Miami Lighthouse for the Blind

📖 Virginia's Corner, 8th Edition: “The goals of our interdisciplinary CVI Collaborative Center are to improve diagnosis and timely treatment of CVI, and to increase awareness of CVI within both the medical and education communities as well as the general population.” -Miami Lighthouse President and CEO Virginia Jacko

Reflecting on our article in Miami Today Newspaper, titled "Virginia Jacko Leads Miami Lighthouse’s Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI) Aims" published December 19, 2023.

Read the rest of the Miami Today article here- https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2023/12/19/virginia-jacko.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight 💙

👁️ The CVI Center is in partnership with pediatric ophthalmologists at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the Nation's No. 1 hospital in ophthalmology, Nova Southeastern University College of Medicine, Nova Southeastern University - College of Optometry, and neurologists at The Brain Institute at Nicklaus Children's Hospital.

To learn more about our CVI Center, visit https://www.miamilighthouse.org/CVICenter.asp.

We are proud to read Marin's story in Miami New Times! We love to see how our mission is truly making a positive impact on the lives of the blind and visually impaired: Through education, training, research and vision enhancement, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides hope, confidence, and independence to people of all ages!

📰 Read or listen to the full article here - https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/guiding-eyes-for-the-blind-helped-marin-baumer-gain-independence-21137140

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 🦯💙 Guiding Eyes for the Blind

❤️🤍💙 We at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind & Visually Impaired wish you and your loved ones a Happy Labor Day. From August 30th - September 2nd, use coupon code LABORDAY10 in our Lighthouse Shop to receive 10% off your order of $25 or more. 🛒

🛍️ Or, visit this link to start shopping with the discount code!-
https://lighthouseshop.org/discount/LABORDAY10

Together, we prove 🇺🇸

Action shot of our visually impaired little ones in math class at Miami Lighthouse Academy. 2️⃣➕2️⃣🟰4️⃣

🍎 Miami Lighthouse Academy is a nationally accredited school with small class sizes and a tactile learning curriculum, where we give special attention to each child's unique needs.

We offer a one-of-a-kind inclusive *Apple Accredited* VPK and Early Learning Program for sighted role model preschoolers age 1-4 years old, as well as a Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st & 2nd grade for students who are visually impaired.

✏️ To learn more about our Miami Lighthouse Academy and to enroll your child age 1 to 2nd grade, visit MiamiLighthouseAcademy.org org. or email our Academy Director at [email protected].

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight 💙

The Children's Trust
Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Florida Division of Blind Services

To donate to our back-to-school campaign, visit- https://secure.miamilighthouse.org/Back_To_School_Campaign.asp

SGA Announcement!: Four of our artists' artworks were chosen to be in the 'La Mano Hispana' exhibition at the Hialeah Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment! 🎨👏

This group art exhibit celebrates Hispanic heritage and accomplishments, and is presented by the City of Hialeah in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Catch the opening reception on September 13th, from 7-10pm at the Milander Center for Arts & Entertainment. And make sure you visit the exhibition before it closes on October 11th! Let's hear a round of applause for these fantastic artworks by our SGA Program Participants👏:

• 'Goddess Azul' acrylic painting by Nora Delabat
• 'Casa of Light' wood carving by Victor Mercado
• 'Guitara Magica' acrylic mixed media by Grisel Diaz
• 'Purple Rain/ Lluvia Morada' acrylic mixed media SGA Collaboration piece by artists Ana Font, Nora Delabat, Daglis Cabrera, Juana Castenada, and Aaron Hill.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙 City of Hialeah - Municipal Government

A very special visit from Lion Noelia Chacon Aspilcueta of the Arequipa Lions Club of Perú, visiting today the Lions For the Blind at the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind , Miami Five Stars Lions Club Lion Pilar Portuondo, Martha Suarez and Lion Gutty District 35-N Photos ,Maria Augusta presenting her with a Pin and banner.
Thank you !
WE SERVE

🦁🏆 At the last Lions for the Blind meeting, the Miami Lighthouse honored Lion Alan Campbell for his tireless work to support and empower those who are blind and visually impaired, embodying the core values of Lionism.

