I stayed determined. A few weeks ago, I graduated from high school, and you helped make that possible! I can’t wait to study voice and musical theater at college beginning this fall.
Friends I made back in preschool are still my friends today. When I sing the National Anthem each year at the Destination Independence 5K Walk, I meet current BCLC students and think about the lifelong friends they are making. I also think about their dreams and all the support they will need to achieve them. I dream of singing on Broadway and producing my own shows. My friends have dreams of their own. People like you gave each of us the confidence to overcome obstacles and succeed in school. I’m grateful to everyone who invested in my future. Thank you for making sure I could dream. You can give hundreds of children served through Blind Children’s Learning Center the same opportunity to dream by donating today. We can do much when you believe in us. Sincerely, Danielle
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  Thank you for helping us raise more than $163,000 to support our children! We thank this year's walkers, sponsors, fundraisers, and volunteers for making the 14th Annual Destination Independence 5K Walk our biggest yet! Because of you, children who are blind and visually impaired will continue to meet their potential and live life to the fullest. Over 80% of early learning is driven by vision. Every time a child triumphs over an obstacle caused by their visual impairment, it will be because we all worked together to create Destination -> Independence. Couldn't make it but still want to support the journey to independence? You can donate to the 14th Annual Destination 5K Walk through June 30, 2018. Presenting Sponsor
Top Teams
Top Individual Fundraisers
Biggest Teams
Celebrating our Stars
Spectacular Special GroupsThe term "strength in numbers" means a lot at Blind Children's Learning Center. When business groups and clubs in the community band toghether, they can accomplish so much for our children. Here are just some of the groups who gave their time to improve lives this year.
Recognizing Selflessness: |
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| Blind author and motivational speaker Jake Olson electrified a sold out crowd when he proclaimed: "I may not have my sight, but I have vision." Held at Andrei's Conscious Cuisine on February 22, 2018, the dining in the dark experience put guests in the shoes of children who are blind and visually impaired. |  Blind author and motivational speaker inspires guests and reminds everyone of the limitless potential of children with visual impairments. |
Every day, children with visual impairments and other disabilities make progress towards overcoming obstacles to independence. Little and big achievements are all the same at Blind Children's Learning Center — each their own testament to perseverance, support, and the strength of our children and families.
Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and guests, children will have more chances to succeed beyond the obstacles caused by limited sight. By the end of the evening, Vision Beyond Sight raised over $141,000 in support of critical therapeutic services.
Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and guests, children will have more chances to succeed beyond the obstacles caused by limited sight. By the end of the evening, Vision Beyond Sight raised over $141,000 in support of critical therapeutic services.
| Therapeutic services promote healthy development and allow children to overcome countless obstacles. Visual impairments can affect every area of development, which makes it difficult for children to meet important milestones — crawling, walking, recognizing family, navigating, handling learning materials, self-care skills like feeding and dressing. The obstacles go on and on, but with the right support, so do opportunities and independence. Blind Children's Learning Center has many people to thank. The evening's sponsors and donors for their generous support of children with visual impairments. Jake Olson and Master of Ceremonies Ed Blatchford for inspiring us all. A phenomenal planning committee and Board of Directors who made the entire evening possible. To all, we thank you for creating a vision beyond sight. | |
| "Mason's educational progress allows him to understand and access the world around him more independently. The biggest gift is the ability to play and interact with his peers." -Charissa, Mason's mom | Watch Mason learn Braille contractions! |
Children with visual impairments want to succeed. All too often, typical learning tools and techniques don't provide that opportunity.
To compensate for the fact that 80% of early learning is driven by vision, Blind Children's Learning Center teaches students to learn with their whole bodies from a young age.
It's not a question of if our students can learn it, but how.
To compensate for the fact that 80% of early learning is driven by vision, Blind Children's Learning Center teaches students to learn with their whole bodies from a young age.
It's not a question of if our students can learn it, but how.
Did you know? Blind Children's Learning Center provides educational support from infancy all the way through 12th grade. A strong foundation followed by academic support through grade school prepares children for a world designed for people with sight.
 | The Center gave Danyelle her educational foundation as a young child. She is a graduate from University of Arizona, has mentored young students at BCLC, and remains a role model. She — like you — is building the future. |
We need your help funding a full year of comprehensive services for ten children this December. Supporters have already gotten us half way there:
Your gift today helps ensure all ten children receive the services they need. Your gift today gives children with visual impairments the bright futures they deserve.
Thank you!
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Imagine having so much to express, but lacking tools to get it out.
Children with visual impairments and other disabilities often experience delays in speech development, potentially robbing them the opportunity to build relationships and participate in academics.
