Please join LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters and the blind community this holiday season in helping our needy blind and sighted neighbors as we host our First Annual LightHouse Food and Toy Drive.

Now through December 15 we will be collecting canned and dried food goods for the San Francisco Food Bank, as well as toys for Bay Area blind and low vision children. New toys in original packaging are greatly appreciated. Barrels for both food and toys will be located in the downstairs lobby of LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters. 

Each donor will be registered to win a $25.00 gift certificate through Adaptations, the LightHouse store. Together we can make the holidays shine a little brighter on those in need. For more information, please contact John Liang, Director of Community Services at 415-694-7334 or jliang@lighthouse-sf.org. 

Client Dorothy Barta places toy in Toy Drive barrel

Image of the earth hanging from a string

Join us as the LightHouse hosts its first ever multicultural holiday celebration.

Travel across the globe as our community comes together to recognize and celebrate the plethora of holidays that traditionally take place in December: from Christmas to Hanukah, from Kwanzaa to Virgin of Guadalupe and Las Posadas, from Ashura to Bodhi Day.  

Join us for a fun-filled day of food, music, and cultural festivities. Please RSVP with Molly Irish, Community Services Coordinator at mpearson@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7320 or John Liang, Director of Community Services at jliang@lighthouse-sf.org.

When: Friday, December 14, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters

Vita Zavoli and her guide dog Violet

Vita Zavoli is an expert at accessible technology and has put these skills to good use for more than 28 years. Vita, who is fully blind, studied computer science in college and has had a long career in technology as a help-desk person, in computer sales and as Training Supervisor at Baruch College in New York. More recently she held the position of User Support Specialist for American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) for more than eight years.

Author Jason Roberts talks about his biography of blind explorer James Holman

For a few days in November, the LightHouse hosted the nation's largest gathering of blindness CEOs held anywhere. The CEOs from 62 blindness agencies, from Maine to Washington State, from Florida to California, all members of Vision Serve Alliance, gathered to learn leadership skills, discuss best blindness practices and to network with agency heads facing similar challenges.  

In honor of the Martin Luther King Day of Service 2013, American Red Cross (ARC) Bay Area Chapter and SF LightHouse will launch the 1st Annual Bay Area Blind Blood Drive on January 9th, 2013 in partnership with other Bay Area blind services agencies.

This group is designed specifically for parents, middle school students, high school students, and college students (both undergraduate and post-graduate). The SF Youth Advocacy Group will leverage the positive attitudes, philosophy and beliefs of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) as it relates to the abilities of the blind student, and the supportive role it has with parents. The SF Youth Advocacy Group is a proactive collaboration between the NFB San Francisco Chapter and SF LightHouse in order to offer a wide array of community-building and strengthening opportunities for blind and low vision youth and their families.

It is with great sadness that the LightHouse announces the recent passing of much loved teacher and colleague, David Baioni.

. Be sure to choose the David Baioni Teaching Fund as your designation.   
The LightHouse has established a fund in David's name to support the work he so believed in, training people to be as independent as they want to be. You may donate to the David Baioni Teaching Fund.

Left to right, David Baioni plays accordion with fellow Trio Davide musicians David Miotk and guitarist David Sturdevan

Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) is investigating complaints regarding barriers that people who are blind or low vision and people with mobility disabilities have encountered when attempting to vote in Northern California.

In particular, DRA is interested in hearing about any problems that blind voters, visually impaired voters, and voters with mobility impairments may have experienced when attempting to vote. If you are legally blind or if you have a mobility disability and you encountered access barriers when attempting to vote, they would like to speak to you. Share your stories by contacting Michael Nunez at 510-665-8644 or mnunez@dralegal.org.

Enjoying the festivities: Lloyd Casey, Patty Moynihan, Dorian Greenow and Gemma Kochis, some of our Mt. Veeder neighbors and Friends of Enchanted Hills members

On November 9th, in conjunction with the Napa Valley Film Festival, the LightHouse held a fundraiser for Enchanted Hills Camp in Yountville. The film, Make A Hero's documentary "The Movement" features longtime Enchanted Hills camper Mike May, who holds the world record for fastest blind downhill skiing.     

Change the LIfe of a Family, Donate to Enchanted Hills Camp

Did you know - we offer special Family Camp sessions at Enchanted Hills Camp where whole families - blind or sighted parents and their blind or sighted children - can enjoy a traditional camp experience together, including riding horses, learning archery, swimming and theatre. But more than this, our Family Camp sessions offer parents of blind children a chance to form critical connections - to learn from each other and form support systems that can last long after the session ends.   

There are many families with a blind family member who would benefit greatly from attending Family Camp at Enchanted Hills Camp but may not be able to afford even our subsidized camper costs. Donate today and help change lives!  

