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 CRIS Opens the World
with Words
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“Volunteer readers turn text into speech, bringing
the words alive through
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TV VOICE
OVER!”
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- What would
you miss most if you lost your sight?
- National
surveys say that driving a car, and reading a
newspaper, top the list.
“You have a wonderful program to help the
print–impaired, who are very much interested in
staying alive intellectually.”
“What a joy to have the service.”
The Charlotte Readers Information Service-
reading service for people with disabilities, is
self supporting special audience service of, TV
Access 21.
CRIS embraces and enhances
TV Public Access Channels, carrying the
service in Mecklenburg and parts of Iredell
counties, expanding knowledge, helping
educate, inform .and culturally enlighten a portion
of the visually impaired community.
CRIS fills an information void for the
blind and print-impaired population by offering a
simple, cost-effective method of accessing printed
news and information published in hundreds of daily,
weekly and monthly periodicals.
Being uninformed is a serious handicap that
hinders one’s ability to make common decisions.
CRIS volunteers are dedicated to providing
timely printed matter and consumer information to
the blind, physically disabled, and cognitively
disabled residents of Mecklenburg County, North
Carolina, and providing quality programs designed to
help those individuals, lead enriched, productive
and independent lives.
CRIS is the only service of its kind in
the Charlotte Mecklenburg area, providing free
reading services to one of the community’s most
under-served population. The programming helps
listeners by providing equal access to dated
information, alleviating isolation and providing a
vital social connection.
CRIS broadcasts on community cable TV:
- Time Warner
Channel 21 for Charlotte
- Time Warner
Basic Channel 4 in Huntersville and North
Mecklenburg
- Channel 25
on MI-Connection, for Davidson, Cornelius &
Mooresville, and some of Huntersville.
Initially, CRIS will broadcast one hour
daily, Monday through Friday. CRIS will
offer the verbatim readings of the Charlotte
Observer, other local and national newspapers and
magazines each week. Special interest materials
include this week’s grocery and department store
ads, senior citizen issues, hobbies and literature.
Rehabilitation programs focus on topics like
adjustment, employment, education and legislation.
CRIS also partners with other community and
government agencies, and veteran organizations to
produce specialized programs.
CRIS welcomes program suggestions.
- Personal Reader Referral
Service: CRIS will be matching volunteers
with qualified clients to provide one-to-one
readings on an individual basis.
- Audio Description: CRIS
volunteers provide audio descriptions of nonverbal
elements during select theatre performances and
community events.
- Special Programs: CRIS
may air community forums, in partnership with area
organizations, and government agencies, to provide
information that allows listeners to participate in
public comment cycles, for various public projects.
- Distribution: Some special
programs or specialized material, may be recorded
and dubbed to cassette tapes, or CD’s, for broader
distribution by the partner organization.
- Volunteers are always needed
to read, work in the studio, help with special
events work in the office and more. It is a very
rewarding opportunity for all ages.
- Invite a CRIS
representative to speak at your social or
professional organization.
- Spread the word about CRIS.
Almost everyone you know probably knows someone who
has difficulty reading.
- Consider making a donation
today! Your tax-deductible gift will enable CRIS
to expand its listener base; produce quality
programming for independent living; educate
listeners and health care professionals about
CRIS; increase awareness, and publish
information newsletters.
- Become a major sponsor. We
will gladly tell you more about program
underwriting, paid announcements, event sponsorship
or institutional use.
CRIS
offers year-round volunteer opportunities including
regular on-air reading, substitute reading, studio
work, clerical work, community outreach, fundraising
and research. For more information, please go to the
Volunteer Information Page.
Consider submitting a Volunteer Application.
CRIS also accepts interns. Please send us
your resume and a letter of interest outlining your
time frame and goals.
As a non-profit organization, CRIS strives
to remain fiscally viable by generating separate
operating funds through, Lion’s Club, private
donations, restricted projects, grants and
contracts. Efficient use of volunteers and interns
helps keep operating costs low.
CRIS budgets must be raised annually
through special project grants, foundations, civic
and religious groups, service clubs, corporate and
business contributions, special events and the
generosity of concerned individuals, including
listeners.
TV Access 21 contributes the facilities
to us, plus all of their technical and
administrative help.
Sponsors are always welcome.
Make a
donation today!
- CRIS-Charlotte
Readers Information Service
- P.O. Box
1904
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Huntersville NC 28070-1904
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