LIGHTHOUSE OF PINELLAS INC

Programs

1. The largest program provided by lighthouse of pinellas is the independent living program. Its core purpose is to offer rehabilitative training and referrals to community resources to adults who have lost or are progressively losing their vision. This training gives them the opportunity to live independently in their homes and to travel safely in the community. An assessment is completed to determine the need of each individual by a trained case manager. This assessment determines the rehabilitative training services to be provided. (continued on schedule o)services such as adjustment to blindness counseling, orientation and mobility training, communication skills training, personal and home management, use of adaptive devices and training, as well as use of assistive technology are provided to each person enrolled in this program. This fiscal year, 178 people received rehabilitative training services in the independent living program.

   $583,279 spent$1,528 earned by the program
   31% of program spending

2. The second largest program offered by lighthouse of pinellas is the vocational rehabilitation program. When blindness or visual impairment occurs in the life of a person who has previously had a career, not only may a serious financial hardship occur, but depression and a loss of self-esteem and self-worth are also very likely with such a life-changing event. Our vocational rehabilitation program provides services to help each person achieve their agreed upon employment goals. Services to accomplish this are individual assessments, job readiness training, orientation and mobility training, communication skills training, use of assistive computer technology, training in adaptive techniques for healthy and independent daily living, as well as adjustment to vision loss counseling. (continued on schedule o)this training is provided at the center and in the community. This fiscal year, 85 people received services that assisted them towards achieving their employment goals

   $404,461 spent
   22% of program spending

3. The third largest program offered by lighthouse of pinellas is the early intervention program which serves children and their families from birth to 6 years of age who are blind or visually impaired. For most children, 90% of their learning comes from vision. A child who is blind or visually impaired must learn about the world in other ways. Our comprehensive early intervention services for infants and young children help them learn to walk, feed and dress themselves, communicate and socialize with others, and gain a head start on a life of independence. The program also teaches the child's family to reinforce this learning at home. (continued on schedule o)the goal of the program is to develop each child's ability to enter school with skills equal to their same-age peers and to reduce any developmental gaps that may exist to the greatest extent possible. Children and their families may participate in the early intervention program until the child has achieved their highest level of functioning or until the child reaches the age of 6 years. This fiscal year 105 children and family members were served.

   $262,555 spent
   14% of program spending

4. Other programs include individual assistance: individual assistance is provided to people who need one-time support from our professional program staff. Assistance provided are things such as a home visit to replace or repair a broken white cane, applying braille touch labels to adapt appliances for someone who is visually impaired, or an intake interview for other community services when the individual is not eligible for lighthouse of pinellas services or may require collateral services from other agencies in the community in addition to lighthouse services. This fiscal year, 39 people received one-time individual assistance services from lighthouse of pinellas professional staff. Teen transition program: teenagers, 14 years of age through their high school graduation, are eligible to participate in this program. Services are offered once a week and two saturdays a month during the school year and for five full weeks during the summer. This program helps each young person learn to become self-sufficient and prepare for college, job placement, or vocational training. Field trips into the community and/or outside of pinellas county are offered at least once a month. Skills such as…

   $617,591 spent
   33% of program spending

The 4 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $1,867,886.