“The Health Foundation’s support provided the first-of-its-kind transformative collaboration, bringing together ophthalmologists, pediatric neurologists, data scientists, and educators to combat CVI in a way never done before.”

Virginia Jacko, Ceo, Miami Lighthouse For The Blind

Since 1996, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired has been transforming lives through the support of the Health Foundation of South Florida. With a steadfast commitment to expanding services for individuals with visual impairments, the Health Foundation has invested nearly $3 million in programs that continue to make a lasting impact.

The Health Foundation’s capital campaign investment in 1997 helped fund significant expansions to Miami Lighthouse’s main building, adding a floor dedicated to serving seniors and another provided space for family play days, creating an inclusive environment for families and caregivers. These funds laid the groundwork for the organization’s ability to grow and offer expanded services for individuals with vision loss.

Recognizing the critical need for early intervention, the Health Foundation invested in the Miami Lighthouse Blind Babies Program which serves approximately 120 blind or visually impaired children and their caregivers each year, providing essential early intervention and parent education through home visitations for children from birth to age five.

Additionally, the Health Foundation has supported the Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program, a Miami Lighthouse subsidiary dedicated to providing comprehensive eye care for school children. Since its inception in 1992, over 220,000 students have received dilated eye exams, and approximately 72% of these children received prescription eyeglasses, ensuring they had the vision support needed to succeed in school.

Building upon this legacy of impact, a 2022 seed investment from the Health Foundation launched the CVI Collaborative, a pioneering initiative dedicated to diagnosing and supporting children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI), the leading cause of visual impairment in children. This two-year project, which has attracted $2 million in total funding, has already diagnosed or actively evaluated nearly 100 children. The CVI Collaborative unites top experts from the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Office of Exceptional Learning to develop standardized diagnostic tools and educational practices that support children from birth onward.

 Lorenzo’s Story: The Power of Early Intervention

Lorenzo’s journey is a testament to the impact of these investments. Diagnosed with CVI at just three months old, his future was uncertain. But with early intervention at Miami Lighthouse, Lorenzo transitioned from relying solely on Braille to reading adapted print materials, and at ten years old, he now thrives academically. His mother describes his progress as “miraculous.”

From expanding its physical space to pioneering innovative programs for infants, schoolchildren, and those with complex visual impairments, Miami Lighthouse remains a beacon of hope. The Health Foundation’s support has ensured that thousands of individuals like Lorenzo receive the life-changing services they need to reach their full potential.