The White Cane and White Cane Day

Here are some sites with information on the history of White Cane Day and the white cane.

• Does the cane have to be white to be effective an article from VisionAware.
• Wikipedia has a great series of articles on the history of the white cane which also covers White Cane Safety Day.
• The National Federation of the Blind has created a Model White Cane Bill. The White Cane laws around the U.S. are based in part on this model White Cane Bill.
• The American Council of the Blind has put together a List of White Cane Laws in all 50 States
• Marc Maurer, former president of the National Federation of the Blind, wrote an article called White Cane Safety Day: A Symbol of Independence which talks about the white cane and what it means to blind people.

Need a Cane?

On 8/19/08, the National Federation of the Blind issued the following press release. There doesn’t appear to be any closing date on the offer, so it’s assumed that it is open from now on. Read on for details on how you can get a free white cane.

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), has launched an initiative to ensure that any blind person in the United States and Puerto Rico who needs a long white cane will have one, regardless of their ability to pay. The NFB will provide a free cane to anyone in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico who is blind or has low vision and who uses or desires to use a white cane in order to travel independently. This historic initiative is the largest effort ever of its kind to provide white canes to individuals who are blind or have low vision.

The long white cane provides an effective means for blind students to get to school, blind adults to get to work, and blind seniors to remain active.

It is estimated that 109,000 of the 1.3 million legally blind people in the United States use a white cane. By supplying canes free of charge, this program provides the opportunity for all blind Americans to have a white cane and to participate fully in society.

The National Federation of the Blind will provide a straight, light fiberglass cane to any blind individual in the United States or Puerto Rico who requires the cane for personal use. Canes are available from between 53 and 69 inches. Individuals may only request one free cane in any six-month period.

Click here to Apply for a free cane from the NFB.