Blind Childrens Center

4120 Marathon Street, Los Angeles, California 90029 (323)664-2153

A family-centered agency serving children with visual impairments

IN THIS REPORT

• 2006/2007 Honorees
• Remarkable Angela

A printable version of this annual report is available 2006/2007 Annual Report.pdf

THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2006 | 2007 Blind Childrens Center

The Blind Childrens Center delivers a unique and comprehensive range of integrated services. Children with vision loss often have health care needs beyond those that are related to their vision.

Complex intervention by a number of professional disciplines is required, especially for children who are multiply disabled. Five specialists and four family service providers, along with the education staff, rendered more extensive services than ever before. Home visits, transportation services, medical appointments, hospital visits, mediations, meetings for individual educational/family service plans, transition meetings, classroom services, visual impairment services, and community field trips round out the field of service to provide the finest in education for the children and their families.

The dedication and enthusiasm of our Board of Directors, volunteers, supporters, and staff continue to lead and inspire us. The information that follows represents the diversity of Blind Childrens Center’s activities and services. A visit to see the children in action will confirm your commitment to these very special children and families. Please come!

education & family services

• 77 students and their families received direct services from Blind Childrens Center professional staff:

41 children were enrolled in the Preschool and July 2006 Summer Programs. All children attended 5 days a week.

4 children were enrolled in the Kindergarten Program. They attended 5 days a week.

15 families were served in the Infant Program, and attended 2 or 3 mornings a week.

53 visits by the family worker, infant teacher and specialists were made to the infant families at home, in the hospital, doctor visits, IFSPs (Individual Family Service Plans), hearings and mediations, and other professional appointments.

17 families, in addition to those enrolled, were served by the family services professionals.

• 13 children graduated and professional assistance was provided for placement.

• 25 children participated in the afternoon program.

• 15 children came early for morning Day Care.

• Classrooms were more inclusive, incorporating multiply impaired children with peers of the same age.

• Concentrated literacy training was part of all activities for the preschool and kindergarten children.

• Infant Program Family Circles, funded by the Atlas Family Foundation, held 10 family clinics for specific training, took 3 field trips, and celebrated with the Family Picnic.

• Parent Groups, led by our social worker, included regular meetings, 3 days each week, where they discussed a wide array of family concerns and issues.

• 94 parents or extended family members were served through parent consultations and group discussions.

• Parent Braille classes were well attended.

• The music specialist provided unique opportunities for the children to work with various instruments and mediums. She composed several songs for each class representing a variety of educational skills such as rhyming and multiplication.

• Weekly staff trainings were provided to enhance knowledge and build skills such as relationship building, early childhood environment, speech & language strategies, orientation & mobility, and play skills.

• 7 parents joined the Blind Childrens Center staff: 3 teaching assistant floaters, 2 facilitators for the Fortaleciendo Nuestras Raices program, and 2 teaching assistants.

community education & services

• 45 additional families from the community at large were served through a two-year program, Fortaleciendo Nuestras Raices (Strengthening Our Roots), funded by The California Endowment. Community partners and participants continue the program with the Blind Childrens Center.

• 8 PowerPoint presentations were developed for outreach and training.

• 380 parents, professionals, and community members (outside the Blind Childrens Center) were served by the Education and Family Services staff through 19 presentations. Some included: Family Resource Day at Jr. Blind of America; How to Navigate the Special Education System; various Regional Centers/Early Start Units; Westside Family Resource & Empowerment Center; and Special Quest.

• 400 educators, professionals, service providers and parents were reached through 8 Information Fairs.

• 20 graduate and undergraduate students from local colleges, universities and high school students, often Blind Childrens Center graduates, visited for observation and training.

• 40 pediatric residents from Childrens Hospital made regular monthly observations.

• 2,484 publications were distributed throughout the world. Orders increased by 94%.

volunteer support

• 6 parent co-op volunteers provided essential assistance with all 7 classrooms.

• Parents donated over $5,000 through a variety of fund raisers. They represented the Center at television stations, radio stations, conferences and workshops.

• Parents brought KLVE radio (Univision) and Ninja Turtles (Universal) to the Center for a picnic. $2,000 was donated through their efforts.

• The Jr. Mentors, Karen, 14 yrs., and Carlos, 14 yrs., both Blind Childrens Center graduates, held 2 panel discussions with parents and staff and worked regularly with the children during their school breaks.

• 2 students from the STEPP Program at Junior Blind of America assisted in July.

• Delta Gammas from USC, UCLA, Pepperdine, Long Beach, Riverside, and San Diego volunteered for special events and children’s activities.

• 65 volunteers from Pepperdine University worked at the facility all day on a Saturday.

• 3 volunteers participated regularly, daily or weekly, with the children, development projects and facility projects.

