Lighthouse Central Florida is helping people of all ages with vision loss through various programs and a fundraising campaign.Organizers say their mission is about charting a course for living, learning, and earning, whether you're blind or visually impaired.Three-year-old Christie McGinn of Lake Mary was born with a rare eye disease that reduces her vision. Her mother, Katie McGinn, explained, "Her best vision is outside or well-lit rooms. She has sometimes had a harder time seeing something up close. She'll run into it but might be able to see shadows or something at a distance."But her mother Katie says Christie has been helped through Lighthouse Central Florida.It's a non-profit serving people of all ages in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties who are blind or visually impaired."They have been there as a support, they've given us so many resources. They've taught us really the things that she can do, not to think about things she can't because really there's not many things she can't do," Katie McGinn said.Kyle Johnson is president and CEO of Lighthouse Central Florida."What Lighthouse does for all the people of every age we serve is teach them to live beyond the restrictions of blindness and visual impairment," said Johnson. "Whether it's walking and teaching her the surfaces, allowing her to touch everything so she feels more confident," Katie McGinn said. Lighthouse has a giving campaign going right now to create funds to help others.The organization hopes to raise $40,000 or more by the end of this year for families who need help."We have an anonymous donor who decided, I'm going to match the first $20,000 so it doubles the impact of anyone who gives," Kyle Johnson said. "Lighthouse has changed our perception of what people with visual impairment can actually do and I think a lot of people don't realize that," Katie McGinn added. If you want more information on Lighthouse Central Florida or how to donate, go to lighthousecfl.org.
Lighthouse Central Florida is helping people of all ages with vision loss through various programs and a fundraising campaign.
Organizers say their mission is about charting a course for living, learning, and earning, whether you're blind or visually impaired.
Three-year-old Christie McGinn of Lake Mary was born with a rare eye disease that reduces her vision.
Her mother, Katie McGinn, explained, "Her best vision is outside or well-lit rooms. She has sometimes had a harder time seeing something up close. She'll run into it but might be able to see shadows or something at a distance."
But her mother Katie says Christie has been helped through Lighthouse Central Florida.
It's a non-profit serving people of all ages in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties who are blind or visually impaired.
"They have been there as a support, they've given us so many resources. They've taught us really the things that she can do, not to think about things she can't because really there's not many things she can't do," Katie McGinn said.
Kyle Johnson is president and CEO of Lighthouse Central Florida.
"What Lighthouse does for all the people of every age we serve is teach them to live beyond the restrictions of blindness and visual impairment," said Johnson.
"Whether it's walking and teaching her the surfaces, allowing her to touch everything so she feels more confident," Katie McGinn said.
Lighthouse has a giving campaign going right now to create funds to help others.
The organization hopes to raise $40,000 or more by the end of this year for families who need help.
"We have an anonymous donor who decided, I'm going to match the first $20,000 so it doubles the impact of anyone who gives," Kyle Johnson said.
"Lighthouse has changed our perception of what people with visual impairment can actually do and I think a lot of people don't realize that," Katie McGinn added.
If you want more information on Lighthouse Central Florida or how to donate, go to lighthousecfl.org.