Anthony Green

Bob and Denise Green are wonderful advocates for their son, Anthony, who they call Tony. 

Tony, who lives in Hyattsville, Maryland, is deaf and has cerebral palsy, as well as some visual/perceptual difficulties and learning disabilities. Though he graduated from high school in 2007, Tony has been unable to attend college on a regular basis, receive job training or hold down a job, due to a variety of health-related issues – until now. 

The success of a recent surgery has made Tony ready, able and eager to begin a new chapter in his life. When his parents heard about The Eric Fund, they contacted us for assistance because they felt a grant from The Eric Fund would “significantly impact Tony’s ability to move forward, onward and upward!”

We at The Eric Fund agreed and were equally eager to inform Tony that he’d been selected to receive the Panasonic “Toughbook” (a durable laptop that can withstand drops and heavy use) and the Harris Communications interactive software that he’d applied for! The software that Tony received is designed specifically for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and will enable Tony to interact more easily with the hearing population, which will have a profound impact on Tony’s professional and personal life. The software even allows for translation to Spanish!

When we recently spoke with Tony’s dad, Bob, they were together moving through the learning curve associated with the use of any new piece of technology. “Tony absolutely loves the technology,” Bob said.

“We look at this as a singular opportunity for our son to transition from a rather confined world to the larger community as an effective, independent, viable person,” said Bob. “Tony is highly motivated to obtain employment and communication is of major importance in helping him to reach his goal. These tools not only will provide Tony with practical, tangible benefits, they will also provide him with two things much, much, more important ... HOPE and a future.”