nfb.org. For additional information pertaining to state scholarships, please visit www.nfbnj.org/scholarships or contact Mary Fernandez at 732-857-7004 or trillian551@gmail.com, or Joe Ruffalo at 973-743-0075 or nfbnj1@verizon.net .

The National Federation of the Blind uses car donations to improve the education of blind children, distribute free white canes, help veterans, and so much more. We have partnered with Vehicles For Charity to process donated vehicles. Just call toll-free (855) 659-9314, and a representative can make arrangements, or you can donate online by visiting www.nfb.org/vehicledonations. If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact the NJ Vehicle Donations coordinator Andrew Rees at 732-659-6002 or amrees567@gmail.com.

The National Federation of the Blind has teamed up with GreenDrop to collect donations of clothing, household, and personal items. People living in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, DC, and Virginia can donate unwanted items through drop-off locations or by calling for a pick-up from their home or business. The funds raised from this program go to the National Federation of the Blind general fund to support programs for blind STEM students, veterans, and seniors, as well as the ongoing efforts to improve equality for the blind. Make sure all boxes and bags are marked NFB so that we can get credit for the donated items. Your donations can be taken to specified drop-off locations, or you can arrange for a pickup by calling 888-610-4632 or by going to www.nfbpickup.org. If you have any questions, you can contact the NJ GreenDrop coordinator Linda DeBerardinis at 856-735-5559 or ljdeber3@comcast.net.

by supporting the National Federation of the Blind’s Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) Plan through pre-approving as little as $5 a month ($0.17 a day) to be transferred into the general account of the NFB, you assist the NFB to provide free literature, free white canes, free slate and styluses, and much more All you need to do is fill out the form found at https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/pac-form-fillout-accessible.pdf and send to the national center in Baltimore to the attention of their accounting department. If you have any questions, contact NJ PAC Plan coordinator Mac Biggers at 801-916-9753 or macbiggers@yahoo.com.

The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey celebrated its 42nd state convention from Thursday, November 1st through Sunday, November 4th, 2018. The location was the Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, 515 US Highway 1 South, Iselin, NJ 08830. The state convention committee will be preparing convention items, activities during the convention, numerous seminars/presentations, an exhibit room, technology updates, present state scholarships, provide door prizes and offer auction items. For questions for the state convention, please contact Joe Ruffalo at 973-743-0075 or nfbnj1@verizon.net. Please visit www.nfbnj.org/state-convention for additional information regarding the convention.