8/3/2019 Vision to the visionless a look at the Chicago Lighthouse

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 Vision to the visionless a look at The Chicago Lighthouse

By: Andrew Maddux

Advocate groups support individuals afflicted with stigmas , one of these is the, “Chicago

Lighthouse.” Their approach empowers the blind and deaf community to reach new heights.

Recognizing need, the lighthouse assists severely disabled beyond the 1.3 million legally blind

individuals in the United States.

From a public relations standpoint the question raised is, “how aware is th e general

public of challenges faced by blind or visually impaired individuals ?” A blind individual uses

sounds or blurry masses of shapes that draw everything into an incurable obscurity act as guides.

The lack of vision isn’t the only issue. Blind indivi duals are perceived to be helpless, but all they

want to do is to live normal lives.

According to Executive Janet P. Szlyk of the Chicago Lighthouse, “70% of visually

impaired individuals in this country are unemployed,”(chicagolightouse.com, 2011.) The number

continues to rise as economic troubles plague the US. Finding jobs is top priority along with

education for reentering society and become independent. Nationally focused during its 100

year existence, the organization has helped 100 blind individuals find jobs for the past several

years.

Featured nationally for accomplishments, the lighthouse operates a clock factory

producing over 200,000 clocks a year run by the visually impaired. Providing jobs and quality

clocks has led to media attention by CBS Evening News, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles

Times, Chicago Tribune and many more news organizations.

A plethora of programs shine with the beacon of the lighthouse. The school designed for

the visually impaired and multi-disabled is nationally acclaimed. One can dial in to the radio

station broadcasting to a global audience. Check out the braille and large print reading selection

serving the state of Illinois with 4,000 yearly student beneficiaries. Other programs incorporate;

education programs from birth to wisdom, musical groups, assisted living and a state of the art

store providing the latest technology to assist the blind.

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85 blind service organizations belong to the umbrella organization National Industries

for the Blind (NIB). The NIB develops and facilitates contracts to the agencies producing products

for the federal government. These groups lobby legislatures across the nation to provide

assistance and initiatives for the blind made necessary due to discrimination. Employing a

strategy encompassing partnerships, education and legal counsel hiring practices are monitored

to provide equal opportunity to blind applicants. The Veterans Affairs, a former employer of the

author, is one of those partners collaborating to assist over 5,000 veterans with vision issues.

Poor eyesight is attributed to many including the author of this story. Volunteering came

in the form of learning and contributing time to the organization from the Public Relations

Director Dominic Calabrese. Intrinsically rewarding and eye opening was the scholarship banquet

awarding over $40,000 to 26 visually impaired and multi-disabled students from all around the

country. Receiving 88 submissions from 20 states including Puerto Rico, the donors and

recipients’ embraced.

Public Relations at the Chicago Lighthouse targets the bl ind consisting of the visually

impaired and public. The independence, perseverance and hope exhibit by these individuals, are

narrative components for the story behind the lighthouse.

According to merriam-webster the definition of a lighthouse is as follows, “ a structure

(as a tower) with a powerful light that gives a continuous or intermittent signal to navigators ,”

(merriam-webster, 2011.)The powerful light cast by the Chicago Lighthouse provides navigationto a better future and that is a mission that can be envision by anyone.

Sources:

The Chicago Lighthouse. (2011). About Us: The Chicago Lighthouse. Retrieved November

11, 2011, from http://chicagolighthouse.org/about-us

Lighthouse. (2011). In Merriam-Webster . Retrieved from http://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/lighthouse

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