TN AgrAbility was featured in the winter 2021 issue of Our Tennessee, the University of TN alumni magazine that has a readership of over 200,000, in the article "Serving Those Who Have Served."
The great article featured Frank Beard, a bilateral amputee and two-time TNAP client, plus Dameon Berry who is a Farmer Veteran Coalition of TN member and 2020 FVC Fellowship Fund awardee for his cattle system.
TNAP helped promote the Farmer Veteran Coalition Fellowship Fund. The application was open from January 1 until February 14. FVC of TN has hosted three workshop to help navigate through the process and answer questions to help FVC members succeed. Dameon Berry's wife, Jamie, says, "It is a lot of little things that all add up. For example, the cattle system that TN AgrAbility recommended was funded by the FVC Fellowship fund."
Here is some follow-up to a 2020 story on Jason Barber, TN AgrAbility customer who is a legally blind farmer. Jason has been talking with OrCam from Israel to help improve their product to help farmers with visual impairments. After several experiments with different technology, the STAR Center (TN Assistive Technology Center), recommended the OrCam. Jason is still communicating with people from New Zealand, Israel, California, New York, and beyond! He says "Naturally, the mission is to have me continue to be able to do the things I love to do. However, I am hopeful this will show people who are in a similar situation as I am there is technology there to help you in a variety of ways. You just have to make the right connection!" The TN Human Services/TN State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVR) funded the OrCam MyEye for Jason. OrCam is interested in helping other farmers who are blind or visually impaired. OrCam is working to help make their technology more ag useful. Please send email to AgrAbility@tennessee.edu for more information or if you know a farmer with Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or who is blind. Jason is helping people see some of the benefits of OrCam MyEye 2.0. See the story via video here.
Submitted by TN AgrAbility