Visions Services For The Blind And Visually Impaired

TO ASSIST PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED TO LEAD INDEPENDENT AND ACTIVE LIVES

COMMUNITY SERVICES INCLUDE VISION REHABILITATION, YOUTH SERVICES, WORK READINESS, JOB PLACEMENT AND UNPAID CAREGIVER SUPPORT SERVICES. THERE WERE 5,482 PERSONS SERVED IN ALL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. THE OUTREACH DEPARTMENT TRAINED OVER 8,000 PEOPLE ABOUT VISION LOSS. VISIONS RECEIVED 3,200 REFERRALS FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE CONTACT. OUTREACH AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN 16 LANGUAGES, USING PART TIME INTERPRETERS AND 45 BI-LINGUAL STAFF. 76 BLIND YOUTH AND ADULTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A PAID INTERNSHIP AFTER-SCHOOL AND DURING THE SUMMER. 38 BLIND YOUTH ATTENDED IN PERSON A ONE MONTH PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE AND A ONE MONTH TRANSITION PROGRAM FOR BLIND TEENAGERS WAS ALSO HELD IN PERSON. BLINDLINE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 3,000 INQUIRIES AND 15,000 HITS. VISIONS WAS #1 IN JOB PLACEMENT IN NYS FOR THE 7TH YEAR. VISIONS EXPANDED INTO WESTCHESTER AND THE LOWER HUDSON WITH 479 REGISTERED FOR SERVICE. THERE WAS A JUMP IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED IN LONG ISLAND OF 254.

VISIONS CENTER ON AGING AND INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAM: ONE OF ONLY TWO CITYWIDE INNOVATIVE SENIOR CENTERS IN NEW YORK CITY, DEDICATED TO SERVING SPECIAL POPULATIONS. FIRST EVER PUBLICLY FUNDED NEW YORK CITY OLDER ADULT CENTER FOR ELDERS WITH VISION LOSS ENROLLED 860 MEMBERS. AS A RESULT OF COVID-19, WE OFFERED OVER 90 VIRTUAL CLASSES COVERING EACH SERVICE AREA: TECHNOLOGY, ARTS, FITNESS, HEALTH AND REACHED OUT TO OVER 800 PARTICIPANTS WITH REGULAR WELLNESS CHECK-INS BY PHONE; WE MET THE CONTRACT OUTCOMES. THE ONLY CITY SENIOR CENTER WITH AN APPROVED RESTAURANT VOUCHER PROGRAM SO THAT BLIND OLDER PERSONS CAN EAT A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST WITH FRIENDS AT NO COST AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT. THE CENTER MEMBERS THAT LIVED NEARBY WERE ABLE TO PICK UP THE VOUCHER MEAL OR HAVE IT DELIVERED. THE INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAM OFFERED THROUGH VISIONS CENTER ON AGING MATCHES HOMEBOUND BLIND OLDER PERSONS FOR HOME VISITS ONCE EVERY OTHER WEEK WITH SIGHTED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. VISIONS INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAM WAS NAMED A PROGRAM OF DISTINCTION BY GENERATIONS UNITED. DUE TO THE CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PANDEMIC, OUR INTERGENERATIONAL STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO ADAPT AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPANTS VIRTUALLY. HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH HELPED OLDER BLIND MEMBERS SCHEDULE TRANSPORTATION AND VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS AND HOME DELIVERED FOOD. PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAM: THE RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN JULY OF 2013. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR LEGALLY BLIND HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE PREPARE FOR COLLEGE LIFE. THE PROGRAM WAS HELD IN PERSON CURRICULUM WITH MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE IN PURCHASE, NY. THE PROGRAM VIRTUALLY SERVED 25 LEGALLY BLIND STUDENTS FROM NEW YORK STATE DURING THE SUMMER.SUMMER TRANSITION PROGRAM: THE SUMMER TRANSITION PROGRAM IS A FOUR-WEEK RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR TRANSITION AGE YOUTH (TYPICALLY 14 -16 YEARS OLD). THE PROGRAM MOVED FROM QUEENS COLLEGE TO VCB. IT IS DESIGNED TO BUILD STUDENTS' SKILLS FOR INDEPENDENCE, COLLEGE AND EMPLOYMENT IN A SETTING AWAY FROM HOME. STUDENTS WORK TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS FOR DAILY LIVING AS WELL AS COLLEGE READINESS. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES USE OF TECHNOLOGY, ORIENTATION & MOBILITY INSTRUCTION, SOCIAL INTERACTION, FITNESS AND RECREATION ON THE VCB CAMPUS AS WELL AS LOCAL TRIPS. SELF- ADVOCACY IS PROMOTED THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM SERVED 13 PARTICIPANTS IN PERSON. VISIONS UNPAID CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROJECT SERVED OVER 751 CAREGIVERS AND THEIR CARE RECIPIENTS. SERVICES INCLUDED IN-HOME AND OVERNIGHT RESPITE AT VCB, COUNSELING, AND EMERGENCY SUPPLIES. VISIONS CONTINUES TO SPONSOR THE NYC YOUTH AND VISION LOSS COALITION, A COALITION OF PARENTS, EDUCATORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, CONSUMERS, ORGANIZATIONS, AGENCIES, EMPLOYERS AND YOUTH TO ASSIST AND REPRESENT CHILDREN WITH VISION LOSS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH MULTIPLE DISABILITIES AND THEIR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS RESIDING IN NEW YORK CITY. THE COALITION MEMBERSHIP CONTINUES TO ENROLL ORGANIZATIONS.

