[blindlaw] Safeway installs tactile keypad for blind shoppers

Wed Nov 1 11:03:38 CST 2006

I often shop at a Safeway here in Oakland; I will be curious to see if 
indeed it is installed and relieved if it is installed.  BTW:  Since I"m now 
registered to vote in CA, how do I go about doing so completely 
independently of sighted assistance?  Any information is welcome.

PS:  For those of you following my BART incident, investigations of both the 
agent and the police woman involved are under way.  Guiding Eyes for the 
Blind has written substantiating my position and that my dog performed as 
expected and I have been contacted by several reporters wishing to run some 
form of my story in various papers.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ford, Tim (DHS-OLS)" <TFord at dhs.ca.gov>
To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 8:10 AM
Subject: [blindlaw] Safeway installs tactile keypad for blind shoppers

From: Lainey Feingold [mailto:lfeingold1 at earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 6:00 PM
To: lfeingold1 at earthlink.net
Subject: Safeway installs tactile keypad for blind shoppers
The press release below is the result of an agreement between Safeway,
the American
Council of the Blind, the California Council of the Blind, and the
American Foundation
for the Blind.  The agreement was reached through  Structured
Negotiations, a legal
advocacy method that emphasizes collaboration and avoids litigation.
The Safeway
tactile point of sale agreement is the twenty fourth legal agreement
reached on accessible
technology between the blind community and the private sector through
the Structured
Negotiations process.  Questions or comments can be sent to us at
mailto:lfeingold at earthlink.net
  or
mailto:ldardarian at gdblegal.net
 .  Lainey and Linda
October 31, 2006 12:00 PM Eastern Time
Safeway Installs New Equipment to Protect Financial Privacy of Shoppers
With Visual
Impairments
Blind Community Leaders Applaud Safeway's Commitment
PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a move praised by state and
national blind
organizations, Safeway (NYSE:SWY) today announced that it has begun
installing equipment
to protect the privacy and security of Safeway shoppers with visual
impairments.
The new devices plug into existing point of sale payment machines and
have tactile
keys arranged like a standard telephone keypad. They will allow Safeway
shoppers
who have difficulty reading information on a touchscreen to privately
and independently
enter their PIN, telephone number, and other confidential information.
Safeway operates stores across the country under the banners Safeway,
Vons, Pavilions,
Randalls, Tom Thumb, Genuardi's, Dominick's, Pak'n Save Foods and Carrs
stores. Every
Safeway store in California has already been equipped with several of
the devices,
and they will be installed across the country over the next 12 months.
Today's announcement is the result of collaboration between Safeway and
major blindness
organizations including the American Foundation for the Blind, American
Council of
the Blind and the California Council of the Blind. "ACB and CCB are
membership organizations
with thousands of members across the country and in California who will
benefit from
Safeway's commitment," said Jeff Thom, President of the CCB. Carl
Augusto, President
and CEO of the AFB, also praised Safeway's announcement: "Today's
announcement by
Safeway demonstrates the Company's commitment to the privacy and
convenience of its
blind and visually impaired customers."
"Safeway has a long history of supporting our communities and people
with disabilities.
This decision is one way we can help customers who are blind or visually
impaired
experience a better shopping experience in every Safeway store
throughout the country,"
said Larree Renda, Safeway Executive Vice President Chief Strategist and
Administrative
Officer.
According to the website of the American Foundation for the Blind, there
are approximately
10 million blind and visually impaired people in the United States.
About Safeway
Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 50 company and one of the largest food and
drug retailers
in North America based on sales. The company operates 1,767 stores in
the United
States and Canada and had annual sales of $38.4 billion in 2005. The
company's common
stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.
About the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and the California Council
of the Blind
(CCB)
The American Council of the Blind is a national consumer-based advocacy
organization
working on behalf of blind and visually impaired Americans throughout
the country,
with members organized through seventy state and special interest
affiliates. The
California Council of the Blind is the California affiliate of the ACB,
and is a
statewide membership organization, with 40 local chapters and statewide
special interest
associations. The ACB and CCB are dedicated to improving the quality of
life, equality
of opportunity and independence of all people who have visual
impairments. Their
members and affiliated organizations have a long history of commitment
to the advancement
of policies and programs which will enhance independence for people who
are blind
and visually impaired. More information about the ACB and CCB can be
found by visiting
www.acb.org
 and
http://www.ccbnet.org/
.
About the American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that
expands
possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include
broadening access
to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the
professionals
who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy
living for
people with vision loss by providing them and their families with
relevant and timely
resources. AFB is also proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and
honor the over
forty years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB. For more
information visit
us online.
Contacts
Safeway Inc.
Brian Dowling, 925-467-3787
Teena Massingill, 925-467-3810
or
AFB, ACB, CCB
Lainey Feingold, 510-548-5062
lfeingold at earthlink.net
Linda Dardarian, 510-763-9800
ldardarian at gdblegal.com
Lainey Feingold
Law Office of Elaine B. Feingold
1524 Scenic Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94708
(510) 548-5062
mailto:lfeingold1 at earthlink.net

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