Speech Therapy gives children tools to communicate — and a child who can communicate is a child who can learn, participate, and grow.
In so many ways, it unlocks a child's personality. You have the power to make this possible.
Children with visual impairments and other disabilities often experience delays in speech development, potentially robbing them the opportunity to build relationships and participate in academics.
Speech Therapy gives children tools to communicate — and a child who can communicate is a child who can learn, participate, and grow.
In so many ways, it unlocks a child's personality. You have the power to make this possible.
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We need your help funding a full year of comprehensive services for ten children this December. Here's what supporters like you have already made possible:
Your gift today helps ensure all ten children receive the services they need.
Dear BCLC Friends,
This is an important time of year to stop and be thankful for our many blessings. With so much going on in our world today, we want to let you know the difference you make in the lives of our children and their families.
When I think about the quality care and education you support in a nurturing, sensory rich and experiential environment, I get teary-eyed because I know it would not be possible without you.
I hope you understand the true impact of your generosity. We see your gifts in action every single day through the caring and capable hands of our therapists, teachers and staff.
Most importantly, we see the results of those gifts through the smiles on our students faces as they courageously tackle and overcome their obstacles. One of the beautiful things about BCLC is that not one of these achievements is ever done in isolation; it is always a team effort. Watching our children support each other in their own unique ways is a beautiful thing to witness.
We wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday filled with much love and gratitude. Thank you for all that you do to impact the lives of our BCLC children!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Colleen and the entire BCLC staff
President & Executive Director
This is an important time of year to stop and be thankful for our many blessings. With so much going on in our world today, we want to let you know the difference you make in the lives of our children and their families.
When I think about the quality care and education you support in a nurturing, sensory rich and experiential environment, I get teary-eyed because I know it would not be possible without you.
I hope you understand the true impact of your generosity. We see your gifts in action every single day through the caring and capable hands of our therapists, teachers and staff.
Most importantly, we see the results of those gifts through the smiles on our students faces as they courageously tackle and overcome their obstacles. One of the beautiful things about BCLC is that not one of these achievements is ever done in isolation; it is always a team effort. Watching our children support each other in their own unique ways is a beautiful thing to witness.
We wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday filled with much love and gratitude. Thank you for all that you do to impact the lives of our BCLC children!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Colleen and the entire BCLC staff
President & Executive Director
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| Hope is named rather perfectly. But if going by the story of how she joined the Phillips family, “Destiny” might be your pick. Kim Phillips’ eldest daughter, Abby, heard about ophans in China. The six year old began saving every dollar she received for future adoption expenses. It wasn’t long before Kim sensed this might become a family effort. A friend in Tennessee heard of a young girl in China who was blind and needed a home. Kim remembers, “My heart started to pound. It felt like this was my daughter, but I had no clue how to raise a blind child.” |  Hope Brailling in 2012. |  Hope Brailling in 2017. |
Then another friend reached out. This friend had also heard about a young girl in China who was blind and needed a home. Each friend was talking about Hope. That’s when the Phillips family reached out to Bethel China. By fall of 2008, Hope was three years old, in the United States, and enrolled at Blind Children’s Learning Center.
| Her doctor in China said she would never speak, and learning English added another challenge. But Hope listened to her new family, teachers, and friends. Talking didn’t take long. During her three years at BCLC, Hope blossomed socially and academically. She excelled in learning to Braille and use a mobility cane. Her favorite memory is being with friends in the daily living skills class. Today, Hope builds upon those skills as she enters Sixth grade. She toured her new school, taking in the sounds and smells of new settings like a woodshop room. “I’m excited to learn my new environment,” says Hope. Hope dreams of a bright and successful future. If anyone can be a dentist, choir teacher, and spin instructor, it’s her. Hope knows she has what it takes to live independently and on her own terms. Blind Children’s Learning Center could not agree more. |  |
Hope's success is just one reason why our collaboration with Bethel China means so much.
(presentation videos below)
| As a baby, Hope lived in one of Bethel China's five foster care projects for orphans who are blind throughout China. The pieces all came together for BCLC’s Outreach Director, Irene Takahashi, and Deaf-Blind Intervener, Tricia Houlihan, to “go global” with early intervention. At the invitation of former BCLC employee Christy Allen—now an education consultant for Bethel China—Irene and Tricia travelled to present at a three-day conference near Beijing, China. Sharing early intervention and tactile communication strategies, BCLC joined Bethel China’s efforts to spread best practices throughout China. | |
The conference’s ultimate goal was to educate society and show parents that disability doesn’t need to be a taboo. Irene presented techniques and possibilities that greatly comforted families:
“Parents came up to us in tears after presentations, realizing for the first time that their children could have independent lives.”
