POSH® Travels to Palm Beach -- and Back!
Our signature fashion fundraiser, POSH®, held annually in New York, and launched in Palm Beach in 2008, drew eager shoppers again this year in search of designer clothes at discount prices. As always, proceeds from both sales supported the Lighthouse mission of fighting vision loss.
Giving Kids the Best Start Possible -- As Early As Possible
Many of the children with vision loss in our preschool have "graduated" from the Lighthouse Early Intervention Program (EIP), which is dedicated to helping children from birth to age three reach the same developmental milestones as their peers.
Primarily a home-based service designed to identify children with impaired vision, developmental delays, or both, our EIP also provides a wide range of therapeutic services customized to meet the individual needs of each child. Our EIP team consists of professionals who are specialists in fields ranging from special education, social work and teaching children who are visually impaired to physical, occupational and speech therapy.
Between 2007-08 -- in just one year -- the number of children served by our EIP tripled, underscoring the pressing need for such vital services. This year, we've expanded our outreach to meet the growing demand in the five boroughs of New York City, as well as in Westchester and Putnum Counties.
Congresswoman Maloney Brings Great News to the Lighthouse
Representative Carolyn Maloney visited the Lighthouse to announce her successful efforts to help secure a $176,000 federal grant for the Lighthouse.
The grant was included in the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, which was signed into law by President Obama last March. We're proud to have received this -- our first -- federal appropriation in recognition of our leadership position in professional education and advocacy.
These monies will be used to develop an accessible, online curriculum in low vision rehabilitation for healthcare providers such as occupational therapists and nurses. The goal: to address the shortage of professionals needed to care for the ballooning population of people with vision loss.
Opening Eyes on Capitol Hill
During Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Week, September 20-26, Lighthouse International co-sponsored a Congressional briefing to raise awareness of the disease, which is the leading cause of vision loss among Americans age 65+.
The goal was to encourage members of Congress to support funding for vital AMD research through the National Institutes of Health and the National Eye Institute.
The briefing spotlighted a promising research project that's taking aim at the "wet" form of AMD, which occurs when new blood vessels grow in or under the retina and leak, causing vision loss. Our co-sponsors, the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, the Congressional Vision Caucus, AMD Alliance International and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, joined us on Capitol Hill, underscoring the critical importance of this growing public health issue.
American Idol Finalist Visits Our Music School
American Idol finalist Scott MacIntyre visits with students from the Music School
While in New York, the popular American Idol finalist, Scott MacIntyre, who is legally blind, took a seat in the audience, as students in our Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School rehearsed for the 13th annual "Lighthouse at the Met" concert. Mr. MacIntyre's talent and story of vision loss have inspired millions of TV viewers, but it was his personal touch and motivating words that brought smiles to the faces of our music students during his visit, which was featured on Fox 5 TV news.
The Many Faces of Macular Degeneration
Artist Adam Hahn (left) poses with Mark G. Ackermann President and CEO, Lighthouse International, and Allie Laban Baker, AMD Alliance International Vice President of Communications.
Award-winning artist, Adam Hahn, left, was at the Lighthouse exhibiting his powerful portrait series illustrating how people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) see themselves. Inspired by his grandmother who had AMD, Mr. Hahn wanted to raise awareness about the enormous challenges the disease poses, while also showcasing that no two people experience vision loss in the same way. AMD, which robs people of central and detail vision, makes seeing faces especially hard.
Mr. Hahn depicted 17 people, as seen through their own eyes, creating 17 arresting images of faces that are blurry -- many of which are almost unrecognizable. Based in London, Mr. Hahn has received numerous accolades for these portraits, which have moved on to other spaces in New York and Europe. Pictured with the artist are Allie Laban-Baker, Vice President of Communications at the AMD Alliance International, which co-hosted our exhibit, and Lighthouse President and CEO, Mark G. Ackermann.
Lighthouse International Rings the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange
On Wednesday, October 22, 2009 a delegation of Lighthouse International board members and staff, led by Mark Ackermann, President and CEO, rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The event was in honor of World Sight Day, celebrated earlier in the month. World Sight Day is an annual international event to create awareness about the 314 million people worldwide who are visually impaired and the importance of preventing vision loss.
Elected Officials Boost Children's and Teen Services
Helping expand our services to more children who are visually impaired, New York State Senator Liz Krueger recently allocated $35,000 to the Lighthouse Child Development Center to add a new classroom,renovate existing space and purchase new gym equipment. And New York State Assembly Member Jonathan Bing awarded $2,500 to provide sorely needed transportation for children with impaired vision between the ages of 6 and 13 who participate in our monthly Youth Skills Program. This Saturday program is designed to build self-confidence and lay the groundwork for independence through a wide range of social, artistic and recreational activities.
LITE 2009 Draws a Huge Crowd
It was standing-room only for the attendees of LITE, our second annual free expo showcasing technologies that make life easier for people with vision loss. More than 25 exhibitors of products and services, ranging from Apple and America Online to Google and Verizon, were on-hand to demonstrate their latest technologies and share their expertise through seminars. Sponsored by C Tech and Optelec, and co-sponsored by AOL, LITE 2009 was a huge success!
