Support Khara's Vision for Braille Literacy

Hey everyone! My name is Khara Gilmore aka Khara Reign. I currently hold the title of 2023 National Miss Amazing Preteen Queen. Miss Amazing is a self-esteem movement for women and girls like me with disabilities. Now I use my national title and platform to spread awareness about visual impairments, and what it takes to create a more accessible and inclusive world for everyone.

Want to join me in making a difference? As part of my platform and project while I hold the title of National Preteen Queen, I have worked to promote accessibility and braille literacy during my reign. Braille is the code that unlocks the world for me and for young braille readers like me. Braille literacy is so important for people who are blind. I started learning braille around 4 years old and later learned that it was difficult to find braille books that were not really expensive. I could not visit the public library like other kids and pick from a braille book section on the shelves. Braille books were not readily available.

I wanted to create a fundraiser supporting an amazing organization that contributes to increasing braille literacy for children with visual impairments. Seedlings Braille Books for Children is an important resource for providing braille books for children who are blind. We discovered Seedlings when I was young. Seedlings Braille Books for Children is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the opportunity for literacy and education by providing high quality, free and low cost braille books for children. In 1984 when Debra Bonde founded Seedlings, braille materials were scarce and expensive. Her goals were to increase the availability and lower the cost of braille books for children in order to promote their literacy skills and the love of reading. Seedlings' braille materials have opened up new worlds for thousands of children. Seedlings Braille Books for Children is keeping visually impaired children in the mainstream of popular literature and is reaching braille readers in all 50 states and over 75 foreign countries. Seedlings contributes to literacy by providing children with vision loss equal opportunity to develop the love of reading.

Braille books are provided at each level of development, from toddler board books to classic literature for older children. Just as sighted children learn to read as they are exposed to the printed word, so do visually impaired children who are exposed to the tactile page at an early age. As a non-profit organization, Seedlings gives away over half of their books and sells the rest for a fraction of what it costs to make them. Thanks to hundreds of generous donors and dedicated, hard-working volunteers, the price of Seedlings' books remains far below actual production costs, averaging only $10 per book.

How do I plan on achieving my goal?

I’m raising money to benefit Seedlings Braille Books for Children, and any donation will help make an impact. I have created this fundraiser in order to help me keep track of the progress toward my goal! Thank you so much in advance for your contribution to this cause. Every $10 helps to print another braille book for a child with vision loss.

Your support of this amazing organization means so much to me and other children with visual impairments who will receive braille books because of you. All donations received will go directly to Seedlings.

I truly appreciate the devotion and contributions that this organization is making to the community of children with vision loss, through highly skilled volunteer braille transcribers who spend countless donated hours translating print books into braille and preparing them for future production. Exposure to popular, high quality braille literature throughout childhood increases the likelihood of children developing into able braille readers.

*Want to learn more?

If you are interested in learning more about Seedlings Braille Books for Children, please follow them on social media @seedlingsbraillebooks on Instagram and Seedlings Braille Books for Children on Facebook. Or you can visit www.seedlings.org