“Parents came up to us in tears after presentations, realizing for the first time that their children could have independent lives.”
| Combatting a significant cultural stigma towards disability, early intervention increases the chance that children will be adopted and receive an education. “Our cultures may differ, but I found a shared belief in the abilities and potential of the children we interact with daily,” conveys BCLC Deaf-Blind Intevener, Tricia. She continues, “I felt a connection with the audience when sharing effective communication techniques.” Collaboration between BCLC and Bethel China began in the Fall of 2016 when the Bethel China team toured the Center’s unique and inclusive facility. Blind Children’s Learning Center is thrilled to help Bethel China increase independence and dignity amongst children with visual impairments in China. The Center thanks Trinity United Presbyterian Church, Todd & Kristen Jackson, and Bethel China for underwriting travel expenses. |  Tricia uses tactile communication with a child fostered by Bethel China. |
| Familiar tactile greetings, such as Deaf-Blind Intervener Tricia's bracelet, make it possible for Deaf-Blind children distinguish between individuals. This child now knows they have arrived to school. | A child's transition from the school bus to the child's classroom should be consistent. In doing so, they can navigate more independently and be better prepared to learn upon arriving to class. |
| Tactile symbols are part of a "Total Communication System" that allows children to make transitions throughout the day without relying on sight. | Therapeutic services help children compensate for specific areas affected by a visual impairment and other disabilities. Here, Physical Therapy helps a child achieve the major milestone of standing with minimal assistance. |
| Switches are a form of adaptive technology that allows children to communicate nonverbally and make choices. For a nonverbal child, this fundamentally alters how they can interact with peers and adults. | Name cues, along with other tactile symbols representing activities such as "play" and "lunch," create a reliable schedule for children with visual impairments to follow. |
Johnson & Johnson Visions Supports Unique In-Home Program for Babies with Visual Impairments
8/28/2017
| Dozens of Orange County preschoolers with visual impairments marked the start of the 2017 school year with a celebratory luncheon at the Blind Children’s Learning Center (BCLC) today. Highlighting the day’s events was the presentation of a $10,000 check from Johnson & Johnson Vision to support BCLC’s Global Infant Development program, which provides in-home services to children who are blind or have visual impairments, and their families. “We are grateful for this new charitable contribution from Johnson & Johnson Vision,” said Colleen O’Higgins Roach, President and Executive Director of the nonprofit BCLC. |  Johnson & Johnson Vision employees present a $10,000 charitable gift to Blind Children's Learning Center on August 29, 2017. |
Visual impairments place children at severe risk of delayed development in almost all aspects of their life -- including physical, social, emotional, adaptive, cognitive and communications areas -- which is why program provides critical interventions from the very earliest phases of a child’s life.
“Johnson & Johnson recognizes that sight is a precious sense, and that’s what motivates us to help improve and restore sight for more patients around the globe,” said Raymond Kong, Regional Vice President, Commercial Americas, Surgical, Johnson & Johnson Vision. “We are so pleased to support this program, as we have seen first-hand the incredible impact the Center can have through the experiences of one of our own employees, whose daughter is a student at the Center.” Johnson & Johnson Vision will deliver support to the BCLC’s Global Infant Development Program through its surgical vision operating company, Abbott Medical Optics Inc.
“Johnson & Johnson recognizes that sight is a precious sense, and that’s what motivates us to help improve and restore sight for more patients around the globe,” said Raymond Kong, Regional Vice President, Commercial Americas, Surgical, Johnson & Johnson Vision. “We are so pleased to support this program, as we have seen first-hand the incredible impact the Center can have through the experiences of one of our own employees, whose daughter is a student at the Center.” Johnson & Johnson Vision will deliver support to the BCLC’s Global Infant Development Program through its surgical vision operating company, Abbott Medical Optics Inc.
Children Receive Customized Support
| BCLC’s Global Infant Development program provides customized therapeutic services to address each individual child’s needs, whether they are blind, visually impaired, or deaf and blind. And, because infants with visual impairment often experience other concurrent health conditions or may otherwise be medically fragile, BCLC’s Infant Vision Stimulation Specialists are dispatched to make “house calls” directly to each child’s home. The Infant Vision Stimulation Specialist works directly with the child and their family members, introducing adaptive methods and various tools intended to encourage the child’s development, maximize their vision potential and effectively compensate for their lack of vision. Educational resources also are provided for family members who want to support their child’s unique development needs. Each child’s care is coordinated by a team of specialists, including licensed Occupational Therapists (OTs), speech and language pathologists (SLPs), Physical Therapists (PTs), and marriage and family therapists (MFTs). When the child is ready, they may transition to the Bright Visions Early Childhood Center, located on BCLC’s campus in North Tustin, California. |  Raymond Kong, Regional Vice President, Commercial Americas, Surgical of Johnson & Johnson Vision observes a session of Occupational Theray. |
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cost of raising a child with special needs is approximately four times greater than a typically developing child, making it important to provide services to at-need children and their families at low to no cost. Nearly all of the Center’s students are from low- to moderate-income families.
