Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.

To provide vision rehabilitation and eye health services that promote independence, to educate professionals, and to conduct research in related fields.
 

601 SW 8th Ave, Miami FL 33130 · 305.856.2288

     
 
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In The News

Miami Lighthouse Featured on National NBC Evening News

Miami Lighthouse Acquires Children's Vision Program

White Cane Day 2007

November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month

CEO Jacko is Woman of the Year

Miami Lighthouse Acquires Heiken Children's Vision Program

Gloria Martin 3rd Floor Wing

Volunteer of the Year

Interested in guide dogs? Watch this video!

Visionary license plate now available in Florida

Businesswoman Gloria Martin Donates $1M to Lighthouse

 

 

     
 

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Miami Lighthouse Women of Vision Honor
Jean Ellen Shehan and Gloria Martin

More than 50 of Miami’s most prominent female philanthropists gathered at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired June 24 at the second annual Women of Vision luncheon. The inspiring event included the presentation of the 2008 Woman of Vision Award to Jean Ellen Du Pont Shehan; the completion of Gloria Martin’s $1.1 million gift to Miami Lighthouse; news from CEO Virginia A. Jacko about new initiatives at Miami Lighthouse; a touching testimonial from Helen Mopsick, whose 6-month-old son Colton participates in the Miami Lighthouse Blind Babies program; and original music performed by the Miami Lighthouse musicians. Norma Jean Abraham, Shelley Beckwith Rutherford, Jan Salvesen Morrison and Norma Quintero hosted the event.

Miami Lighthouse CEO Receives AXA Advisors 2008 Business Woman of the Year Award

April 8, 2008 – Virginia A. Jacko, President and CEO of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, has received the AXA Advisors 2008 Business Woman of the Year Award in the Public Service/Non-Profit Award category. The Award was presented April 4th at a luncheon hosted by AXA and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Jacko was a successful executive when she began to lose her sight to retinitis pigmentosa and came to Miami Lighthouse for vision rehabilitation. Now totally blind, as CEO she is leading Miami Lighthouse into a new era of growth and expanded client services. The institution recently received its first four-star ranking, the highest level from Charity Navigator, the independent evaluator of not-for-profits.

“I feel so blessed to know my passion," CEO Jacko exclaimed. "As Helen Keller said, 'Through blindness, I found myself, my work and my God.'"

"Despite her blindness, she has a vision for the future of vision enhancement and rehabilitation in our community that will improve the lives of thousands of impaired people." said Chairman William R. Roy, Ph.D.

She was nominated for the award by Miami Lighthouse Honorary Board Member Don Marx and Pat Morgan of Smooth Sailing Executive and Life Coaching. The AXA Advisors Awards, which are sponsored by AXA Financial Protection, were established to honor outstanding professional businesswomen in Miami-Dade County.

Miami Lighthouse Hosts “Music Under the Stars: A Taste of Brickell” Event

On April 30, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind hosted Music Under the Stars: A Taste of Brickell. This inaugural event, held at the Lighthouse, benefited its Children’s Vision Care Program, a mobile outreach program that provides free eye care services to school children in need.

Friends and donors were treated to culinary delights prepared by Brickell area restaurants including Morton’s the Steakhouse, Blu Pizza é Cucina, Perricone’s Marketplace, Gordon Biersch, Rosinella, Baja Fresh and Provence Grill. Musical entertainment was provided by Latin Tenor Warren Tesh, international violinist Randolph Margitza, and the talented Miami Lighthouse musicians.

To top the night off, legendary music producer Henry Stone presented CEO Virginia Jacko with the first royalty check from sales of “Instrumental Magic,” the first album produced by Stone since completing vision rehabilitation at Miami Lighthouse, and featuring saxophonist Jeff Zavac, a current client at the Lighthouse.

