Since opening our doors over a century ago, we have been committed to building brighter futures for people with vision loss. CABVI provides training and support. We create employment and job opportunities. We strive to help more than 6,000 people annually to lead full and independent lives. Our programs and services change lives for the better.
OUR IMPACT:
Everyone’s journey with vision loss is unique. These stories are just some of the ways CABVI’s services helped our clients make progress towards their goals.
Eóin
Eóin has cortical visual impairment which means that his brain has difficulty recognizing what his eyes see. Given enough time to process what he sees, Eóin is highly motivated by music to use his vision to reach for and grasp bells and shakers, and play the hand drums, as well as the piano. Eóin also has cerebral palsy so music is a good way for him to work on improving his fine and gross motor skills, body awareness, and intentional movements. At 3 months old, Eóin received CABVI’s Early Childhood Intervention and Youth Services (ECYS) to help his parents learn about his eye condition as well as ways to help stimulate use of his remaining vision.
Sophia
Sophia doesn’t let her vision loss from Stargardt Disease stop her from doing all the things that most teenagers do. She has been closely working with CABVI’s Youth Services Vision Specialist, including meeting online during the COVID-19 pandemic, to learn self-advocacy skills to request help when needed. This helped her to create a vision portfolio that she can share with her teachers whenever she starts a new class so they understand the accommodations she needs. As she enters her senior year in high school, Sophia is excited about perhaps studying nursing when she goes to college.
Mary
Mary went to nursing school in her 30’s and retired as an LPN at age 72. Mary has gradually been losing vision due to diabetic retinopathy. She received prescribed low vision aids and orientation and mobility training for safe travel from CABVI. A vision rehabilitation therapist came to her home to help her put tactile markers on her washing machine, oven and microwave and provide training. Mary lost touch with her younger siblings for 50 years after their father’s funeral. She visited Facebook as part of her CABVI Access Technology training to learn to use VoiceOver, a gesture-based screen reader. Mary used an iPad to locate and message her siblings by typing in their names and also their hometown in the search field. Happily, Mary’s sister was able to reunite with her at Thanksgiving in 2019.
Bob
Bob works as a Gadget Assembler in CABVI’s Industries Program. He assembles OXO kitchen gadgets as well as LED lights for the U.S. Navy. Bob graduated with a degree in Electronics and is a veteran of the Navy. He was enlisted and then discharged due to vision loss. Bob went to work for Cincinnati Milacron for 22 years as a Field Service Electronics Technician. Unfortunately, during this time, his vision declined and he was no longer able to drive. In 1993, Bob began working for CABVI and continued until 2000 when he took a job at Fifth Third Bank. With access technology training as well as low vision services and orientation and mobility training from CABVI, Bob was successful in this customer service position for 13 years. He retired then returned to work at CABVI in 2017.
Eóin
Eóin has cortical visual impairment which means that his brain has difficulty recognizing what his eyes see. Given enough time to process what he sees, Eóin is highly motivated by music to use his vision to reach for and grasp bells and shakers, and play the hand drums, as well as the piano. Eóin also has cerebral palsy so music is a good way for him to work on improving his fine and gross motor skills, body awareness, and intentional movements. At 3 months old, Eóin received CABVI’s Early Childhood Intervention and Youth Services (ECYS) to help his parents learn about his eye condition as well as ways to help stimulate use of his remaining vision.
Sophia
Sophia doesn’t let her vision loss from Stargardt Disease stop her from doing all the things that most teenagers do. She has been closely working with CABVI’s Youth Services Vision Specialist, including meeting online during the COVID-19 pandemic, to learn self-advocacy skills to request help when needed. This helped her to create a vision portfolio that she can share with her teachers whenever she starts a new class so they understand the accommodations she needs. As she enters her senior year in high school, Sophia is excited about perhaps studying nursing when she goes to college.
Mary
Mary went to nursing school in her 30’s and retired as an LPN at age 72. Mary has gradually been losing vision due to diabetic retinopathy. She received prescribed low vision aids and orientation and mobility training for safe travel from CABVI. A vision rehabilitation therapist came to her home to help her put tactile markers on her washing machine, oven and microwave and provide training. Mary lost touch with her younger siblings for 50 years after their father’s funeral. She visited Facebook as part of her CABVI Access Technology training to learn to use VoiceOver, a gesture-based screen reader. Mary used an iPad to locate and message her siblings by typing in their names and also their hometown in the search field. Happily, Mary’s sister was able to reunite with her at Thanksgiving in 2019.
Bob
Bob works as a Gadget Assembler in CABVI’s Industries Program. He assembles OXO kitchen gadgets as well as LED lights for the U.S. Navy. Bob graduated with a degree in Electronics and is a veteran of the Navy. He was enlisted and then discharged due to vision loss. Bob went to work for Cincinnati Milacron for 22 years as a Field Service Electronics Technician. Unfortunately, during this time, his vision declined and he was no longer able to drive. In 1993, Bob began working for CABVI and continued until 2000 when he took a job at Fifth Third Bank. With access technology training as well as low vision services and orientation and mobility training from CABVI, Bob was successful in this customer service position for 13 years. He retired then returned to work at CABVI in 2017.
CABVI depends on charitable donations to support our services. Please consider donating during this evening’s event. Every dollar counts – and every dollar goes directly toward helping people in Greater Cincinnati who are blind or visually impaired adapt to vision loss.
Special Thanks To:
CABVI Board of Trustees
Mary L. Rust, Immediate Past Chair
Kim Ravenhall, Vice Chair/Treasurer
Kelly Schlafman, Vice Chair/Secretary
Brenda D. Gumbs, Vice Chair
Glen G. Vogel, Vice Chair
John P. Burns
Roger G. Caldwell
Robin Chadwick
Henry L. Daniels
Angelene Jamison-Hall, Ph.D.
Deborah Kendrick
Patricia D. Laub
Michael Lichstein, Ph.D.
Luke B. Lindsell, M.D.
Mark Meyers, Ph.D.
Anne Pezel
James G. Powell
Timothy G. Powell
Norma Rashid
Benjamin M. Rosensweet
Stephanie A. Smith
Tim Smith
Simón Sotelo
Hale W. Thurston, Ph.D.
John W. Tolos
Trustees Emeriti
Rosemary H. Bloom
Stephen S. Eberly
Susan S. Friedlander
Lynda Thomas
Ralph J. Waldvogel, Jr.
Robert J. Watkins
CABVI Leadership Team
Dennis Dern, Interim President/CEO
Dave Bush, Vice President of Vision Services
Aaron Bley, Vice President of Community Relations/CDO
Jennifer DuBois, Vice President of Administration/CFO
Bill Neyer, Vice President of Enterprise Operations/COO
Dining in the dark committee
Samantha Barlion
Patsy Baughn
Aaron Bley
Patti Bresler
Brad Dundes
Alex Eby
Hanna Firestone
Mischele Hagood
Jessie McMillin
Martina Pineda
Mary Rust
Casey Stranzin
Lisa Williams
Kelley Young