When Matthew Shifrin was a blind kid who loved LEGO, he couldn't follow the picture-based instructions in the box. So he started Bricks for the Blind, a nonprofit that brings the joy of building LEGO® sets to blind people. We write free, text-based LEGO instructions (TBIs) that blind and visually impaired people can follow with a screen reader, braille display, or large print.

What your gift does

Every $200 funds a complete 100-piece instruction set, written and tested by our team, then posted online free for anyone in the world.

What we've built together

Donations pay those writers and testers, the people who turn each set into instructions a blind builder can follow on their own.

In a builder's own words

"I am 71… I have been completely blind for 20 years. I retired some 10 years ago and my wife died last year and I have been moping around ever since… In the last two months I have completed [three models]. Building these has given me a sense of achievement, has exercised my mind and fingers, and consumed an inappropriate amount of my time!… This is only possible because of the text instructions you make available." — Allan M., Scotland

Always improving

Based on builders' suggestions, every instruction set now has step headings, so screen reader users can jump to any step, replay it, or pick up where they left off. Every set's instructions are available as both a PDF and a Word file.

Bricks for the Blind is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and donations are tax-deductible (EIN 93-3812712). See Matthew and BFTB on CBS Boston. Learn more on our website.