“The generous charitable contribution from Johnson & Johnson Vision will enable us to support an estimated 70 children and their families through our Global Infant Development Program, allowing us to extend our essential early intervention services to even more local infants and toddlers,” said Irene Takahashi, BCLC’s Director of Outreach.
“The generous charitable contribution from Johnson & Johnson Vision will enable us to support an estimated 70 children and their families through our Global Infant Development Program, allowing us to extend our essential early intervention services to even more local infants and toddlers,” said Irene Takahashi, BCLC’s Director of Outreach.
| About BCLC Blind Children’s Learning Center, a non-profit agency, provides services for children with visual impairments. Founded in 1962 by adults who were blind, the organization was originally called “Services for the Blind, Inc.” The founders quickly discovered the key to helping a person with visual impairments was to start working with them at a very early age. Today the agency serves children and their families through the Global Infant Development Program, Bright Visions Early Childhood Center (an onsite preschool – 2nd grade) and Youth Outreach Services with the mission to prepare children with visual impairments for a life of independence through early intervention, education and family support. For more information, please visit www.blindkids.org | Vision Therapy helps infants and toddlers with visual impairments maximize their vision potential. |
About Johnson & Johnson Vision
Johnson & Johnson Vision is committed to improving and restoring sight for patients worldwide. Since debuting the world's first disposable soft contact lens in 1987, it has been helping patients see better through the world-leading ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses portfolio. In 2017, Johnson & Johnson invested further in eye health by expanding into cataract surgery, laser refractive surgery (LASIK) and consumer eye health. Serving more than 60 million patients a day across 103 countries, Johnson & Johnson Vision is committed to helping more people in more places improve or restore their sight. Dual headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and Santa Ana, California, Johnson & Johnson Vision has more than 8,400 employees worldwide.
Johnson & Johnson Vision is committed to improving and restoring sight for patients worldwide. Since debuting the world's first disposable soft contact lens in 1987, it has been helping patients see better through the world-leading ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses portfolio. In 2017, Johnson & Johnson invested further in eye health by expanding into cataract surgery, laser refractive surgery (LASIK) and consumer eye health. Serving more than 60 million patients a day across 103 countries, Johnson & Johnson Vision is committed to helping more people in more places improve or restore their sight. Dual headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and Santa Ana, California, Johnson & Johnson Vision has more than 8,400 employees worldwide.
| In just one week, Ethan and his friends begin the new school year at Blind Children’s Learning Center. Will you help us prepare for children like Ethan? When Ethan and his twin brother Tyler were born at 34 weeks, there was no indication of complications. Both babies were placed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Within three weeks, Tyler gained enough weight to be discharged, but Ethan was still underweight. A CT scan revealed that Ethan had Septo Optic Dysplasia, a rare congenital disorder that causes underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of the optic nerves. The syndrome affects both eyes, allowing him to only see shadow and light. |  |
“When we first got the diagnosis, the doctor told us not to save for college,” said Eleazar, the twin’s father.
To receive such a devastating prognosis was disheartening, but Ethan’s parents found hope at Blind Children’s Learning Center.
To receive such a devastating prognosis was disheartening, but Ethan’s parents found hope at Blind Children’s Learning Center.
| The Center’s infant development specialists began serving four-month-old Ethan and his parents in their home. After just three months, Ethan successfully transitioned into the on-site Bright Visions Early Childhood Center where he received occupational therapy, physical therapy, orientation & mobility, speech, and specialized education to meet his needs. “Since Ethan has been at the Center, he has become more social and curious,” said Eleazar. “For us, the goal is for Ethan to be independent, and the Center is the best place for him to develop his independence.” |  |
Ethan returns to Blind Children's Learning Center in just one week, along with other children with visual impairments. Program fees cover only 40% of the actual cost to provide specialized services critically needed for these children to reach their full potential.
Please help us provide our students with the tools and resources necessary to overcome their challenges and make a donation today.
Please help us provide our students with the tools and resources necessary to overcome their challenges and make a donation today.
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