History 

Almost 80 years of service - take a walk back in time

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired started in 1931 in a little 900 square-foot bungalow house on the corner of SW 6th Street and SW 8th Avenue in the section of Miami now known as Little Havana. Over the years, Miami Lighthouse has expanded into a state-of-the-art 37,500 square-foot facility to provide rehabilitation, vocational and social services for persons who are blind or visually impaired.

1930s and 1940s

Dolly Gamble, an energetic young blind woman, called to order the first Board meeting of the Florida Association of Workers for the Blind (Miami Lighthouse) in July 1931. Dolly was supported by blindness icon, Helen Keller, and the Lions Club of Miami and Miami Rotary Club. On that day, Florida’s oldest private social service agency for the blind was born. In 1935, Colonel Shutts of the Miami Herald ask his young lawyer associate Preston Prevatt to provide pro bono service to incorporate this newly formed private agency serving the blind of Miami. In the 1940s, Miami Lighthouse established a store and sheltered workshops that included chair caning, rug weaving, brush making, sewing and basketry. To assist with the war effort, clients sorted metals and other military supplies.

1950s

As a University of Miami trustee and chairman of the Medical School Committee, Dr. Bascom Palmer was in a position to help generate personal and financial support through his informal group meetings. As a result of his activities with the Miami Rotary Club, he also became involved with the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. He solicited money for the Miami Lighthouse, served as its president of the Board from 1947 to 1952, and started a Miami Lighthouse satellite in Overtown to serve its local community. He also established a fund at the Miami Lighthouse devoted to another dream he harbored: the creation of an eye hospital in Miami. Miami Lighthouse donated a total of $500,000 and signed over the rights to the land to the University of Miami School of Medicine which was the seed money for the world renowned Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Little did he or the other directors of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind know that their dream would become the nationally ranked #1 eye institute, i.e. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which continues to be ranked #1.

1960s and 1970s

In the 1960s, Miami Lighthouse participated in a vision rehabilitation study conducted by the American Foundation for the Blind and received recommendations for program changes. As a result of this study, in the 1970s the Miami Lighthouse pulled back from sheltered workshop programs by selling to Goodwill Industries its sheltered workshop programs for $1.00 so that people with other disabilities could obtain employment. With assistance from the American Foundation for the Blind, vision rehabilitation programs were expanded by changing the mission from sheltered workshop employment to vision rehabilitation services. In the mid-1970s, the board of directors hired Vernon Metcalf, MSW, to serve as Executive Director. Mr. Metcalf served in this capacity for over 25 years.

In 1978, Miami Lighthouse first sought and received accreditation from the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Service People with Blindness or Visual Impairment [NAC] and since then has been continuously accredited. This rigorous accreditation process by NAC demonstrates that Miami Lighthouse meets the highest standards of service for its clients.

1980s and 1990s

In the transition from the 70s to the 80s, the corporate name changed from the Florida Association of Workers for the Blind to the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. In this period, a second floor was added to the main building to serve more clients. Vocational Training was added to the curriculum by introducing computer classes with screen reading software.

A public capital campaign provided for major renovations of existing facilities to include expansion to 37,500 square feet, which included a second floor wing housing computer laboratories and vocational training, and a sensory garden for client enjoyment.

2000s

In 2003, the corporate name was expanded to the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. to reflect services to individuals affected by uncorrectable low vision.

Virginia A. Jacko, BBA, MS, an experienced executive who was losing her sight to retinitis pigmentosa, came to the Miami Lighthouse as a client. Having completed her training and rehabilitation, and after serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer in 2004, Virginia Jacko began as pro bono President & CEO in February 2005, donating her services for four months, and following a national search she was selected as President and CEO in June.

In 2006 a low vision consulting optometrist directed the agency’s low vision program. The same year Miami Lighthouse started a music production program, the first of its kind, to provide professional training to blind and visually impaired young performers, composers and sound engineers. With the assistance of legendary producer Henry Stone, also a client, two CD’s were produced: Instrumental Magic and Vocal Magic. With the closing of the Lions Home for the Blind in 2006, thirty of their program participants joined Miami Lighthouse.

In 2007, the new Gloria Martin third floor wing opened, thanks to an incentive matching gift of more than one million dollars from philanthropist Gloria Martin. It houses the Henry and Inez Stone Music and Sound Studio, the Austin and Marta Weeks Little Lighthouse, the Rotary Club of Miami Centennial Project Center and the Calvin and Flavia de Camp Oak Foundation Conference Room.

Also, in 2007, the Miami Lighthouse acquired the assets of the Heiken Children’s Vision Program including its two mobile eye care units that travel to schools as part of a collaboration agreement with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Through this acquisition, Miami Lighthouse expanded its mission to include eye wellness.

In 2008, the Board of Directors developed five initiatives as part of their strategic plan for the Miami Lighthouse to become a Center of Excellence in Vision Rehabilitation. Miami Lighthouse also received its second matching gift of $1.5 million dollars from philanthropist Mary Spencer. This challenge was presented by Mrs. Spencer in memory of her beloved husband, Sash. Upon learning of Miami Lighthouse’s vision to be a Center of Excellence, she thought of her husband’s frequent words: “strive for excellence.”

In 2008, the three instructional kitchens were renovated with new custom cabinets, a new workstation island, and appliances that provide visually impaired clients training opportunities for cooking in microwaves and double ovens and on flat top stoves.

In 2009 the on-line database management system was launched to improve client recordkeeping and statistical data for management reports.

Miami Lighthouse was one of 50 institutions in the United States to receive the 2008 and the 2010 Healthy Vision Community Award from the National Eye Institute (NEI). The award recognizes the achievements of the Heiken Children’s Vision Program in the field of providing essential vision care to school-age children.

In 2010, the Low Vision Center and the Solutions Store were relocated to the first floor with a separate entrance to accommodate individuals needing a low vision examination and consultation with an occupational therapist specializing in low vision. In-home services for seniors with uncorrectable vision loss were also launched to enable these adults to remain independent by using independent living techniques taught by the occupational therapist.

For more information and news on the Lighthouse please read or listen to Lantern, our agency newsletter.

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