The IFB Beat 2-17 Edition

A Message from the Editor

Greetings all! February is Low Vision Awareness Month—stay connected with the Community Low Vision Center on Facebook for valuable tips and resources! Also, mark your calendar for the Winston-Salem General Assembly on February 24, and don’t forget to submit your preventative care forms to the Benefits Department to take advantage of discounted medical premiums.

Quote of the week:

If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. — Henry Ford

Thank you for strolling The IFB Beat. See you next week!

Anastasia Powell

IFB Solutions Communications Manager
apowell@ifbsolutions.org | 336-245-5698

Quick Links:

New this Week

– February is Low Vision Awareness Month: Week 3
– Winston-Salem Facility: February 24 General Assembly
– Reminder: Winston-Salem Facility – Important Security Need
– IFB Beat Employee Spotlight: Donathan Snow
– Programs Update: S.E.E. Program and Joyce of Stuffing Fun Bears
– Community Low Vision Center Updates

From Our Community

– Virtual Diabetes Prevention Classes

HR and Opportunities

– PLEASE READ: Discounted Medical Premiums for ’25-’26
– New Job Announcements

IFB Beat Phone Lines
Support Group Zoom Meeting Links
Archived Editions of The IFB Beat

February is Low Vision Awareness Month: Week 3

Millions of people in the United States are living with visual impairments, according to the National Eye Institute. These impairments can make everyday activities like driving, reading, or cooking more challenging, and they cannot be corrected with glasses, contacts, or standard treatments like medication or surgery.

The good news is that vision rehabilitation services can empower individuals with visual impairments to maximize their remaining vision and continue doing the things they love. However, many people diagnosed with eye diseases or conditions causing visual impairment may not know where to find these services.

This Low Vision Awareness Month helped spread the word about the exceptional customer care offered by IFB Solutions through the Community Low Vision Centers.

Stay Connected with the Community Low Vision Center on Facebook!

Did you know that our Community Low Vision Center Facebook page is a great resource for the latest in low vision technology, news, and helpful tools? If you’re on Facebook, just search for Community Low Vision Center, tap on our name, and hit Like or Follow to stay informed! You can also click this link: https://www.facebook.com/CommunityLowVisionCenter/

This Low Vision Awareness Month, we’re sharing valuable insights about low vision and the resources that can make a difference. Many employees haven’t visited our page yet—let’s change that! Check it out, engage with our content, and share it with friends to help spread awareness.

 

Winston-Salem Facility: February 24 General Assembly

There will be a General Assembly meeting held on the manufacturing floor on Monday, February 24 at 3:15pm. We’re looking forward to presenting employee of the month awards for November, December, and January. we will have updates from HR and the Community Low Vision Center, as well as remarks from Dan Kelly, President, and CEO.

Supervisors, please be sure to shut down all equipment, fans and other things that contribute to noise on the manufacturing floor promptly at 3:15pm. If your workspace is not close to the central offices (outside Travis Guerra and Edward Sykes’ doors), please move closer to ensure you can hear. Any office administration working in the building, your presence will be appreciated. Thank you.

 

Reminder: Winston-Salem Facility – Important Security Need

To ensure the safety and security of our building and employees, please ensure that all badge-restricted doors remain closed and are not left open. If you notice a door propped open or not securing properly, please report it immediately to our Director of Compliance, Environmental Health, and Safety, Angela Jordan. Your cooperation is essential in maintaining a secure workplace. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

 

IFB Beat Employee Spotlight: Featuring Donathan Snow

Welcome to the Employee Spotlight! Each week, we celebrate the incredible individuals who make IFB thrive. This week, we’re excited to feature Donathan Snow.

Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Elkin, North Carolina.

Q: How long have you been with IFB, and what brought you to the organization?
A: I’ve been with IFB for 7 years now. Family and friends referred me to the organization, and after taking a tour and learning more about the work here, I decided to reach out again after finishing my associate’s degree in business administration.

Q: Do you have any fun facts or hidden talents you’d like to share?
A: A fun fact about me is that I recently became a grandfather! My granddaughter was born in October.

Q: What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of work?
A: I used to be really into bike riding, but these days I’ve found a passion for detailing cars.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite food or meal?
A: I’m a big fan of grilled chicken—honestly, I love almost anything with it. I also love buffalo chicken wraps and Philly cheesesteaks.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at IFB?
A: The sense of community. We’re all in it together, and most of us can really relate to one another’s experiences. It’s reassuring to be part of an organization that genuinely supports people in situations like ours.

