$5,425 raised by 20 donors
36% complete
$15,000 Goal
Our Legacy: Empowering Lives
The Lighthouse for the Blind is more than just an organization; it’s a living testament to resilience. We're on a mission to ensure that blindness isn't a barrier to independence, but a different path to a fulfilling life.
We are the only local nonprofit providing these critical, unduplicated services to the nearly 87,000 blind and visually impaired individuals in Tarrant and surrounding counties.
For many facing vision loss, especially those over 60, the reality is harsh. The fear of ending up in an assisted living facility, cut off from loved ones and facing financial strain, is a genuine concern. We’re here to change that reality.
A Legacy of Hope and Hard Work
Our story began in 1935 when a bold and persistent woman named Willie Faye Lewis, blind since childhood, founded the Lighthouse. During the Great Depression, she organized a small group of blind individuals to cane chairs and produce hand-sewn items, empowering them to earn a living wage during a time of extreme hardship.
Mrs. Lewis was a true visionary. The Lighthouse of Fort Worth was the first to pay blind employees a standard hourly rate, a groundbreaking move that set a new standard for fair wages and employee rights.
Our Promise: Companionship for Life
The Lighthouse has evolved significantly since those early days, but our promise remains the same. While our founders sold mops door-to-door, our blind and visually impaired employees today are trained in advanced manufacturing and technology.
They confidently operate band saws, foam cutters, and sonic welders to produce everything from shipping containers to military products. We even have an Optical Lab where they help make glasses for the sighted!
Your support allows us to continue this vital mission, providing job training, employment, and the tools our clients need to navigate their world independently. Please consider making a donation today to help us continue Willie Faye Lewis's legacy and ensure that every person we serve can live a life of purpose and dignity.
The Lighthouse for the Blind offers unduplicated services at no charge to blind and significantly visually impaired children, youth, adults and seniors to achieve their highest level of independence through competitive employment, specialized training, and client services.
NAVIGATING INSIDE YOUR HOUSE SHOULD FEEL SAFE, NOT SCARY!
It's normal to stumble around to find the bathroom when it’s dark, even if you know your room like the back of your hand. You still hit the walls and stub your toe, right? Imagine if that's how you felt all the time in your own house during the day! That's what it's like for people who struggle with vision loss. It's not about being helpless; it's about empowering them with the right tools and the hands-on training they need.
The NEW Lighthouse MODEL APARTMENT is where our clients will learn how to navigate their homes confidently and independently. To make this crucial training space a reality, we need to raise $15,000 for essential accessibility products, such as:
Adaptive Bathroom: Non-slip mats, grab bars, talking scale and toiletry labels
Assistive Technology: Magnifiers with readers, voice command devices, talking clocks, and smart home devices to read labels
Optimal Furniture: Arrangement for simple navigation throughout the home
Sensory Flooring: Different floor textures to distinguish rooms
Tactile Kitchen and Laundry Appliances: Refrigerator, stove, microwave, washer, dryer, and dishwasher with raised markings and controls
Thoughtful Lighting and Color Contrast: On doorways, outlets, and fixtures
WITH YOUR HELP:
We can create a fully equipped model apartment to make this space a powerful training tool!
The Lighthouse is required by law, given our contracts with the federal government and our association with National Industries for the Blind, to file an Affirmative Action plan every year reflecting the diversity, equity, and inclusion of our legally blind employees and clients, who are an integral part of underserved and underrepresented community groups.
Organization name
Lighthouse for the Blind (Tarrant County Association for the Blind)
Causes
Intellectual, Developmental, and Physical Differences, Social Services
Operating Budget
$1,000,000 - $2,999,999
Counties Served
Denton, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant, Wise
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
Address
912 W. Broadway Ave.