Established in 1954, Society for the Blind is the only comprehensive rehabilitation center for people who are blind or low vision for the geographic area of Northern California covering 27 counties, with nine primary counties of Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba, El Dorado, Placer, Amador, Butte and San Joaquin counties. Our goal is to fully integrate individuals who are blind or have low vision into all aspects of the community, with an emphasis on careers, education, and independent living. We achieve that goal through a variety of programs.
Core Blindness Skills Programs are a comprehensive array of rehabilitation instruction covering four primary areas and available to all ages: Orientation and Mobility, Independent Living Skills, Adaptive Technology, and Braille Literacy. Programming is offered through three formats: two-hour classes offered Monday-Friday at our facility, In-home training, and on- and off-site retreats. We offer programming tailored to meet the needs of persons who are blind or low vision at different life stages. Specialized programs and services are offered for youth, adults and seniors.
Society operates a Low Vision Clinic, staffed by Optometrists with special training in low vision eye care. Patients are those with Cataracts, Glaucoma, Age-related Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, and other degenerative eye diseases. Appointments typically run 1.5 to 2 hours for diagnosis and review of optical solutions for those with some functional vision. Since 2012, The UC Davis Eye Center has partnered with Society to provide pre/post-surgical services to patients undergoing an Implantable Macular Telescope.
Special programs and services enhance our core programs and include: An on-site retail store offering products geared to the needs of the blind or visually impaired, community outreach, and education, support groups and Access News. The Access News Telephone Reader Program is available nationwide and provides news, cultural, retail, and special interest stories 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Society for the Blind is one of only 14 agencies across the country who provide a Telephone Reader Program. Our pool of more than 50 volunteer readers delivers this vital service that keeps them connected, involved and informed.
It is our mission to empower individuals living with low vision or blindness to discover, develop, and achieve their full potential.
Senior IMPACT Project: increase access to services for blind and low vision seniors in our community, especially those in more rural areas.
Our Senior IMPACT Project serves the needs of seniors with vision loss and connects them to each other and their community. Three leading causes of vision loss typically occur in people over age 55.
CareersPLUS Adults: help provide employment training through career exploration activities and a mentor program for teens, young adults, and working-age adults who are blind or have low vision.
The unemployment rate for people who are blind or have low vision hovers around 70 percent. The desired outcome of the CareersPLUS program is to improve the confidence and competitiveness of individuals with vision loss who are seeking employment.
CareersPLUS Youth After-School Academy: This program offers one-to-one tutoring in academic skills and training in assistive technologies and Braille for children in elementary through high school with vision loss.
The Low Vision Clinic: Provide low vision evaluations and occupational therapy in-homes and in rural communities via our Low Vision Mobile Clinic.
General Operating Support: To ensure agency is run effectively and efficiently, accessibility for all our positions.
More than 5,000 youth, working-age adults, and seniors with vision loss across 27 counties in Northern CA are served by Society for the Blind each year.
Organization name
Society for the Blind
Tax id (EIN)
94-1384666
Mission Category
Human Services
Operating Budget
$1,000,001-$5 million
Organization Need
Funding: Program, Funding: Unrestricted
Demographics Served
Seniors, General population
Local Counties Served
El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo
Address
1238 S StreetPlacer, CA, US
Yolo, CA, US
Sacramento, CA, US
El Dorado, CA, US