Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (BPEI), a Miami Lighthouse CVI Collaborative Center partner, is the nation's number 1 hospital in ophthalmology. Miami Lighthouse has a rich history with BPEI; in the late 1940's, Dr. Bascom Palmer served as Board President of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, and Miami Lighthouse provided the land and funds to establish the world-renowned Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. 👁️ For nearly 100 years, Miami Lighthouse has served people of all ages with visual disabilities, relying on referrals from University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer physicians. 🤝 Throughout the year, as part of the residents’ rotation, we invite a new BPEI resident to spend a day of their rotation on site here at Miami Lighthouse. Recently, we welcomed Hannah Cropp, MD, BPEI ophthalmology resident from Seattle, Yale University graduate, and current University of Miami medical student, to our campus. 👏 A highlight from Dr. Cropp's visit, we invited her to experience our unique inclusive Early Learning classroom, which consists of a mix of children with and without visual impairment: 60% are children with visual impairment and 40% are children without. Our inclusive Early Learning classrooms include both VPK students and our Academy inclusion program's 3-4 year-old participants. Pictured, is Dr. Cropp during her campus tour, on our patio with Miami Lighthouse President & CEO Virginia Jacko and Chief Program Officer Carol Brady-Simmons, and interacting in the classroom with an adorable early learner. 🍎 To learn more about our Academy and inclusion program, visit https://lnkd.in/eP87CVKH 👓 To learn more about our CVI Collaborative Center, visit https://lnkd.in/eR6yi7JJ Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight™! 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #MiamiLighthouseAcademy #InclusiveClassrooms #BPEI #CommunityLeaders

Our Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program mobile eye care units provide free comprehensive eye exams and eyeglasses to financially disadvantaged children in need across the state of Florida. On a recent visit to Barton Elementary School, our Heiken team provided 35 students with free comprehensive eye exams, and of those whose eyes were tested, 28 will receive free prescription glasses from Heiken. 👏🚚 Special guest Florida Representative Debra Tendrich stopped by to cheer on our Heiken team, optometrist Dr. Tanzila Rahman, optometric technician Carmen Arguijo, and Christian Fernandez, during their Barton Elementary visit. Thank you, Representative Tendrich for supporting Florida Heiken! Supporting our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program contributes to children's success, helping them gain the confidence of knowing that they can see well and participate in school and life like the rest of their classmates, despite their vision impairment. 💙 The School District of Palm Beach County In 2025, our statewide Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program provided- 👁️ 𝟭𝟲,𝟱𝟬𝟬 Comprehensive eye exams 👓 𝟭𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬+ prescription eyeglasses 📝 𝟭,𝟮𝟬𝟬 referrals to doctors for more serious eye conditions All 𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵! Of the approximately 30,700 children requesting or referred to our Heiken program, we only had the funding to reach 16,500 of them, resulting in 14,000 children not receiving this important vision care. The anticipated funding from the State of Florida that we had last year to support our Heiken program is uncertain for the coming year. In just 6 months, from July 2025 through March 2026 in Florida, our Heiken program completed 14,918 eye exams, made 999 medical referrals, and dispensed 9,907 glasses, to children statewide, in addition to receiving over 32,600 referrals to our program. We encourage Florida residents to reach out to their county's elected officials to urge them to support the Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program's continued funding! 📢 Learn more about our Heiken program ➜ FloridaHeiken.org #MiamiLighthouse #FloridaHeiken #SupportKids #EyeHealth #CommunityLeaders

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind thanks the Ocean Reef Community Foundation for their support of our Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program! 🏆👏 On May 7, 2026, Angela Vazquez, the Director of Florida Heiken, attended the Ocean Reef Community Foundation 2026 Grants Presentation to receive a $10,000 award from the Ocean Reef Community Foundation for Miami Lighthouse's Florida Heiken Program. This award will support eye exams with dilation plus prescription eyeglasses and medical referrals, as needed, for 700 at-risk children, ages 3 to 19 (pre-K to 12) in Homestead, during the 2026-2027 school year. Ocean Reef Community Foundation have been integral partners since 2018. Thank you! 💙 Learn more about our Heiken program here ➜ www.FloridaHeiken.org #MiamiLighthouse #FloridaHeiken #SupportKids #EyeHealth #CommunityLeaders

