Through education, training, research and vision enhancement, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides hope, confidence, and independence to people of all ages
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Children’s Programs

Little Sight, Big Vision

Miami Lighthouse Academy

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired - in collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Early Steps and the Early Learning Coalition - offers an inclusion environment for pre-kindergarten, and a kindergarten, first grade and second grade for blind and visually impaired students. As a certified Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Provider, the Miami Lighthouse Academy pre-kindergarten enrolls students with and without vision impairment promoting an inclusive program and resulting in a sense of belonging for all children and families. In support of our mission, children without vision impairments are selected to aid the learning environment for children with vision loss.

Miami Lighthouse Academy is a national Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE center).

Using the evidence-based HighScope Curriculum, blind or visually impaired students are supported in a print/braille rich environment. Miami Lighthouse is the first vision rehabilitation educational institution in the U.S. using the international HighScope Curriculum, and this is the first time that HighScope has been applied to blind learners in a fully inclusive model. Click here to read more about the HighScope Curriculum.

Learning in all classrooms is conducted by Florida-certified early childhood teachers, Florida-certified teachers of the visually impaired and teaching assistants. Currently, research faculty from the University of Miami is conducting a four year longitudinal study of the participating children and families as we help prepare them for mainstreaming into our public-school system.

For more information please contact our Program Coordinator at (786)362-7483.

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Collaboration with University of Miami

University of Miami

Read more about our collaboration with University of Miami and our innovative early childhood program, the first and only one of its kind in the nation.

Blind Babies Program

Blind Babies Program

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. offers early intervention and parent education through a home visitation program to blind or visually impaired children from birth to age 5. The Blind Babies Program home visitation, supports families, empowers parents, and supports blind children's readiness to learn.

Miami Lighthouse offers weekly playgroups at our state-of-the-art facility where learning is fostered through active play. Through a family-centered approach, our programs support the social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and linguistic needs of blind or visually impaired children. Families come together weekly resulting in a strong emotional support network for parents and caregivers. Saturday parent braille courses and support groups on a variety of topics, including understanding your child's eye condition and preparing for your child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting are also available.

Bright Beacons

Literacy and technology are keys to self-sufficiency and societal integration for individuals with visual impairments. The Bright Beacons enables visually impaired school aged children to access high-quality core and expanded core curriculum. Expanded Core Curriculum foundational skills are essential for student success at school and home.

 

 

Summer CAMP Programs

Summer camp promises to be a fun seven weeks designed to support literacy, physical fitness, and social skills by integrating the expanded core curriculum and evidence-based literacy programs. Opportunities for camp include an early intervention based camp for children with visual impairments ages 1-4 and a school aged camp for children with visual impairments and their siblings in Kindergarten through 5th grade.

 

 

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is committed to serving the needs of children with visual impairments. It is with great sadness that a visual impairment or blindness in a child is often the result of neglect or abuse. If it were not for this unfortunate circumstance the child would have developed with “normal” vision otherwise. Our Blind Babies Program has seen many cases of shaken babies and blind children being cared for in the foster care system due to neglect, abuse, or abandonment over the course of years. Our Miami Lighthouse Learning Center for Children™ is a resource for these children and the unfortunate circumstances they find themselves in. As a program that serves children and families of low socioeconomic backgrounds we often assist families enrolled in our programs dealing with homelessness access resources for housing while we continue to support the early intervention needs of the child who is blind.

Miami Lighthouse Mission Moment- Gift of Vision

The Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Children's Summer Program and Babies Early Childhood Development Program are partially funded by The Children's Trust. The Children's Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.

 


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Miami Lighthouse is honored by the following

 

AER accredited

Miami Lighthouse is AER accredited distinguishing that an agency or school operates at the highest level of quality and is positioned to generate the outcomes needed by the clients.

Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce

Miami Lighthouse received the coveted Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2023 Nonprofit Business Innovative Excellence NOVO Award with an organizational budget of $2 million and above.

Charity Navigator

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired has received 13 consecutive 4-star ratings, the highest rating possible, from the nation's premier independent nonprofit evaluator Charity Navigator. Attaining a 4-star rating indicates that our organization adheres to sector best practices, exceeds industry standards, and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.

The Children's Trust

Early Intervention Blind Babies Program Named the Children's Trust 2016 Program of the Year. This most prestigious award recognizes this Early Intervention Program, in particular, for including parents as teachers.

Apple

Miami Lighthouse Learning Center for Children™ is a Florida gold seal and nationally Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE)

 
 

Florida Blue Foundation

Miami Lighthouse was recognized at the 2015 Florida Blue Foundation Sapphire Awards luncheon as an organization that has demonstrated excellence and innovation in community health.

The Beacon Council

Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2015 Beacon Award in Education at the 13th Annual Beacon Council Awards.

Marlins Charity Partner

Miami Lighthouse is a two-time Charity Partner (2013 and 2014) of the Marlins Foundation and a 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Legacy Partner. Our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program has received over $300,000 in charitable donations through these partnerships.

Health Foundation of South Florida

Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2008 Concern Award from Health Foundation of South Florida.

Miami Today

Miami Lighthouse received a Silver medal at the 2016 Miami Today Gold Medal Awards Ceremony.

 
 

Miami New Times - Best of Miami 2017

Miami Lighthouse named "Best of Miami" Charity 2017 by the New Times.

United Homecare

Miami Lighthouse received United Homecare's 2012 Thelma Gibson Community Service Award at the 18th Annual Claude Pepper Memorial Awards Ceremony.

South Florida Business Journal

Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious South Florida Business Journal 2011 Excellence in Health Care Award in the Community Outreach category.

Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce

Miami Lighthouse honored by being named the recipient of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce 2010 Non-Profit Business Diamond Award.

PR Week


Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2020 award for "Best in Nonprofit" campaign by PRWeek referred to as the "Oscars of the PR industry".

 
 
 
 

ABLE United

Miami Lighthouse is proud to be a strategic partner with ABLE United, Florida's disability savings program, to learn more visit www.ableunited.com

 
 
 
 

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