Shari Roeseler of Society for the Blind and event emcee Cristina Mendonsa announce the $1-million Vision Forward Initiative launch at the nonprofit's 70th anniversary gala. Photo courtesy of Kristin Thebaud Communications

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Society for the Blind recently launched its $1-million Vision Forward Initiative at its 70th anniversary celebration.

The three-year initiative will increase the nonprofit organization's capacity to meet growing demand for services, create a resource and learning center on the second floor of the group's Midtown Sacramento building and build Society for the Blind's endowment to respond to new opportunities and challenges. To donate, visit www.SocietyfortheBlind.org/Donate.

“Our Vision Forward Initiative will ensure our clients of all ages have access to our services for years to come,” said Shari Roeseler, Society for the Blind executive director. “This will help us serve more people, reduce wait times, offer the latest assistive technologies, and quickly respond and adapt to meet the needs of our clients.”

The initiative was announced to 300 event guests gathered to celebrate Society for the Blind's 70th anniversary and its 2024 Briggs Award honoree, Retinal Consultants Medical Group, for extraordinary contributions to eye care in the community. The event raised more than $375,000 as seed funding for the Vision Forward Initiative.

Sacramento-based Society for the Blind continues to create innovative ways to empower individuals living with low vision or blindness to discover, develop and achieve their full potential. Since 1954, Society for the Blind has grown from a dedicated group of volunteers to a nationally recognized agency and the only comprehensive rehabilitative teaching center that provides services for a 27-county region of Northern California and the state of Nevada.

The nonprofit organization provides low-vision eye care, life and job skills training, mentorship and access to tools to maintain independence for more than 5,000 youth, working-age adults and seniors in the region experiencing vision loss each year.

To learn more or make a donation, visit www.SocietyfortheBlind.org.