North Texas nonprofit transforms lives by bringing technology to the blind

In a world driven by screens, one North Texas nonprofit is making sure no one gets left behind.

Computers for the Blind, based in Dallas, is opening doors for people across the country who are blind or visually impaired. 

The nonprofit refurbishes donated computers and equips them with powerful accessibility software, providing life-changing technology to thousands who would otherwise go without it.

For Antoinette McDonald Ellis, receiving one of these computers was nothing short of transformational.

“I can send that email myself. I can look things up myself. Whatever I need to do on that computer, I have the ability now to go in there and do it. And not only that, I have the confidence,” she said.

Inside an office space off North Central Expressway, shelves are lined with more than machines—they’re gateways to independence.

The organization installs specialized software like JAWS, which converts text into speech, and ZoomText, which magnifies on-screen content. These tools allow users who are blind or have low vision to navigate the digital world with confidence and ease.

“What makes them different is they’re loaded with software that either makes the computer speak, or magnifies the screen,” explained Marci Duty, a Computers for the Blind employee who is herself completely blind.

Duty knows the impact firsthand. She previously trained others in Texas to use JAWS, and now plays a key role in helping ship computers across the country.

“We’ve almost shipped 22,000 computers,” Duty said. “And each one of them makes a big difference in a person’s life.”

The impact of the program isn’t just in the tech—it’s in the training and support that comes with it.

“When I first opened it and turned it on, and it spoke to me… I just kind of felt like I grew three or four inches,” Ellis recalled.

Computers for the Blind’s mission is about more than just providing hardware—it’s about bridging the digital divide and restoring a sense of community, creativity, and confidence for people who are often underserved in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.

“It gave me freedom,” Ellis said. “It’s given me the ability to go and feel like I’m part of this 21st-century world.”

With every computer shipped, Computers for the Blind brings more than technology—they bring independence, opportunity and a renewed sense of possibility.