Washington, DC (NAPSI) - Thanks to dedicated volunteers, an organization that was created to serve blinded veterans has been able to carry out its mission and steadily expand its range of services for nearly 70 years.

The Blinded Veterans Association’s (BVA) Volunteer Service Program is designed to support men and women who are blind or experiencing significant visual impairment by providing programs and support through volunteerism.

BVA is a member of the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) National Advisory Committee. VAVS volunteers assist veterans by supporting and augmenting staff in settings such as hospital wards, nursing homes, ambulatory care facilities, outpatient clinics, domiciles, community-based volunteer programs, home-based respite programs, end-of-life care programs, veterans outreach centers, national cemeteries, and the Veterans Benefits Administration regional offices.

Over the years, volunteers have shown themselves to be a key resource for the blinded veterans served by BVA. One such shining example is Felipe Flores, a BVA Volunteer National Service Officer since 1994. He currently works at both BVA’s office in Menlo Park, California, and the Western Blind Rehabilitation Center in nearby Palo Alto, where he is assisted in his work by his wife, Estrella.

Flores meets with new trainees to provide information about BVA and VA benefits. He also meets on a one-to-one basis to discuss personal benefit issues.

“By all accounts, Felipe embodies the BVA motto ‘Blinded Veterans Helping Blinded Veterans,’” said National Field Service Officer Claudia Perry. “He and Estrella continue working with the National Field Service Program as highly skilled volunteers.”

The Blinded Veterans Association was established specifically to help veterans and their families meet and overcome the challenges of blindness.

To learn more, visit www.bva.org.