VISIONS CENTER ON BLINDNESS (VCB): A TOTAL OF 484 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED. BLIND CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND YOUTH PROGRAMS HELD AT VCB WERE HELD IN JULY AND AUGUST. SESSIONS HELD AT VCB PREPARE BLIND YOUTH AND ADULTS FOR THE WORLD OF WORK AND LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WILLING TO ATTEND OVERNIGHT RESIDENTIAL TRAINING WAS IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTER, BUILT IN AUGUST 2017 ON THE VCB CAMPUS, OFFERED THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION PROGRAM (PRE-ETS) AND TECHNOLOGY TRAINING YEAR-ROUND FOR BLIND YOUTH AND ADULTS. THE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTER FACILITY ON THE VCB CAMPUS OFFERED A FIVE-WEEK ADULT TRAINING, AN 8-DAY WORK READINESS, 15-WEEK PRE-ETS FOR BLIND YOUTH AGED 18-21 YEARS OLD PRIMARILY FUNDED BY THE NYS COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND . A PAID INTERNSHIP WAS ADDED TO THE PRE-ETS PROGRAM. THE SUMMER TRANSITION PROGRAM (STP) FOR BLIND TEENAGERS WAS OFFERED IN PERSON.

VISIONS AT SELIS MANOR: THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS INCREASED TO 290. THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE TYPE OF CLASSES OFFERED FOR ADULTS AND SENIORS INCLUDING NEW SUPPORT GROUPS ALL OFFERED VIRTUALLY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2022. THERE WAS AN INCREASE TO 1,200 PARTICIPANTS REGISTERED FOR SERVICES AT VISIONS AT SELIS MANOR INCLUDING 860 REGISTERED FOR THE OLDER ADULT CENTER. BASED ON SELF-REPORTED SURVEYS, NEARLY 92% OF PARTICIPANTS ARE MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIFE BECAUSE OF PARTICIPATION AT VISIONS; 77% HAVE MADE EXERCISE A PART OF THEIR ROUTINE; MOST REPORT THEY ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC, SELF CONFIDENT AND CAPABLE OF SELF-ACCEPTANCE. WELLNESS CHECK IN CALLS WERE ADDED INCLUDING ON HOLIDAYS. FOOD INSECURITY AND SOCIAL ISOLATION WERE THE TWO ISSUES THAT RECEIVED SPECIAL ATTENTION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.