The event was sponsored by Ambutech, Eschenbach Optik, Florida Reading & Vision Technology, Mobile Specialty Vehicles, Southern Wine & Spirits, and AMC Liaisons/Rain Vodka.
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Miami Lighthouse Hosts First Annual “Dog A Thon”

On March 30th, friends gathered at the new Shops at Midtown Miami to take part in the first annual Dog A Thon benefiting Miami Lighthouse. Event sponsors included PetSmart, Ameriprise Financial, The Shops at Midtown Miami, Romero Britto, Dunkin Donuts, and Multivision Video & Film.
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2008 McCrea Volunteer Recognition Luncheon

On March 10th, Miami Lighthouse Volunteers of the Year, Shutts & Bowen LLP and the Lou Nostro Family, were honored at the 2008 McCrea Volunteer Recognition Luncheon.
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Miami Lighthouse Board of Directors Approves New Mission Statement

The Miami Lighthouse Board of Directors voted unanimously at its December 12th meeting to adopt a new mission statement as recommended by the Board Planning and Program Development Committee. Director Dr. Charles Pappas presented to the Board the following mission statement:

Mission Statement

To provide vision rehabilitation
and eye health services
that promote confidence and independence, as well as to
educate professionals,
and conduct research in related fields.

“Our new mission statement reflects our broadening mission,” said Board Chairman William Roy, Ph.D. “Promoting eye wellness should lead to fewer people affected by vision impairment. Ensuring a steady supply of highly trained professionals and encouraging new ways to provide vision rehabilitation will improve the vision rehabilitation experience for present and future clients. This is exactly what our founders had in mind.”

Miami Lighthouse Receives 2008 Healthy Vision Award From The National Eye Institute

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is one of fifty institutions in the U.S. to receive the 2008 Healthy Vision Community Award from the National Eye Institute (NEI). The award recognizes the achievements of Miami Lighthouse in the field of providing essential vision care to school-age children, and includes a check for $10,000 that will support ongoing efforts to ensure that children in Miami-Dade County receive complete vision care. NEI, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is a government agency established by Congress in 1968 to protect and prolong the vision of the American people.

The award, which will support the efforts of the Heiken Children’s Vision Program at Miami Lighthouse, is earmarked for research and public outreach that helps prevent and treat visual impairment in children. Miami Lighthouse will make presentations to Miami-Dade County School staff, parents, parent-teacher associations (PTA) and community referral agencies to raise awareness of the Children’s Vision Program. New program literature in English, Spanish and Creole will inform teachers and parents about the importance of early vision care to education, and encourage participation in the Children’s Vision Program.

“We are delighted to be working with NEI,” said Miami Lighthouse CEO Virginia A. Jacko. “The aims of the Healthy Vision initiative are a perfect fit with the goals of Miami Lighthouse and its Children’s Vision Program, as we expand our mission to include eye health and education.”

Miami Lighthouse acquired the Heiken Children’s Vision Program in July 2007. Through a cooperative agreement with Miami-Dade County Schools, the mobile optometric unit has provided free vision care and eyeglasses to thousands of economically disadvantaged schoolchildren who failed state-mandated vision screenings. According to CEO Virginia Jacko, a second optometric unit is being mobilized to expand free eye care service to more financially disadvantaged children in both Dade and Monroe Counties.

The Heiken Advisory Committee was established by the Miami Lighthouse President and CEO to maintain relationships with community groups such as Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Health Connect Teams, foundations that have supported the Heiken Program, the optometric community and pediatric ophthalmologists. These stakeholders have provided expertise and support to ensure its continuing success.

The Dade County Optometric Association established the Heiken Children’s Vision Fund in 1992. “The merging of nonprofits to make better use of resources is an emerging trend,” said Dr. Steven Marcus, President of the Health Foundation of South Florida. “By consolidating Heiken with Miami Lighthouse, a larger agency with similar interests, all of the resources for overhead can go directly to client service.”

The Miami Lighthouse Children’s Vision Program is funded by The Children’s Trust, The Batchelor Foundation, Health Foundation of South Florida, Public Health Trust, Florida Optometric Association Charities, Blank Family Foundation, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, Peacock Foundation, Junior League of Miami, Shepard Broad Foundation, Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, Dade Community Foundation, Kennedy Family Foundation, Geiger Charity Foundation, D. Richard Mead Charitable Foundation, and others. The eyeglasses, free to the students, are provided by Florida’s Vision Quest, Inc.



 



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