Newsroom

On December 17th, 2020 at 5:30pm PST, the Blind Children’s Center hosted Home for the Holidays, a Virtual Celebration with the BCC Family! This fun and heartwarming event included messages from our families and supporters, including the LAPD Rampart and R&I Divisions, LAPD Chief Michel Moore, Los Angeles Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff, and the UCSB Delta Gamma chapter. Attendees also enjoyed performances by entertainer and blindness advocate Tom Sullivan and actor Blake Stadnik of This is Us fame, and holiday activities like voting on our ugly sweater contest and viewing our students’ questions for Santa. The full program can be viewed on our event website.

This event was part of our Focused on Family campaign, which centered on the variety of challenges our Blind Children’s Center families have faced over the past few months and our staff’s adaptations to serve those needs. We spotlighted three of our incredible Blind Children’s Center families: the Forbeses, the Robinsons, and the Mubyanas & Rahas. 

Thanks to the generosity of our board members and key donors, all donations from the campaign were matched and the Center raised over $95,000! Thank you everyone for helping us continue to provide critical early intervention and family services to children who are visually impaired and their families throughout Los Angeles County.

          

       

On November 17th, 2020 at 5:30pm PST, the Blind Children’s Center held An Evening With Tom Sullivan, a virtual event introducing donors to the Tom Sullivan Legacy society. The event included a live musical performance by Tom, conversations with BCC students and staff, and a Q&A on the advantages of planned giving. The event recording can be accessed on the Blind Children’s Center’s YouTube channel.

The Tom Sullivan Legacy Society recognizes and honors those who have made, or intend to make, an estate-related gift to the Blind Children’s Center. When you include us in your estate plan, you leave a legacy of care, support and light to children with visual impairments and their families. Benefits of Legacy Society membership include optional recognition on our donor wall and in printed materials, and invitations to special gatherings and events. By joining our Legacy Society today and sharing your gift intentions with us, you ensure that your gift is directed according to your wishes in the future.

To learn more, join, or be connected to an expert, please contact Scott Kassel, Director of Development, at 323.664.2153 or scott@blindchildrenscenter.org.

The information provided here is not intended as tax, legal or financial advice, nor can we provide such advice to you. You should discuss any charitable gift with your professional financial advisor.

Dear friends of the Blind Children’s Center,

In this time of great uncertainty, there is one thing of which I am sure ̶ we all need human connection and support more than ever. This is especially true for the vulnerable and isolated among us, whether isolated by poverty, disability, or age. Providing connection is often the most important role of nonprofit organizations, including the Blind Children’s Center. That is why the BCC team is leaning into our family-focused approach and developing individualized support plans for every family we serve. During this time of necessary social distancing, our teachers, specialists, and social workers are using technology to maintain vital human connection and provide key support services.

In order to continue our mission and connection to our students and their families, BCC cannot afford to put a pause on our fundraising efforts. Our staff members continue to deliver services to families and the truth is, all nonprofits will need the support of individuals like you and me more than ever over the coming months. With charity events being cancelled all over the country, we are rapidly adapting to the “new normal.” Our own May 5^th gala will now be held online rather than in person.

Yet the need for connection and the needs of our students continue unabated. To those who have been personally impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, either as a patient, a family member, or employee, my heart is with you. If you are comfortably retired or one of the lucky professionals continuing to collect a paycheck, this is a wonderful opportunity to pay it forward. Our connection has never been more important than it is today and the need has never been greater. Give what you can, not only to the Blind Children’s Center, but to all the charities you love.

Wishing you and your loved ones safety and good health.

With gratitude,

 

 

 

Sarah E. Orth

CEO