Press Contact:
Samantha Burfiend
Marketing & Communications Manager
sburfiend@viawny.org
December 14, 2021 – It would seem Bills Mafia is fed up with the National Football League (NFL)’s officiating crews and has taken it into their own hands to make a change for the better. After Sunday night’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game that went into overtime after what many in Buffalo believe was a missed pass interference penalty, fans have begun donating to VIA: Visually Impaired Advancement. The organization is a non-profit in Western New York that helps individuals with visual impairments including, but not limited to, total blindness. 
The average donation? $17, of course. Prompted by these fan donations, VIA asks Western New York to continue donating to their organization, which has helped thousands of individuals who are visually impaired over its more than 100-year history. VIA currently has an Annual Appeal goal of $100,000 that it hopes to hit by early January.
This is not the first time the Bills and VIA have collaborated, albeit with a different name. In 2016, former Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor featured VIA, then known as Olmsted Center for Sight, on his cleats as part of the #MyCauseMyCleats social campaign. When the Bills broke their playoff drought in 2017, donations began to pour in. And today, VIA is seeing the same.
Although VIA recognizes that NFL officials may not actually be impacted by visual impairment, VIA has many clients who enjoy watching the game of football and love to experience it in person.
VIA offers comprehensive services that help anyone dealing with vision loss at any level, at any age, with whatever they want to accomplish. These services include vision rehabilitation, white cane travel, employment skills, career training, and more. VIA prides itself on being a comprehensive resource for people experiencing vision loss or who are legally blind to help them adapt to new ways of independence. To donate, fans can visit viawny.org/donate.
DONATE HERE
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About VIA – There is no denying a diagnosis with vision changes or visual loss can present challenges. However, it does not change who you are, what you believe or, what you want to accomplish.
For over 100 years, VIA: Visually Impaired Advancement has provided rehabilitation and social services to individuals in Western New York who are visually impaired. We pride ourselves on being a comprehensive resource for people experiencing vision loss or who are legally blind to help them adapt to new ways of independence. Our team of vision professionals will customize services to help you manage vision loss at any age. To learn more, visit viawny.org.