Our camp has enriched the lives of over 25,000 blind and low vision folks for the past sixty years. Help send a family to Family Camp at Enchanted Hills, where blind children and their parents can grow and learn together. Be sure to choose Enchanted Hills Camp as your designation. Thank you for your support!

Eight-year-old camper Sam Brenner-Ward shouts with laughter while being lifted up by his dad, Jason

Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind has been running continuously for 62 years! Over 25,000 blind youth, adults and their families have enjoyed the unparalleled access to wilderness and adventure, and confidence building of Enchanted Hills. As you can imagine, some our buildings and furnishings are growing tired, and are in need of a renovation. Also, we have begun supporting our blind camp by renting the facilities for church groups, off-site meetings, family reunions and weddings when camp is not in session.

We are about to embark on a remodeling project on our Lakeside Cabins to update them for campers and retreat groups alike. We are very grateful for a donation of any of the following items. Please contact Tony Fletcher at 415-694-7319 or afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org.

• Twin-size mattresses
• Microwave/coffee maker stand
• Mini frig
• New carpet, 12 by 14 or so.
• Amour or other stand-alone closet unit
• Small desk
• Dresser
• Night stand or stands
• Bedside lamps
• Tile or granite
• Windows
• Heating/air unit
• Blankets for a queen bed

We want to give a huge thanks to our neighborhood friend restaurant Caffé Delle Stelle for recently hosting a fundraiser for the LightHouse. Friends, clients and LightHouse staff were able to "give" to the LightHouse by simply eating delicious Italian food served up by their wonderful staff. Thank you to all who contributed! Be sure to visit Caffé Delle Stelle's website at www.dellestelle.com.

Support the LightHouse by donating your car (or just about any motor vehicle: trucks, sport utility vehicles, motorcycles, RVs, boats, airplanes, go carts, scooters, mopeds, golf carts, dune buggies, forklifts, trailers and more). Donating a car is easy and if you if you donate in the next few weeks you can claim the donation on your 2012 taxes!

Our agent, Charitable Auto Resources, will take care of everything, from picking up your vehicle and processing the DMV paperwork to arranging for its sale. Part of the proceeds of the sale goes directly to the LightHouse to support our programs and services.

To donate your car, call 1-877-537-5277 and tell them that you want your donation to benefit the LightHouse for the Blind. If you wish to speak to the LightHouse about a vehicle donation, please call 415-694-7365 or write to giving@lighthouse-sf.org.

When Enchanted Hills isn't being used by our blind and visually impaired campers, our magical retreat is available for groups needing a place to meet away from the hustle and bustle. Enchanted Hills can be used for family reunions, yoga workshops, spiritual retreats, horse campers, company off-site meetings or seminars. With a playing field, playground and swimming pool, it's a great location for groups with children, but the romance and grandeur of the setting also lends itself to a beautiful wedding.

Enchanted Hills is an affordable base for exploring wine country, with some of the finest vintners in the county just out the gate. And although it feels like you are far, far away when you are under the redwoods or sitting by the lake, we are only eight miles from downtown Napa. Want to find out more about Enchanted Hills Retreat? Visit www.enchantedhillsretreat.com or call 415-694-7319.  

Enchanted Hills hiking trail surrounded by greenery

Employment Immersion Summit participant Ramona Herriford.

Planned giving is an excellent opportunity to meet your charitable goals at a level you never thought possible while gaining tax benefits for you and your loved ones. It also helps to ensure that the LightHouse for the Blind will be here for years to come, providing vibrant opportunities for learning, mentorship and community for thousands of blind and low vision individuals.

Take for example Esther Bendahan. Esther started coming to the LightHouse in the 1990s when her vision was declining. She received help with adjusting, both coming to terms with her vision loss, and learning the mobility and life skills she needed. As she got to know and become close with LightHouse staff and clients she found a community as well as the programs she needed. Through the years, Esther reconnected with the LightHouse when we set up a Personal Services Volunteer to assist her with visual tasks at home. While everyone knew Esther as a client who was deeply affected by her connection to the LightHouse, when she passed away we were gratified to learn that she had left a planned gift to the LightHouse.

The simplest kind of planned gift is a bequest in your will. In addition to being an important legacy to your community, a bequest to the LightHouse may enable you to reduce or eliminate federal estate taxes. Moreover, it will enable you to fulfill your philanthropic goals without affecting your family's financial security. You may want to designate that your gift be used for a particular LightHouse Program, such as Enchanted Hills Camp, Rehabilitation or Community Services that may be particularly meaningful to you. Please consider naming the LightHouse for the Blind in your will. For more information contact Jennifer Sachs at 415-694-7333 or  jsachs@lighthouse-sf.org.