“Embrace your vision loss because you can learn to live with anything … you have to try.” – Marco Blake Like so many others, Marco Blake started driving when he was 16. He would go on to drive several vehicles, from family cars, to a police cruiser, and even a school bus. But one day,…
Q and A with Alphapointe Occupational Therapist, Shannon Fugate There comes a moment for adults dealing with vision loss when glasses, medication, or surgery no longer work. In that moment – when it feels like there is no place left to turn – the Alphapointe team can step in and help someone continue living independently…
“Some people think that we just sit around at home and do nothing …”-Tom Jones Speaking from personal experience, one of the more difficult challenges for someone with any level of vision loss is finding a job. The first and probably largest challenge of seeking gainful employment as someone with a visual impairment is simply…
This edition of “Through Our Eyes” was written by Cameron Black, Alphapointe Content and Community Relations Specialist, in honor of Braille Literacy Month and the life-changing power Braille has for those living with vision loss. … Upon entering the bedroom at the end of the hall, you’d quickly notice the princess tent filled to bursting…
“You have to move forward one more rock.” – R.J. Best Missouri in July can hover around 100 degrees in the shade, and 17-year old RJ Best was feeling every bit of that heat as they scaled a climbing wall (the first obstacle in a ropes course at Alphapointe’s Adventure Camp). They tried their hardest…
Miyaa came to us for the same reason so many others do. She wanted to be more independent. But there’s something else driving her, something much more personal and closer to her heart. It’s what her mother would have wanted. In this Q & A with Miyaa, she talks about her journey with vision loss…
I suppose it wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say that blindness itself has come a long way. Someone who was completely blind in the 19th or 20th century would be just as blind in 2025. What has come a long way is the quality of life and level of independence available to blind people today….
No matter what a nonprofit’s mission may be, there’s always far more happening behind the curtain than most people ever see. And while having the right staff in place is essential, the men and women who freely give their time and energy – volunteers – are truly indispensable. They take on roles and responsibilities that…
“If you want any kind of independence, you must be motivated.” Sara Fitzwater The ice cream that Sara Fitzwater wasn’t altogether sure she wanted was beginning to melt. It wasn’t that Sara didn’t like ice cream, or that she didn’t appreciate the kind gesture that Alphapointe’s Career Placement Specialist, Martin Callen, had provided; rather, she…
I have been blind for 37 years … since birth as it happens. In that time, like so many others, I have learned a variety of different skills and techniques for living as a fully functioning and highly independent adult. I have a full-time job, I cook, clean, take care of my two small kids,…