The Blind Childrens Learning Center Of Orange County

Beyond Blindness empowers children with visual impairments and other disabilities to achieve their fullest potential.

Beyond Blindness is proud to have served Orange County children and families for more than 60 years. Our comprehensive programs include Early Intervention, Education and Enrichment, and Family Support. Our current strategic plan has the exciting goal of positioning Beyond Blindness as the go-to provider for blind and visually impaired children and expanding our capacity to serve 2,680 children and families throughout the Greater Orange County area by the end of the Fiscal Year 2027.

In fiscal year 2023 - 2024, we provided approximately 500 children and 1,000 family members with life-changing support and we are particularly proud of the following recent accomplishments:

1) Social Society: In 2024, Beyond Blindness launched Social Society, a free group for youth ages 10-18 with visual impairments and their friends. Social Society is held every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at our Santa Ana campus. Each week, youth build interpersonal skills in a safe and supportive environment, emphasizing the skills in the expanded core curriculum. Participants receive mentorship in transitioning into adulthood, increase social connectedness, develop independent living skills, build leadership skills, and participate in community-based learning opportunities through excursions.

2) Inclusive Preschool Program: To meet the community's need for more inclusive preschool programs, Beyond Blindness continues to be a leader in inclusivity by operating two classrooms for children ages 3 to 6 years old with after-school care. Our inclusive preschool classrooms offer a rich and engaging curriculum incorporating the best practices of early childhood education with a multi-sensory curriculum featuring lessons that teach children to advocate for themselves socially and emotionally.

3) Local and Statewide Advocacy: A respected nonprofit leader accelerating impact locally and statewide, Angie Rowe continues to serve as Education Commissioner on the board of First 5 Orange County, a public agency that invests in programs to improve the system of care for young children and families.

As we kick off the current fiscal year 2024 -2025, we have set three goals that will help us achieve our ambitious goal of serving 2680 children and family members by 2027:

1) Early Intervention: We will serve 120 unique (new) children ages 0-5 in FY25. Provide 70% of potential service hours. Provide 55% of services on-site. Children enrolled in early intervention programs will meet 80% of the identified goals.

2) Education and Enrichment: We will serve 25 unique (new) students through our itinerant program in FY25. Children enrolled in education and enrichment programs will meet 80% of the identified goals.

3) Family Support: We will serve 250 unique (new) individuals through our Family Support Program in FY25. 90% of families will report feeling more equipped to support their child daily after receiving services from us.

Beyond Blindness depends on private funding from individuals, foundations, and corporations to supplement limited program fees. Donations fund a majority of our life-changing services. Outside funding also allows Beyond Blindness to intervene at no cost to families who cannot afford recommended services. The average cost of raising a child with special needs is four times that of a typically developing child (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and 65% of families come from a low-to-moderate income background.

Greater Orange County

We are humbled and proud to be part of the Journey of Care over the last 60 years for thousands of children with visual impairments and other disabilities, and their families. We are looking forward to celebrating these stories of triumph, big and small, as well as our agency’s own evolution and expansion to positively impact a wider population of children as they prepare to live their fullest lives.

As both a parent of a child with visual impairments and the Chair of the Board at Beyond Blindness, serving this organization is deeply personal and profoundly meaningful to me. Beyond Blindness is more than a nonprofit; it is a lifeline for families navigating the challenges and triumphs of raising children with visual impairments and other disabilities. My journey as a parent has given me firsthand insight into the transformative impact of the services we provide. As Board Chair, I am honored to help guide this organization’s vision and growth and together, we are building a world where every child, regardless of ability, can live a full and rewarding life.