The Associated Blind, Rosie O'Donnell, Joan Rivers The Associated Blind, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 1938. It is dedicated to advancing the independence of adults who are blind, vision impaired or have related disabilities. The organization provides programs for economic success and self-advocacy. The Associated Blind, Inc. is privately funded and receives no governmental grants or assistance. Today, there are over 130,000 Americans who are totally blind; over 3 million Americans who meet criteria for severe vision impairment; and more than 13.5 million American adults, age 45 and older, who report vision impairment. To respond to the ever-growing need, during the late 1990's, The Associated Blind, Inc. expanded its strategic directions to increase the scope of it's programs and the larger global population it now serves. Currently, the organization focuses on the opportunities that arc being presented as a result of the continuing advancement of digitization, computers and adaptive technology. For further information about the Associated Blind. Inc., contact: t Gerard Figueroa Mawn 1 110 William Street, 9th Floor ~~ New York, NY 10038 Tel. (212) 766-6800. Top row (left to right): Edwin Montanez, Gerard Figueroa Mawn, '.:w` '.7 Nancy O'Connell, Anne Goyeau, Irene Del Moral, r r ' Marten Tegnestam, Ruth-Ellen Simmonds, ' :'` )?;_ _.. James B. Barber, Fernando Botelho, Abbcs Sebihi. Bottom Row (left to right): ~- -' Ghislain N. I.ukama, Marie De Benedectis, Paula Wolff, Avril Henry. Born the middle child of five, Rosie O'Donnell was raised on Long Island. O'Donnell didn ' t always want to become a comedienne - she dreamed from a young age of becoming an actress. Among her childhood idols were Barbra Streisand, Lucille Ball, Bette Midler, and Gilda Radner for whom she harbored a deep appreciation. So much so, that after impersonating Radner ' s Rosanne Rosannadana sketch in a high school follies production, O'Donnell was encouraged to try her hand at stand-up at a local comedy club. With the "impenetrable self confidence " of a sixteen year old, O'Donnell caught Jerry Seinfeld 's act on Merv Griffin 's show and took the stage the next night, knocking the crowd dead with her pirated act. She was subsequently informed that other comedians ' material wasn ' t public domain and that she would have to write her own. O'Donnell decided instead to work as an MC, introducing other comedians with recycled Catskill riffs, while she listened to the various acts and learned. By the age of twenty, O'Donnell had polished her act enough to take it on the road. Her perseverance for an entire decade allowed her to build a career as a standup comedienne. She won the "Star Search " competition five times. After landing a short term assignment as Nell Carter ' s neighbor on the sitcom "Gimme a Break ", in 1986, O'Donnell was was asked to produce and host "Stand Up Spotlight" on VH-1, a gig which led, in turn to her helming her own short -lived Fox series called "Stand by Your Man " . That same year, in 1992, she was cast in the film "A League of Their Own " , which gave her more mainstream notice than all of her previous efforts combined. She has since starred in several films including "Sleepless in Seattle " , "The Flintstones " , and "Beautiful Girls" . O'Donnell opted to switch career tracks to the television industry in order to become a full-time mother to her adopted son, Parker. "The Rosie O'Donnell Show " has become a huge hit. Hailed by "Newsweek" as "the Queen of Nice " , O'Donnell as a host is irreverent, gracious, frank, perky, and brazenly hilarious.