Miami Lighthouse for the Blind

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind From their efforts the Florida Association of Workers for the Blind, which would later be called Miami Lighthouse, was born.
(1)

Through education, training, research and vision enhancement, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides hope, confidence, and independence to people of all ages. ๐Ÿ’™ History of Miami Lighthouse

In the late 1920s blind activist Dolly Gamble enlisted the Miami Lions and Miami Rotary clubs to help the blind attain independence. Today we are Florida's largest and oldest nonprofit se

rving the needs of the blind and visually impaired. Through education, training, research and vision enhancement, Miami Lighthouse is a center for learning that provides hope, confidence, and independence to people of all ages, transforming the lives of over 90,000 blind and visually impaired people annually, from babies to seniors, and their families. Our programsโ€™ impact is statewide, national, and international. The Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program, cited by the American Optometric Association as a national model other states should adopt, provides comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses for underserved schoolchildren throughout Florida using our fleet of five mobile eye care units. Our Lighthouse Learning Centerโ€™s innovative programs, such as our internationally recognized inclusion pre-kindergarten โ€“ from which we are developing a certificate program with a sister institution in Israel, new kindergarten, first grade and mothersโ€™ play days for their blind toddlers, make a difference in the lives of children and their families. To read more about our history visit us at https://www.miamilighthouse.org/HistoryOfTheLighthouse.asp

09/04/2026

What's inside the Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program mobile eye care unit? Let's find out! ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿšš๐Ÿ‘๏ธ

With a mission to prevent blindness, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind's Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program provides free eye exams and eyeglasses where prescribed, to financially disadvantaged students in Pre-K through 12th grade, across the State of Florida.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!โ„ข ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ‘“

To learn how to bring these services to your child's school, visit โžœ FloridaHeiken.org

09/04/2026

In the Vision Solutions Center at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, you will find all your low vision needs, from the latest in assistive technology to mobility devices. ๐Ÿ•ถ๏ธ๐Ÿ›๏ธโŒš

Our team is here to help you find the eye health products you need, from solar shields and talking watches, to Meta glasses, and more! Check out our inventory online at VisionSolutionsCenter.org, and if you'd like to shop in person, we're open Monday through Friday 8am-4pm, excluding holidays.

๐Ÿฆ… To take advantage of our Labor Day sale, offering 10% off all purchases over $5 until September 13, 2026, use coupon code USA250 when checking out online or in-person.

To add the Labor Day coupon code directly to your online shopping cart, click here โžœ https://visionsolutionscenter.org/discount/USA250

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!โ„ข ๐Ÿ’™ Florida Division of Blind Services

Location: 601 SW 8th Avenue, Miami, FL 33130

09/03/2026

Health Foundation of South Florida is proud to support Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impairedโ€™s Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program in closing vision care gaps for underserved schoolchildren!

The Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program's mobile eye care units provide free, comprehensive eye exams and, when needed, prescription eyeglasses to low-income children across Florida.

We've awarded Miami Lighthouse for the Blind a $300,000 grant over two years to fund mobile optometric clinics that bring free, comprehensive eye exams, including dilation and prescription eyeglasses, directly to 1,851 low-income schoolchildren at 24 Title I schools across Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

This investment reflects our commitment to advancing health equity by removing the cost, language, and transportation barriers that keep vulnerable children from receiving basic eye care. Thank you to our partners at Miami Lighthouse for bringing care directly to the classroom!

Read the full announcement:https://hfsf.org/health-foundation-of-south-florida-awards-300000-to-bring-vision-care-to-low-income-schoolchildren-in-miami-dade-and-broward/

To learn more about the Heiken Children's Vision Program and to apply for services for your child, visit FloridaHeiken.org.

The Health Foundation of South Florida supports the Florida Heiken Childrenโ€™s Vision Program, closing vision care gaps f...
09/03/2026

The Health Foundation of South Florida supports the Florida Heiken Childrenโ€™s Vision Program, closing vision care gaps for underserved schoolchildren! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘“

Our Florida Heiken Childrenโ€™s Vision Program mobile eye care units provide free comprehensive eye exams, and eyeglasses when needed, to financially disadvantaged children in need across the state of Florida. ๐Ÿšš

The Health Foundation of South Florida has generously awarded Florida Heiken $300,000 to cover 1,851 comprehensive eye examinations, including dilation and glasses when prescribed, in 24 schools across Miami-Dade and Broward County over a two year period, thank you! ๐Ÿ’™

To learn more about the Florida Heiken Childrenโ€™s Vision Program, and to apply for Florida Heiken services for your child, visit FloridaHeiken.org.

A field trip to remember, for Miami Lighthouse for the Blind's Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) program part...
09/01/2026

A field trip to remember, for Miami Lighthouse for the Blind's Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) program participants! ๐Ÿš ๐Ÿ’™

During halftime at a Miami Heat basketball game, the Miami Lighthouse President & CEO Virginia Jacko was presented with a check from the NBA Foundation + Miami Heat, with funds to support career readiness training for the 14-22 year-old participants in our Pre-ETS program, which makes college more accessible for high school-aged students with visual impairment and blindness. ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ€

This funding made an unforgettable 4-day field trip to Tallahassee possible for our teen program participants, which included a tour of the Florida State Capitol to witness a legislative committee meeting in action, as well a college tours at Florida State University, Tallahassee State College, and Florida A&M University, learning about student life and the resources and opportunities that are available for students with visual impairment.

This field trip provided these young adults a glimpse of what their own futures in higher education could be, and opened their minds to how accessible the world is for them, despite their visual impairment. Students practiced communication, teamwork, budgeting, problem-solving, and self-advocacy, all while navigating a new environment, representing Miami Lighthouse with professionalism and enthusiasm. ๐Ÿ‘

We thank the NBA Foundation and the Miami Heat for providing the funds to make this field trip possible, and our Miami Lighthouse team for continuing to lead our students with visual impairment to success!

