Delta Gamma Anchor Center for Blind Children

Anchor Center for Blind Children is Colorado's only nonprofit Center for young Children, birth to age 5, where Children who are Blind or have significant visual impairments receive the highest level of expert care, intervention, training and early childhood education. Our multi- disciplinary specialized staff include teachers of the visually impaired, early childhood special education teachers, physical, occupational, speech/language, recreational and music therapists, orientation & mobility specialists, family service professionals and ophthalmologists. Working as a team, the Anchor staff give newborns, infants, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as their parents, caregivers, and siblings, support, tools and education to build the foundation for life long development, recreation and education. Since our founding by the Delta Gamma fraternity in 1982, Anchor Center for Blind Children has prepared thousands of Children for kindergarten and infused a desire for the child and his/her family to live life fully -- despite the challenges associated with their visual, or visual/auditory, impairments. Anchor Center graduates grow up to become teachers, artists, professors, athletes, musicians and scientists. Anchor Center for Blind Children operates in a state-of-the-art school architecturally designed as a teaching tool for young Children who are Blind and/or have multiple special needs. Children arrive to Anchor Center as babies or young toddlers -- often in the arms of their worried and heartbroken parents overwhelmed with the thought of their child having serious visual impairments. Beginning with the welcoming arms of the Anchor team and fellow parents -- and to the initial assessments which identify their child's unique vision needs -- each child and familyreceives the highest standards of compassionate, professional, and expert care. Working hand-in-hand with each child's parent(s), Anchor Center's teachers, doctors, therapists and volunteers nurture the development of each child -- celebrating every step they take toward independence and, eventually, graduation. Anchor Center for Blind Children is supported nearly in full (over 93%) by donations, contributions, and special events. Because of the generosity and compassion of our community of donors and friends, we are able to provide financial assistance to any family who demostrates need, in order to make our services accessible. In fiscal year 2023/2024 (july 1, 2023 - june 30, 2024), Anchor Center served over 400 Children, parents/caregivers and siblings in our infant, toddler, preschool, respite, summer camp and family education programs, received 126 new referrals, provided 170 eye exams, 70 functional vision assessments, provided 420 home visits, and 38 vision consults, and 130 other assessments and screenings. Anchor Center's exceptional programs are tailored to the needs and strengths of the more than 400 Children and family members we serve each year. Most Children with visual impairments also have serious, co-occurring health conditions and disabilities, which necessitates an adept, individualized, and strengths-based approach to each child's education and therapy. Our young students receive nearly 1:1 care and instruction by leading experts in pediatric blindness, childhood development, early intervention, special education, and family support. Notably, we are also leading the way in programming and innovative research and interventions for Children with cortical visual impairment (cvi) - a neurological condition affecting the brain's ability to accurately interpret visual stimuli, and the leading individual cause of blindness among Children living in both low-income and developed countries. To learn more about our unparalleled services for pediatric visual impairment visit www.anchorcenter.org.