COVID-19 limits organization's efforts to help blind, visually impaired

MORGAN COUNTY, Ga. - Rita Harris has been visually impaired for nearly 20 years.

She told FOX 5 the confidence she carries today has been a long, incredible journey.

"You go through phases of being in denial, isolating yourself, depressed," Harris explained.

She worries those emotions could arise in other blind or visually impaired people because of COVID-19.

"That put a hindrance on all the training," she mentioned.

In 2016, she formed the non-profit organization Living Life Team, Inc. in Morgan County.

The goal is to help people who are visually impaired regain their sense of independence.

"We provide training skills such as mobility training, orientation skills."

This includes learning to use public transportation to run errands on their own.

But that's all at a standstill now.

Everyone involved in the organization is social distancing.

"We were about to embark on training on using the public transportation, independent shopping," Harris mentioned of activities planned before coronavirus,

Due to the pandemic, Harris said most of the people in the program are sheltering at home.

Her volunteers are now delivering care packages to the visually impaired members until they’re able to continue on their journey.

"They are ready to gain their independence and take life by the horns."

If you would like to help with the care packages, click here.