This holiday season, we need your help sharing the STRENGTH of Blind Children's Learning Center families. We wish to feature your stories of what strength, resilience, and perseverance means to your child and family — in your own words.

Please participate in #seeingstrong by uploading a photo and brief testimonial expressing with "seeing strong" means to your child and family. We will incorporate your message into our December fundraising campaign, which is the most important time of the year to raise critical funds that sustain services at Blind Children's Learning Center.

Make your submission by Thursday, December 19, 2019 to receive 5 FREE registrations to the 16th Annual Destination Independence 5K Walk on June 6, 2020!

Continue to upload center and sample post below...

Here are some ideas to get the creativity flowing!

Post about Your Child – Your Chance to Brag!
• Achieving a small milestone like a first step or word — something you thought may never happen.
• Learning new skills like Braille, adaptive technology, vision function, bonding with you, or white cane mobility skills.
• Trying a new activity like piano or therapeutic riding.

Post about Your Family – Your Chance to Reflect
• Overcoming initial devastation to develop new dreams.
• Gaining confidence as a family by traveling or learning to adapt together.
• Developing more empathy and patience, having more appreciation for “the little things” of life.

Sample #seeingstrong post:
• I’ll never forget the smile on my child’s face when they first did ____. He was so proud of himself and from that day on, we all had more confidence in the future. (family photo)
• Practicing with his new mobility cane! This kid is so brave. (photo of child with cane)
• __ can now share her opinions using an adaptive communication device. I no longer have to guess what she wants and she can assert her wishes and personality more. (Photo of hand on communication device)
• __ loves her physical therapy sessions. Our therapist makes it really fun and she is hardly aware that she’s building leg strength and core muscles. I’m definitely #seeingstrong! (photo of child with therapist)

The Jaber Family

Ten years ago, the Jaber family turned to Blind Children’s Learning Center in desperation after learning their infant son, Jaber, was blind. “It was tragic. My wife and I cried a lot,” remembers Omar, the father. “We didn’t know if he would ever walk or talk.” Filled with strength from watching their son thrive at BCLC, Omar and Mariam no longer felt fear.  “When our second child, Jasmine, was diagnosed, we had hope,” said Omar. “We knew BCLC would help our daughter the way they have helped Jaber.”