Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired South Carolina
Creating opportunities to live, learn & earn with vision loss
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The National Federation of the Blind estimates there are roughly 147,000 adults in South Carolina who are living with a visual disability, and the rate of vision loss is expected to double by 2030 as the baby boom generation ages. Also, the unemployment rate for blind and visually impaired (BVI) adults is approximately 70%. According to statistical analysis by the American Foundation for the Blind, Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties should have roughly 7,500 blind or visually impaired adults. ABVI currently serves 240+ BVI adult clients, so we know there are more adults we need to reach with our services. A void in services exists in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties for blind and visually impaired adults who need assistance learning to live with their disability, whether they are seeking independence or vocational rehabilitation. We are the only Tri-County nonprofit focused on independent living and vocational rehabilitation specifically for the blind.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Own Your Life - Vision Rehabilitation
Through Own Your Life we teach our clients how to perform basic functions of life without sighted assistance and for some, learn the adaptive skills necessary to join or rejoin the workforce. We offer free, independent living skills and vocational rehabilitation classes at our center-based location in Charleston. In March of 2020, we opened a second center in Ladson, SC to increase access to our services for clients living in Berkeley and Dorchester Counties.
Any blind and visually impaired adult living in Berkeley, Charleston or Dorchester County may apply to become a client of ours and enroll in the Own Your Life program. Own Your Life has two tracks; Personal Enrichment to help individuals learn independent living skills and Employee Development for individuals seeking adaptive skills to join the workforce.
All clients are eligible for the Personal Enrichment track which focuses on developing, maintaining and/or regaining independence. Through this track our clients can take a variety of classes at our centers that encourage independent living including computer and assistive technology training, activities of daily living (ADL) training, braille, orientation & mobility (O&M), art therapy (which improve dexterity) and group therapy. ADL classes involve instruction on personal hygiene, dressing oneself, cooking, fire safety, money management, home maintenance, phone use and more. The other classes we offer also expand each client’s independence as we teach them how to use applications and technologies to pay bills online, send emails, send text messages and so forth. By teaching our clients how to perform these basic functions of life by themselves, we are enabling them to lead a more independent life. Thus, we are empowering them with personal freedom and helping them “own their lives.”
Own Your Life - Occupational Therapy
In 2020, we began offering Occupational Therapy accepting Medicare and Medicaid. Clients in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties are eligible for these services.
Guide Dog Scholarships
ABVI offers guide dog scholarships for clients to help maintain and extend the working life of their guide dogs. ABVI scholarships can be used for vet and grooming costs. The scholarship also covers the cost of food for working dogs.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
South Carolina Nonprofit of The Year by Together SC 2017
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of clients receiving direct services.
Number of program sites
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We offer services in our Charleston facility, out in the community, in clients' homes and virtually.
Hours of programing delivered
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Hours of Vision Rehabilitation Training.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Through Own Your Life, clients take classes geared towards maintaining and/or regaining independence. Classes include activities of daily living (ADL) training, computer training, assistive technology, group therapy and orientation and mobility. ADL classes include personal hygiene, medication management, overall health management, dressing oneself, cooking, kitchen safety, home and fire safety, home maintenance and more.
Empowering our clients with the skills needed to care for themselves on their own with the aid of low vision devices is life-changing. Through instruction in programs such as Own Your Life, clients can learn to perform daily tasks independently and safely and shift their perspective from dependency to empowerment through independence. The health, safety and quality of life of blind and visually impaired individuals can be compromised if they lack proper training to find new approaches for daily life.
We are also helping our clients enter or reenter the workforce.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Own Your Life has two tracks; Personal Enrichment to help individuals learn independent living skills and Employee Development for individuals seeking adaptive skills to join the workforce.
All clients are eligible for the Personal Enrichment track which focuses on developing, maintaining and/or regaining independence. Through this track our clients can take a variety of classes that encourage independent living including computer and assistive technology training, activities of daily living (ADL) training, braille, group therapy and other social opportunities. Clients are assessed before and after services are rendered to ensure the intended skill sets are reaching proficiency.
Through Employee Development, clients are learning the skills they need to gain or regain employment. Participants take the aforementioned classes as well as computer training, orientation and mobility and soft skills which includes resume building and interviewing practices.
Both tracks are individualized for each client.
We also offer Occupational Therapy services accepting both Medicaid and Medicare.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
ABVI prides itself on its hardworking staff and instructors who are mission first oriented. Our core values are; 1. Mission First, 2. Courageously Innovative, 3. Works Smart, 4. Culture of Discipline and 5. Accountability. Working within our operating system with these core values in mind, helps our relatively small staff accomplish great traction.
We have worked with professionals across the country to develop a program, assessments and proficiency to best serve the blind and visually impaired in the Tri-County. We regularly step back from the business to take a big picture look at our services and make any necessary adjustments. We have a strong vision and Hedgehog Concept that keeps us focused.
We also have a new and improved funding model that helps ensure the sustainability of the programs we offer.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We have update our services for the blind and visually impaired in Charleston to allow for more individualized service plans (ISP). ISPs will allow us to focus more on each individuals needs and goals and to more efficiently and effectively give them the training they need.
We have opened a second training center in Ladson, SC, and we are offering almost all of our services virtually. Transportation is a major issues for the individuals we serve. Opening Ladson and going virtual helps our neighbors in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties access our services.
We have added Occupational Therapy services for clients accepting Medicaid and Medicare. We hope that our expansion will allow us to better serve individuals in rural parts of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties where medical and other center-based services are limited and transportation is problematic.
Since starting our vocation rehabilitation program, 80% of our graduates have been offered jobs. This is in a country where 70% of blind and visually impaired adults are unemployed, so we are excited about our early successes.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired South Carolina
Board of directorsas of 11/09/2022
Mr. Joe Waring
Evening Post Group
Term: 2023 - 2025
Carol S Clement
Clement, Crawford & Thornhill, Inc.
George B Smythe
South State Bank
James Hill
MUSC Storm Eye Institute
Tricia Leyte-Vidal
Blackbaud, Inc.
Robert M Baldwin
Baldwin and Associates
Thomas M Smythe
Mass Mutual Financial Group
Kristen Gayeski Tinkler
Carolina Eye CAre
Joe Waring
Evening Post Group
Karl Brady
Charleston City Councilmember, District 5
Samuel R Clawson, Jr.
Clawson Fargnoli & Utsey, LLC
Marshall G McClure
Vice President, Tax, E. I., du Pont de Nemours and Company, Retired
B. Karl Jantzen
Board Member Emeritus
R. Griff Brams
Ophthalmologist, Carolina Eyecare Physicians, LLC
Ronald Coleman
Retired
John Kulze
Ophthalmologist, Eye Center of Charleston
Sean Wilson
Law Office of Sean M. Wilson, LLC
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data