Q: What’s a quote or piece of advice you would give to a friend?
A: “Don’t mix your intentions up with your capabilities.”

Special thanks to Morgan Dugan, IFB’s Employee Relations Specialist, for supporting these highlights.

Who knows? You might be next in the spotlight! Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.

 

IFB Programs Updates:

S.E.E Winter Day Camp

The S.E.E. Program stuffed their own choice of animal with soft fluff. A variety of animals were made including dogs, a lobster, a hedgehog, a llama, a bear, a lion, and an elephant. They could choose between putting a heart inside to fill with love or a star inside to hold the wish they made. After stuffing to the desired firmness or floppiness, everyone decorated a T-shirt for their animal with tactile stickers and scented markers. Each stuffed animal went home with a birth certificate and in its own cardboard box house. Brushes and hair dryers were provided so the stuffies could go to their new home looking their best. Thank you to Joyce of Stuffing Fun Bears of Pleasant Garden, NC for making this experience fun.

 

Winston-Salem Facility Support Groups:

If you’re interested in attending a support group, please review the update here: https://ifbsolutions.org/the-ifb-beat-12-16-edition/#two-d

• Tuesday, February 18 Veterans support group meeting from 12:00-12:45 in TADS Room
• Thursday, February 20 On the Spectrum support group meeting from 12:00-12:45 in TADS Room

 

Community Low Vision Center Updates

CLVC Item of the Week:

Talking Oral Medical Thermometer, $17.95
Talking oral medical thermometer delivers spoken results in 8 seconds and can give results in Fahrenheit or Celsius. Speaks in English and Spanish. Large digital display has .75″ high digits. Voice can toggle off.

If you have questions or are interested in any of the weekly items, please contact your local CLVC for assistance.

 

From Our Community

Blindness and Low Vision: Virtual Diabetes Prevention Classes Enroll Now!

Submitted by Toni Fraser, Low Vision Services Coordinator, and Accessible Pharmacy 

Join the Accessible Pharmacy Services Diabetes Lifestyle Coaches on a journey to a healthier you! We’re excited to announce new classes are starting this spring. Get healthy, stay healthy, and avoid diabetes with this virtual program fully funded by insurance!

Our courses are taught by blind and sighted Diabetes Lifestyle Coaches including a course in American Sign Language for the Deaf community.

Goals:

1. Lose weight
2. Learn healthy eating strategies
3. Increase physical activity
4. Identify and address barriers to healthy eating and physical activity

Duration (1-Year):

• 22 virtual sessions spread out over the course of 1 year

The United States CDC has proven success:

• Participants lowered their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 71%

Email Us to Register Now! info@AccessiblePharmacy.com

You can also click the link below to register:

Click Here to Register

 

HR & Opportunities

PLEASE READ: Give yourself the chance to enjoy discounted medical premiums for the 2025-2026 benefit plan year.

Give yourself the chance to enjoy discounted medical premiums for the 2025-2026 benefit plan year.

• Step 1: Complete a routine physical with labs.
• Step 2: Schedule and attend a preventative dental cleaning.
• Step 3: Don’t wait to submit a Proof of Physical form, itemized receipt, or confirmation letter—along with proof of a dental cleaning—to Tammy Powers’ office or via email at twhitmire-powers@ifbsolution.org. The submission deadline is May 31, 2025
• Don’t wait – Your health and savings are worth it!

Links to Wellness Forms:

Wellness Routine Preventive Care Form

Dental Routine Preventive Care

 

New Job Announcements

For all current openings, visit https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs?clientkey=8B43E6E34C5D5C9AA3D07BB04DBEB909

For more information, please contact a member of the recruitment team at careers@ifbsolutions.org.

IFB Beat Phone Lines

English line: 336-245-5691

Spanish line: 336-245-5663

 

Zoom Meeting Links

Support Groups Zoom

https://ifbsolutions.zoom.us/j/86167111929?pwd=G9vSBWcnTFrMHixqb19TpU7q8sQW1N.1

Meeting ID: 861 6711 1929

Passcode: 992614

One tap mobile

+13126266799,86167111929# US (Chicago)

+16465588656,86167111929# US (New York)

888 475 4499 US Toll-free

877 853 5257 US Toll-free

Meeting ID: 861 6711 1929