Lion Alan has played pivotal roles for Miami Lighthouse as the former Project Manager for the Lions Clubs International Sight for Kids Project, as past President of the Miami Lions Club and Miami Lions Club Foundation, and as the last Director of the Lions Home for the Blind.

Pictured, is Lion and Senior Vice President Cameron Sisser and Supervisor of Fine Arts and Art Education Aaron Hill presenting Lion Alan with a special gift, a handcrafted bronze sculpture of a lion, created by Miami Lighthouse’s Senior Group Activities Program participants.

This sculpture is a symbol of strength, courage, and dedication—qualities that Lion Alan has exemplified throughout his many years of service.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙

Lions Clubs International
Miami Five Stars Lions Club
Lion Gutty District 35-N Photos

Liam is slicing and dicing in class at Miami Lighthouse Academy! ✂️

Our curriculum at Miami Lighthouse Academy helps visually impaired and blind students develop their fine motor skills, such as cutting with scissors, in a supportive environment that provides them with the tools and individual education plan they need, to feel prepared to enter their community schools on an equal footing with their sighted peers. 🦯

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight 💙

🍎 Our Miami Lighthouse Academy is a nationally accredited school with small class sizes and a tactile learning curriculum, where we give special attention to each child's unique needs.

👓 We offer a one-of-a-kind inclusive *Apple Accredited* VPK and Early Learning Program for sighted role model 1 to 4 year-olds, as well as a Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st & 2nd grade for students who are visually impaired.

✏️ To learn more about our Miami Lighthouse Academy and to enroll your child age 1 to 2nd grade, visit MiamiLighthouseAcademy.org.

To donate to our back-to-school campaign, visit this link- https://secure.miamilighthouse.org/Back_To_School_Campaign.asp

💙 with support from-
The Children's Trust
Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Florida Division of Blind Services

Adir is looking ready to learn in his dino sweatshirt and racecar eyepatch! 🦖🏎️

👁 According to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, patching is recommended when children are diagnosed with amblyopia or lazy eye. It works by occluding (covering) the eye that has normal vision so that the vision in the amblyopic eye (poorer seeing eye) can improve. Think of it as covering the strong eye to exercise the weak eye.

👓 At Miami Lighthouse Academy, our classrooms and curriculum accommodate students with visual impairment and blindness. We are currently enrolling for the 2024/2025 school season!

✏️ To enroll your visually impaired child age 1 years old to 2nd grade, or sighted "role model" child age 1 to 4 years-old, please send an email to our Academy Director Mara at [email protected] for enrollment information.

Together at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙

AAPOS- American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
The Children's Trust
Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Florida Division of Blind Services

📣 We are excited to announce the big news that our Miami Lighthouse Academy will be offering 3rd Grade in the 2025/2026 school year, fully accredited as part of the Miami Dade Public School System!

If your child has a visual impairment, Miami Lighthouse Academy, with our inclusive classrooms, sensory-based learning, and highly credentialed staff, could be the best option for your child.

✏️ Learn more about our Academy on our website here https://miamilighthouse.org/MiamiLighthouseAcademy.asp

🍎 If you'd like to contact Miami Lighthouse Academy or schedule tour of our campus, call our Program Coordinator at (786) 362-7483 or e-mail our Academy Director at [email protected].

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙

The Children's Trust
Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Florida Division of Blind Services

On Monday our Blind Babies Program hosted Parents Playgroup Music Day with sensory games. We used ukuleles to introduce music concepts such as rhythm and melody to our blind babies, with the help from parents, instructors, and special guests from the Lions Club. 💛🎵

In the photos you'll see our special light-up ukuleles that glow bright in the dark, making them visible for our visually impaired participants who are partially blind. 💡

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight. 💙

The Children's Trust
Florida Division of Blind Services
Lions Clubs International Foundation
Lions Clubs International

To learn more about our Blind Babies Program and to sign up, visit https://miamilighthouse.org/ChildrenServices.asp

🚨 We welcomed the City of Miami Police Academy Cadets to our Miami Lighthouse for the Blind facilities to learn about our mission, our services, and so much more.

