Before attending The Hatlen Center for the Blind, I did not think I could go live on my own. There was a lot of stuff I did not know. However, I have always strived to be independent. The Hatlen Center is great because of the individualized training and the "hands on" of working in my own apartment. I had to cook for myself and clean too, or live with the mess. Another thing I experienced at The Hatlen Center is freedom to make my own choices. The staff goes home in the evening and on the weekends. Students are allowed to make their own decisions about what they want to do and do not have to ask permission. It's an incredible freedom I never dreamed I would have the gift of experiencing.
I also never thought I would be crossing busy streets with lots of cars. Even with audible signals, you have to think about what you are doing as you cross. Now I can travel on my own, and I have the freedom to make choices about when I arrive and leave a place I am visiting.
Regarding financial management, I thought the $1,000.00 per month I get from Social Security would be a lot of money; I thought "Man I'm rich!" Then I began to pay bills and over half of my money was gone before buying groceries. I learned to budget! The experience of paying real life bills gave me confidence for being able to manage my money when I moved out on my own.
Looking back at my one year at The Hatlen Center, I knew I was ready to take on the every day challenges of living on my own. This experience had a great impact on my life. I am now ready to move forward in my life, to live independently and to begin to look at vocational options, which is a huge task.
Since moving to Sacramento I have continued to live on my own in my own apartment and figure out the everyday struggles to be as independent as possible.
Over the last year, I have done many different classes and activities that have fostered my growth. I have taken advanced daily living skills in my home, and advanced computer training. I also have been participating in the Society for the Blind's transition group. This group is for both social and education purposes. We work on resume writing and leaderships skills, and I have been fortunate enough to meet other individuals my age who are experiencing similar issues that I am.
Recently, I also participated in the 2009 Transition Summit. This enriched weekend was filled with so many valuable lessons and activities such as interviewing skills, resume writing, and being a healthy productive citizen. I know that all of my training both at the The Hatlen Center and Society for the Blind have prepared me to begin attending community college this fall and to take those giant next steps in becoming a successful, independent adult who happens to be blind.
Tom Lake
May, 2009
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Before attending The Hatlen Center for the Blind, I did not think I could go live on my own. There was a lot of stuff I did not know. However, I have always strived to be independent. The Hatlen Center is great because of the individualized training and the "hands on" of working in my own apartment. I had to cook for myself and clean too, or live with the mess. Another thing I experienced at The Hatlen Center is freedom to make my own choices. The staff goes home in the evening and on the weekends. Students are allowed to make their own decisions about what they want to do and do not have to ask permission. It's an incredible freedom I never dreamed I would have the gift of experiencing.