On our next Future Call, we’ll explore how Miami Lighthouse Academy, a division of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc., supports blind and visually impaired children. Mara Gonzalez, MBA, EdD(c), Academy Director and Michael Berger, Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) at Miami Lighthouse Academy will share how their education, training, research and vision enhancement programs provide hope, confidence, and independence to people of all ages; including environments that meet the need for all early learners. The conversation will highlight how their evidence-based curriculum and program structure cultivate a sense of belonging for all children and families and how communities can thoughtfully support all learners. 🌐: bit.ly/tcm-futurecall #EarlyLearning #EarlyChildhood #TheChildrensMovement

🥂🌟At Miami Lighthouse for the Blind's annual Music Under the Stars event, our community comes together to raise awareness and support our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program. Florida Heiken provided 16,500 comprehensive eye exams and over 11,000 prescription eyeglasses to underserved Florida children in need, just last year, referred to our program after failing their school vision exam. Through our four mobile eyecare clinics and our Heiken network of optometrists, this Program truly provides the "Gift of Vision". 👓 (FloridaHeiken.org) A highlight of the event: incredible live musical performances by Alfonso Villalobos, award-winning singer-songwriter, internationally acclaimed jazz guitarist Leo Quintero, renowned jazz artist Jeff Zavac, Cuban-born vocalist Odelkis Savignon, emerging Miami talent Daliany Camacho Asprilla, and a performer we are especially proud of, Silvio Plata, a Miami Lighthouse programs alumnus. 🎶 Silvio started at Miami Lighthouse as a baby and grew up here in our programs, learning to play piano and read music in our classrooms. We are proud to share that Silvio now goes on to pursue his law degree at University of Miami on a full scholarship, and he will be a voice instructor in our Youth Music Program this summer! We thank our partners, the Miami Dade Optometric Physicians Association, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools for their support. Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!™ 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #ThankYou | The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County | Ximena Nunez | Virginia Jacko | George Foyo | François Sainfort, PhD, FACHE | Angela Vazquez | Victor Lopez | Victor Castillo | Oman Pedreira | Lions Clubs International | BIZITSS | El Carajo #CommunityLeaders #MiamiLeaders #MusicUndertheStars #SupportingtheBlind

🥂🌟 Last night Miami Lighthouse for the Blind celebrated our annual Music Under the Stars event, where our community comes together to raise awareness and support our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program. Florida Heiken provided 16,500 comprehensive eye exams and over 11,000 prescription eyeglasses to underserved Florida children in need, just last year, referred to our program after failing their school vision exam. Through our four mobile eyecare clinics and our Heiken network of optometrists, this Program truly provides the "Gift of Vision". 👓 A highlight of last night's event: incredible live musical performances by Alfonso Villalobos, award-winning singer-songwriter, internationally acclaimed jazz guitarist Leo Quintero, renowned jazz artist Jeff Zavac, Cuban-born vocalist Odelkis Savignon, emerging Miami talent Daliany Camacho Asprilla, and a performer we are especially proud of, Silvio Plata, a Miami Lighthouse programs alumnus. 🎶 Silvio Plata first became a Miami Lighthouse client at just two months old and as he grew, our programs provided the support he needed, from early intervention, through our children’s programs and into in our teen programs. It was at Miami Lighthouse that Silvio learned to play the piano by our instructor Julio Fumero, and as he grew in our programs, he continued to receive one-on-one musical training with our instructors, and even had a special lesson with Miami Lighthouse guest Andrea Bocelli. 👏 Silvio's journey is a testament to how Miami Lighthouse for the Blind is a lifelong support system for individuals with visual impairment; we are proud to share that Silvio now goes on to pursue his law degree at University of Miami on a full scholarship, and he will be a voice instructor in our Youth Music Program this summer! We thank our partners, the Miami Dade Optometric Physicians Association, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools for their support. Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!™ 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #CommunityLeaders #MiamiLeaders #MusicUndertheStars #SupportingtheBlind #ThankYou | The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County | Virginia Jacko | George Foyo | François Sainfort, PhD, FACHE | Angela Vazquez | Victor Lopez | Victor Castillo | Oman Pedreira

Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer was mentioned by the co-chair of the FIFA World Cup Miami host committee, Rodney Barreto, in a recent interview by The New York Times and The Athletic! Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer is a community effort, supported by the Children’s Trust, community leaders, and most recently the FIFA World Cup Miami host committee, a new partnership that we celebrated last month at the One Game, One Future Blind Soccer Clinic, a grant activation that took place at Miami Lighthouse on our on-campus blind soccer mini-pitch. 🕶️⚽ Here's an excerpt from the article- “If you were there, you would have tears in your eyes to see the kids,” Barreto said, having attended the session. “The technology is (very clever), the way the ball makes a noise so they can hear the ball. Then, if it goes out of bounds, it makes a different noise. That’s going to be a legacy so that they can pursue an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy playing soccer.” 🗞️ To read the full article, visit - https://lnkd.in/e2P_e_Ew We thank The FIFA Foundation, The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County, U.S. Association of Blind Athletes - USABA, the FIFA World Cup 26™ Los Angeles Miami host committee, Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, as well as Miami-Dade County Public Schools and The Florida Department of Education for supporting our blind soccer program. 🙏 Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!™ 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #BlindSoccer To contribute to Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer, visit ➜ https://lnkd.in/eYN23atd #MiamiLeaders #Inclusivity Scott Richey | James Haj | Jennifer Roche | Virginia Jacko | Thomas Anthony Abraham #CommunityLeaders

We're in the News! 🎥 We thank CBS Mornings for shining a light on our Braille music literacy program. This segment features interviews with Miami Lighthouse programs alumnus Silvio Plata and the creator of our Braille Music Certification curriculum, Jin Choi. 🎼 Silvio first became a Miami Lighthouse client at just two months old. As he grew, our programs provided the support he needed, from early intervention through our children’s programs, and then later in our teen programs when he received one-on-one training with our Braille music and performance instructors, as well as very special guest, Andrea Bocelli! 🤩 Silvio's journey is a testament to how Miami Lighthouse can be a lifelong support system to help individuals with visual impairment to thrive; Silvio now goes on to pursue his law degree on a full scholarship at the University of Miami. The Miami Lighthouse Braille Music Certification Program is one-of-a-kind, designed for blind and visually impaired students with advanced braille literacy skills who aspire to a career in music. This exclusive program is application-only. 🖥️🎵 Learn more, here ➜ https://lnkd.in/eJHVpNyQ To contact the instructor, Jin Ho Choi, call (786) 362-7458 or e-mail jchoi@miamilighthouse.org. Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #BrailleMusic #BrailleLiteracy #Inclusion

It's Teacher Appreciation Week and we are full of gratitude for our team of Florida Certified classroom teachers 🥰. This reel shows candid moments at Miami Lighthouse Academy, featuring Academy teachers smiling for the camera, colorful spring classroom decorations, our early elementary students at lunch, and Academy Kindergarteners coming in from recess and in class. 📸 Teachers featured: Natali Timothee, Kisses Cabuquit, Mary Camacho, TVI Michael Berger, and Diego Muñoz. 🙏 Thank you teachers, for being a guiding light in the lives of our students at Miami Lighthouse Academy! 💛✨ Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!™ 💙 #MiamiLighthouseAcademy #TeacherAppreciation #ThankYou Miami Lighthouse Academy offers- 🍎 APPLE accredited free VPK for children who are sighted 👓 inclusive preschool for students with visual impairments ✏️ Kindergarten and 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Grade for students who are visually impaired 🏆 Our Academy is a fully accredited Gold Seal Quality Care Program provider, in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Transportation and therapies provided! Learn more, register your child, or book an Academy tour here ➜ https://lnkd.in/eyBgnC45 Our Academy is made possible with support from: The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County, Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, The Florida Department of Education🙏 #InclusiveClassrooms #VisualImpairment #MiamiLeaders

Next week, we celebrate together at 🌟Music Under the Stars: Bon Appétit Miami🌟, an annual event benefitting our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program, which provides free eye exams and prescription glasses to Florida students in need. 👓🤲 🥂 At Music Under the Stars, we gather at Miami Lighthouse to enjoy:  • Performances by Miami Lighthouse's award-winning musicians  • A Miami Lighthouse Youth Music student performance  • Expert Emceeing by Barry Johnson, former President of The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce  • Presentations honoring Miami-Dade County School Board Chair, Mari Tere Rojas  • Moments of recognition for the Miami-Dade Optometric Physicians Association  • Special guest performances by Leo Quintero, Grammy award-winning jazz guitarist, and Jeff Zavac, saxophone extraordinaire.  • Culinary treats by the best in Miami! All to help support our Heiken Program, on its 34th anniversary! 🌟🥂 Don't miss out! Get your tickets here - https://lnkd.in/egS4CRWh When: Wednesday, May 13th 6pm-9pm Where: Miami Lighthouse for the Blind (601 SW 8th Ave.) Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight! 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #MusicUndertheStars Daliany Camacho Asprilla | The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County #MiamiLeaders #FloridaHeiken #FightingBlindness