It's our honor to help prepare these future officers for their interactions with the blind and visually impaired. 🚓

First, the cadets watched a sighted guide training video titled “What do you do when you see a blind person?” Then, they got hands-on training with our Orientation and Mobility Instructors, Hecmarie and Samly, learning how to walk with a visually impaired or blind person. After that, they were blindfolded and put to the test with their new sighted guide skills.

We also invited our police academy guests on a tour around the facility where they had the opportunity to visit each department and observe our clients in their daily activities at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. 💙🦯 Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! Miami Police Department

The 2024 Young Professionals of the Lighthouse (YPOL) hosted our annual Miami Lighthouse Legislative Luncheon in appreciation of our elected officials' support of our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program, Miami Lighthouse Academy, and our Senior Group Activities Program.

At the luncheon, we thanked Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation for continuing funding of our programs and the new allocation from the Department of Education for our Miami Lighthouse Academy.

Guests networked with local elected officials, Miami Lighthouse Board Directors, and other community leaders, and enjoyed a tour of the campus as well as a wonderful musical performance by our talented Miami Lighthouse Summer Music Program student ensemble 👏.

We thank Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman, P.L. for sponsoring the luncheon.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙

🎺 Miami Lighthouse's Blind Babies program invites our Blind Babies participants, Miami Lighthouse Academy students, and parents to our 🎵Music Day🎵! With support from The Children's Trust, next week on Monday August 19th, from 10:30 -11:30am at our Miami Lighthouse campus, students can enjoy giveaways, music and sensory play!

Let us know you’re coming! Email [email protected] 💌

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙

Reflecting on an incredible summer making memories at Miami Lighthouse Academy summer camps: Water day edition! ☀️💦

Supervised by our highly credentialed teachers and staff, these children with visual impairment enjoy water play as a fun and refreshing sensory activity.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!💙

Miami-Dade County Public Schools
The Children's Trust
Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
Florida Division of Blind Services

Thank you, The Children's Trust! Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight 💙.



Contribute to our back-to-school campaign here - https://secure.miamilighthouse.org/Back_To_School_Campaign.asp

Welcome back to school! 🍎🦯👓

📚 Our Miami Lighthouse Academy is a nationally accredited school with small class sizes and a tactile learning curriculum, where we give special attention to each child's unique needs.

We offer a one-of-a-kind inclusive Early Learning *Apple Accredited* VPK Program for sighted role model preschoolers, as well as a Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st & 2nd grade for students who are visually impaired.

✏️ To learn more about our Miami Lighthouse Academy and to enroll your child age 1 to 2nd grade, visit MiamiLighthouseAcademy.org.

To donate to our back-to-school campaign, visit https://secure.miamilighthouse.org/Back_To_School_Campaign.asp

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙

The Children's Trust
Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
Florida Division of Blind Services
Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Florida’s disability savings program, ABLE United, has reached a major milestone, as account holders have surpassed $100 million in savings!

ABLE United is empowering individuals with disabilities and their families to save for future expenses while maintaining access to critical benefits.

Learn more at ableunited.com 💙

A field trip to remember! Together, the Miami Marlins, Major League Baseball, and CBS News Miami Correspondent Cristian Benavides enabled our Pre-Employment Transition Program blind teenagers to have the rare sensory experience of the game of baseball. From being able to touch the grass, to the leather gloves, to hearing the click of the bat; one can be assured that our students will continue to enjoy baseball by listening to games on the radio! ⚾💙

Thank you! Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight 💙

Cristian Benavides TV
Miami Marlins
Marlins Foundation
MLB
The Children's Trust
Florida Division of Blind Services
Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
The Able Trust
Miami-Dade County Public Schools




Donate to the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind back-to-school campaign on our website here- https://secure.miamilighthouse.org/Back_To_School_Campaign.asp



Watch the video and learn more on the CBS YouTube channel here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcYbSexRUGc

🌻 Our Miami Lighthouse playgroup in in full effect! We offer weekly playgroups at our state-of-the-art facility where families come together and learning is fostered through active tactile play.

Children and siblings of children who participate in any capacity at Miami Lighthouse are welcome to participate in the Miami Lighthouse playgroup!

🌼 Through our family-centered approach, our programs support the social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and linguistic needs of blind or visually impaired children and create an emotional support network for parents and caregivers.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙 The Children's Trust

For more information about our playgroups, contact Charelis at [email protected].