Dear Dedicated Supporters, Partners, and Friends,
President and CEO Cindy Watson
Like millions of other organizations, 2020 was not the year any of us envisioned. Our fiscal year started strong in October 2019 with the anticipated increase in demand for our products and services, which enabled us to further our mission to grow employment opportunities for people who are blind, DeafBlind, and blind with other disabilities. We also had plans in place to implement new initiatives to expand services to the community. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, posing incredible challenges to the Lighthouse and obstacles to our objectives.
At the end of March, we had to place over fifty percent of our employees on standby status. We continued to operate, as the products and services through our manufacturing work and Base Supply Centers are considered essential to the Federal Government. Operations were negatively impacted due to supply chain disruptions. Many Employee and Community Services activities were suspended or cut back, while others, such as orientation and mobility, increased.
Despite all the difficulties and negative impacts caused by COVID-19, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. persevered and remained robust, focused, and ever more dedicated to its mission. I am incredibly proud of the staff and grateful to our Board of Trustees. Because of our resilient, creative, and dedicated employees, we were able to adjust and make adaptations that not only allowed us to endure during the pandemic, but will ultimately make us a stronger, safer, and better organization moving forward.
I am extremely proud to report the launch of the Low Vision Clinic despite the challenges due to the pandemic. When it became clear that in-person visits would not be safe or practical, the clinic team considered the best way to leverage technology, and how to get low vision devices out to people’s homes, allowing us to provide many services through a telehealth approach. The Independent Living Program team used phone calls and video chat to aid older adults with visual impairments. They also provided orientation and mobility training in outdoor environments where physical distancing could be practiced.
Another adjustment we made, and one that will continue, is redesigned curricula so computer training and braille instruction can be delivered virtually. This allows us to serve employees at any of our 17 locations with consistent, high-quality training.
In June, we celebrated the one millionth wallboard to come off the production line at the Spokane facility!
This was a tremendous milestone, highlighting the amazing work of our employees who are blind in the Spokane area over the past twelve years, demonstrating our strong partnerships with suppliers and customers.
We also began shipping the quad-fold standard vehicle medical kit, which will provide additional employment opportunities for several years to come while supplying the military with reliable emergency equipment.
As you review this annual report, it is clear that COVID-19 hindered some of our plans and that several initiatives were deferred. However, you will also notice that we achieved many impactful accomplishments.
We have not slowed down, and we continue to seek ways to improve and grow operations and services. We look forward to the start of several initiatives including the release of a new offering through our wallboard line, as well as the expansion of our Base Supply Center footprint over the next few years, beginning in February with a new relationship serving the Coast Guard in Seattle. We are embarking on a comprehensive evaluation of our Employee and Community Services programs to determine what modifications need to be made, and if any new services could be offered, to allow us to have greater impact and successful outcomes by those who use our services. We are also looking for ways to provide even more services to the communities in which we operate.
I am extremely thankful to our incredibly supportive partners and generous donors for their critical contributions. You made it possible for us to continue advancing our mission of growing the number of diverse, sustainable, and meaningful employment opportunities for people who are blind, DeafBlind, and blind with other disabilities during a very difficult period. I am confident that in the upcoming year we will serve more individuals living with visual impairments than we ever have before.
The future is bright for the Lighthouse, and I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.
Sincerely,
Cindy Watson
President and CEO
