Audio Information Network of Colorado

A nonprofit organization

Audio information helps individuals maintain independence, stay connected to their community, and live to their full potential.

Testimonials

"It's a good service. I have been listening to it for years. Keep up the good work!"
- Ken W.

"I like to listen at night. It helps me relax and sleep better. On the weekends, I listen to my receiver all day. I am telling my friends who have vision loss about the service."
- Birdie K.

"I love your broadcast!"
- Dale H.

"What a treasure. AINC provides me opportunities to access local news and more. What I appreciate the most is the constant improvements to the system allowing me simple access by turning one simple button to information on demand through telephone service and downloadable information and streaming on the computer. With so many choices, I am able to access local news and stay connected with activities and events relevant to me and my family. More than simply attending a local harvest parade, but gaining knowledge of the entire day's events and sites."
- Debra J.

"As a retired blind person, I try to be a wise and frugal shopper, stay informed about current events, and keep us with what is happening in my community. I love to scan (rapid reading) the grocery and discount store ads on my touchtone telephone to find weekly and seasonal specials. The touchtone telephone also allows me to read on a daily basis my local newspapers, a variety of consumer information items, many other newspapers, etc. any time of the day/night and any day of the week. The free and convenient audio reading service provided by Audio Information Network of Colorado (AINC) has filled my life with the same information and knowledge that sighted people have and take for granted every day. If you ask me about local and national issues or upcoming events, I can usually discuss them with you or tell you about them. It has been said that "Knowledge is Power" and I believe I have both because of AINC's valuable service to those of us who cannot read print materials due to blindness or a physical disability."
- Alice G.

"I depend on your service every day."
- Tom L.

"Thank you for what you do for the community. Your service is an inspiration and a big help."
- Sandy E.

"I like the broadcast. It helps me keep up with the current news. It's a great system, keep it going! I tell all my friends about it so they will sign up."
- Brenda C.

"I really really enjoy it. Listening to these programs is very beneficial. One can learn a lot about what is going on in their community and around the world. It's like having company in the house. I truly love the children's programming! Everyone who is shut in should have this radio because you get to listen to news that otherwise you wouldn't get to know.
- Patricia M.

"Keep the great work! It's more of a help to people than you realize. It opens up the world."
- Lupe D.

"I'm impressed with your programming and enjoy it quite a bit."
- Pat S.

"Listening to the programs makes you feel like you're not so isolated and not so alone. It keeps me company."
- Bev C.

"I'm very appreciative of the service. I lived in Greeley and now live in Denver, but can still keep up with my home town news. You provide a unique information that other sources don't have."
- Lynn K.

"I love it! I love to listen to it while doing other things. It's relaxing"
- Janet C.

"Very thankful that this service is available! It really helps blind people to be connected to their community, be informed about current events, and learn about valuable services that are helpful to them."
- Katrina K.

"Your programming gives me a recreational outlet because I'm home bound. It helps me be more alert. I think it is very helpful. As I'm listening I wonder where the different places are that the broadcasts talk about. It helps my quality life."
- Connie R.

"Your broadcast was priceless for my father the last five or six years of his life. He really enjoyed it! You programming played a real important part of his life. You are doing a great job!"
- Bill F.

Mission

WHO WE ARE: Audio Information Network of Colorado is a non-profit organization providing sound-based information for blind/low vision and print disabled children, adults and senior citizens. 200+ volunteers read and record in English and Spanish from nearly 100 Colorado newspapers, as well as magazines, grocery ads, calendars of events, public service announcements, educational materials and community event news. Broadcasts are available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Additional podcasts cover diverse topics on health and wellness, consumer information, and children's programs. We provide equipment to access programming via telephone, a pre-tuned digital receiver, or via internet. All services (programming and equipment) are free.

OUR MISSION: AINC's mission is to provide news and information in audio format for the blind, low vision and print disabled community of Colorado. Audio services empower individuals to be self-sufficient, connected to community, and continuously learning.

WHO LOSES VISION? Risk for vision loss increases with age due to a variety of chronic diseases. A quarter of all U.S. seniors aged 60+ will lose functional vision. That rate is much higher for Latinos of Mexican descent, in part due to their risk for diabetes--the leading cause of blindness among U.S. adults overall. Half of all diabetics will lose vision. A new diabetes prevalence estimate for Mexican Latino adults over aged 18 is 18.3% and rising dramatically with age. Half of Mexican Latinas will be blind by age 70. Print-disabled people can "see" but cannot read or process print materials due to learning or physical disabilities, neurological diseases, literacy issues and other conditions that may be transient (e.g., during chemotherapy) or permanent.

Background Statement

David Dawson founded the Audio Information Network of Colorado (AINC) in 1990. Since then, it has continuously provided the blind/low vision and print disabled people with free access to a variety of audio program materials that are unavailable to them in any other way. Having relied greatly on reading services in other states, Mr. Dawson was dismayed to discover that Colorado did not have a reading service. AINC began broadcasting over a Secondary Audio Programming frequency of Rocky Mountain PBS(RMPBS) using a small corps of volunteer readers. Today, AINC maintains three separate broadcasts directed toward the Northern Front Range, Western Slope and Southern Colorado over an RMPBS digital associated audio channel. David Dawson retired in 2018, and Kim Ann Wardlow is the new Executive Director of AINC.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Audio Information Network of Colorado

other names

AINC, Radio Reading Service of the Rockies

Year Established

1990

Tax id (EIN)

84-1147123

Category

Human Services

Address

1700 55th Street Suite A
Boulder, CO 80301

Headquarters

1700 55th Street Suite A
Boulder, CO 80301

Mailing

1700 55th Street Suite A
Boulder, CO 80031

Service areas

Boulder County, CO, US

Adams County, CO, US

Phone

303-786-7777 112

Other

877-443-2001

Fax

303-939-8013

Social Media