• More than 300 volunteers were recruited to help at the golf tournament and marathon.

field trips & special activities

• Field trips for all children included: pumpkin patch visit; L.A.Marathon; Adventure City theme park; a trip on the Metro to Olvera Street and Chinatown; the Arboretum; Los Angeles Zoo; KidSpace; Descanso Gardens; Huntington Gardens; Marionette Theater; and the library.

• Special activities for all children included: LAPD Centurions’ picnic; family and staff barbecues provided by Angie Roman and Jim Amormino; and annual holiday parties.

conferences, workshops & outreach

• 55 professional conferences and workshops were attended by education and family services staff.

• Some of those conferences included: CTEVH (California Transcribers & Educators of the Visually Handicapped); The Southern California Network Meeting; Fiesta Educativa; NAPVI (National Association for Parents of Visually Impaired); CAPVI (California Association for Parents of Visually Impaired); Braille Symposium; and Zero to Three Conference.

• Some of those workshops included: Behavior Management (10-week course); Creating Family Through Education, Growth & Change; Vision Impairment Throughout the Lifespan; Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Update; Assistive Technology for Students with Low Vision; Just Tell Me What She Sees; Family, Independence, Friends…the Future is Now; I Can Do It; KASA (Kids as Self Advocates); Social Skills in Blind and Visually Impaired Children; and Parenting a Child with a Disability.

• Dr. Armenta-Schmitt was invited to participate with Dr. Deborah Chen at CSUN as an advisory member on the Early Childhood Special Education Committee.

• Alfredo Kertzman, social worker, was invited to participate as a member of the advisory committee with the UAP/Childrens Hospital program for multicultural service provision.

• Executive Director Midge Horton and administrative staff made 71 presentations to visitors, community clubs, organizations, and businesses.

administration & computer upgrades

• New network data server was installed.

• New Macintosh computer for graphics station was installed.

• 6 new Canon all-in-one printers were installed.

• Kindergarten classroom was connected to Network and VI software installed.

• 2,400 fliers for publications were distributed.

facility

• New carpet installed in upstairs and downstairs offices, parent lounge, and hallways.

• New stove purchased.

• Ansel smoke alarm system installed.

development, public relations, research

• Fund raising was up 26%.

• Agency expenses were under budget at 98%.

• Light the Way Circle increased membership to 120, realizing over $300,000.

• Grant funding increased 32% and accounted for 42% of fund raising. New grant funding secured from QueensCare ($55,000) and American Honda Foundation ($50,000).

• Special events support increased 42% and accounted for 34% of fund raising.

• Annual giving support increased 26% and accounted for 20% of fund raising.

• The 2007 Tom Sullivan Blind Childrens Center Celebrity Golf Classic presented by John Hancock Life Insurance increased net revenues by 143% for a total of $116,200.

• Longest Day of Golf, sponsored by the Gibney Family Foundation, raised $79,000 with 13 golfers, representing 36% increase over the prior year.

• The Roddy Hiatt Golf Tournament raised $39,000 for the children.

• Les Marraines continued their remarkable efforts raising more than $16,000.

• L.A.Marathon Team Blind Children support increased 16%, raising nearly $50,000. Over 150 volunteers were coordinated.

• Board member, Larry Meyer, continued his exceptional effort by running the Great Wall of China Marathon, personally raising more than $17,000 for the children.

• Bequests totaled $264,474 accounting for 16% of direct support. (This is not counted in fund raising total.)

• Special events included the Roddy Hiatt Golf Tournament; opening night of Dial M For Murder at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center; Les Marraines Halloween Luncheon; Longest Day of Golf; L.A.Marathon; The Tom Sullivan Blind Childrens Center Celebrity Golf Classic; and LAPD Centurions football games.

• Montebello Lions brought 25 members and guests to dinner and donated $1,500; North Hollywood Lions donated $6,000; L.A. Host Lions contributed $5,000 through their Lark Ellen Charities; Los Feliz Lions Club donated $500; East LA Lions donated $200; Toluca Lake Lions donated $500; and Northwest Glendale Lions donated $1,000.

• Rotary Club of Los Angeles donated $8,000 and Beverly Hills Rotary donated $2,000.

• Hermosa Beach Kiwanis donated $1,000 and Help Youth Charities donated $2,500.

• All graphics were provided in-house for special events, direct mail pieces, brochures, newsletters, and PowerPoint presentations.

• Media: 10 television airings on 5 different stations; 2 radio interviews on KLVE with 3 weeks of marathon mention; and 2 press articles were publicized.

• The newsletter was sent to 4,000 friends twice during the year.

• Research Project, “Optic Nerve Blood Flow and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Patients with Unilateral Amblyopia,” conducted by Noa Ela-Dalmon, M.D., at Jules Stein Eye Institute, was sponsored.

financial information

Thank you for being a vital part of our success.

A printable version of this annual report is available 2006/2007 Annual Report.pdf

Previous annual report: 2005/2006

Annual Report Archives

How You Can Help