We thank Rui Carneiro, Owner and CEO of Miami Chauffeurs, who provided the excellent service of driving our students and chaperones to Tallahassee and staying with them as they explored.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!โ„ข ๐Ÿ’™

๐Ÿ“ฐ Learn more about the NBA's support of Miami Lighthouse here! โžœ https://www.nba.com/news/miami-lighthouse-nba-foundation

This week, we celebrated National Dog Day! ๐Ÿฆฎ๐ŸพFor those who are blind, a guide dog is a life companion that makes mobilit...
08/28/2026

This week, we celebrated National Dog Day! ๐Ÿฆฎ๐Ÿพ

For those who are blind, a guide dog is a life companion that makes mobility possible. There's one dog in particular who means the world to us at Miami Lighthouse: Sama! Sama is our President & CEO Virginia Jacko's guide dog.

Over the past 25 years, Virginia has received 5 expertly trained guide dogs from Guiding Eyes for the Blind. We extend our gratitude to Guiding Eyes for the Blind and puppy raiser Jane Santy for their continued support in providing excellent guide dogs!

Guiding Eyes uses selective breeding for their guide dogs, providing them with a minimum of 2 years of training before matching them with a guide dog candidate. Before a candidate for a guide dog is assigned their companion, Guiding Eyes takes into account their gait, lifestyle, and temperament, to ensure an ideal match.

Before being accepted into an accredited guide dog program, the candidate who is visually impaired must have completed Orientation and Mobility training, a service we offer here at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. To learn more, visit- https://www.miamilighthouse.org/Adult_Services_Classes.asp

These are some of our favorite photos of Virginia with Sama, networking and creating community! Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿฆฏ Guiding Eyes for the Blind - Puppy Program

08/28/2026

What's inside the Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program mobile eye care unit? Let's find out! ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿšš๐Ÿ‘๏ธ

In this video, Marino Santos, Florida Heiken Optometric Technician and driver gives us a tour, with Angela Vazquez, Florida Heiken Director, standing by!

With a mission to prevent blindness, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind's Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program provides free eye exams and eyeglasses where prescribed, to financially disadvantaged students in Pre-K through 12th grade, across the State of Florida.

Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!โ„ข ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ‘“

To learn about our Florida Heiken sponsors, and how to bring these services to your child's school, visit FloridaHeiken.org

Don't forget to sign up! The USABA Level One Blind Soccer Virtual Coaching Clinic is TOMORROW! โšฝ ๐Ÿ“…U.S. Association of Bl...
08/26/2026

Don't forget to sign up! The USABA Level One Blind Soccer Virtual Coaching Clinic is TOMORROW! โšฝ ๐Ÿ“…

U.S. Association of Blind Athletes - USABA | USA Blind Soccer | Florida International University | BarryU President Mike Allen | Barry University

Now registering: The USABA Level One Blind Soccer Virtual Coaching Clinic โšฝ ๐Ÿ“… Join us online Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026 at 7pm, live on Zoom, free to attend!

Attention! ๐Ÿ“ฃ Coaches, physical education teachers, recreation staff and volunteers can learn the fundamentals of blind soccer 5-a-side football in a free online clinic taught by USA Blind Soccer National Team Head Coach Jorge Polanco and former National Team Coach Ryan Lazaroe, hosted alongside Miami Lighthouse for the Blind!

In this clinic, participants focus on the fundamentals of blind soccer and how the game differs from able-bodied soccer. It focuses on best practices in coaching and working with individuals who are blind or low vision, as well as a broad overview of classification.

โšฝ Who This Is For:
- Youth, high school, and club soccer coaches
- Adapted physical education teachers and PE staff
- Teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) and orientation and mobility specialists
- Parks and recreation program staff
- Volunteers and parents starting a program in their community
- Anyone considering a blind soccer session at their school, club or center!

To register for this virtual clinic, visit โ†’ https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/KeoEBN7/CoachingClinic2026

The Lions Clubs International District 35-N Governor's Annual Meeting, led by District Governor Gaston E. Correa and Dis...
08/24/2026

The Lions Clubs International District 35-N Governor's Annual Meeting, led by District Governor Gaston E. Correa and District Secretary Luis Olarte, focused on the mission to "Lead with unity, serve with passion".

It gathered Lions from Port St. Lucie all the way to the Caribbean, and brought them together at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind in the Wildflower Gallery, both in-person and online.

This impactful meeting was coordinated by Lion Gustavo Gundler, and Lion Virginia Jacko, President & CEO of Miami Lighthouse, inspired attendees as a special guest speaker.

Lions Clubs International was founded in 1917.

In 1930, they helped found Miami Lighthouse, calling it โ€œFlorida Workers for the Blindโ€ at the time.

Today, Lions continue to support our mission; Lions Clubs provide vision screenings in collaboration with our Florida Heiken Childrenโ€™s Vision Program, and the Miami Cuban Lions are implementing a new initiative called โ€œLions Questโ€ with our teen students, giving them the tools needed to be emotionally strong in response to bullying, especially cyber bulling. ๐Ÿ’™

We are grateful to be in community with Lions Clubs International! Together, we prove itโ€™s possible to see without sight!โ„ข ๐Ÿค

Lions Clubs International Foundation
Miami Cuban Lions Club
Miami Five Stars Lions Club
Lions Club of Hialeah Pan American Inc.

๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘
08/24/2026

๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘

Address

601 SW 8th Avenue
Miami, FL
33130

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+13058562288

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Miami Lighthouse for the Blind posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Miami Lighthouse for the Blind:

Shortcuts

Share