About

Valley Eye Radio has One Mission

Our mission is to help keep our Pioneer Valley neighbors informed and connected to their communities by being a 24/7 accessible source of the local news that otherwise isn’t available to them due to vision loss or other disabilities.

Why does Valley Eye Radio Matter?

  • What if the print world was no longer available to you?
  • How would you stay current and informed?

If you, a family member, or a friend, can no longer access important local news, feeling out-of-touch and isolated follows. This can create a ripple effect of other negative health impacts.

What does Valley Eye Radio broadcast?

We read the daily papers and the local weekly and monthly newspapers from every community in the Pioneer Valley specifically for those who are visually or print impaired.

What else?

  • Recordings from important local events which our listeners may not be able to attend
  • Health and Accessibility News from numerous authoritative sources and local health experts
  • Entertaining and interesting articles from a variety of local, regional, and national publications
  • Veterans outreach programming.

What’s available in local newspapers that listeners can’t get from radio and TV?

  • Town meetings, election details, local health fairs, public hearings, and community event schedules
  • Sales flyers for groceries and other essentials
  • Lottery numbers
  • Obituaries
  • Sports news and scores

What is Valley Eye Radio doing to reach more listeners and provide more local programming?

We’ve been working hard to expand access to our programming. Since our broadcast can’t be picked up by regular radios, we have collaborated with various community partners to create more ways for people to find and benefit from our service. Thanks to our partners who include local organizations who help fund nonprofit groups like ours with grants; local hospitals; Senior Services departments; and residential facilities. We have also been increasing the amount of locally produced program content. How are we doing these things?

  • Launching this new website gives more people the ability to listen to the live broadcast using streaming technology, and will make it easier to contact us for listening options.
  • Previously broadcast content will soon be available as podcasts.
  • Including Valley Eye Radio as an option in hospitals and residential facilities.
  • Adding our programming as an option to a variety of local cable TV channels.
  • In the last year, we have tripled the hours of locally focused and produced content we broadcast.

Valley Eye Radio must have a big staff and a big budget!

No we don’t! Valley Eye Radio does what we do with a team of nearly 100 volunteers and only one full-time and two part-time staffers. Our operating expenses are minimal, and we maximize every dollar of support we get.

Our Funders Are:

  • Beveridge Family Foundation
  • Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts/Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
  • District 33Y Lions Clubs
  • Greater Springfield Senior Services Inc.
  • Irene and George Davis Foundation
  • Sarah Gillett Services for the Elderly
  • South Congregational Church