The legendary Stevie Wonder loves to celebrate the holiday season with the children and families of Wayfinder Family Services. His children, Sophia and Kwame Morris, carried the Wonder family tradition in 2017, presenting Wayfinder student Lillyannah Russo with the Stevie Wonder Star Student Award at our annual Children’s Holiday Carnival. Thank you to the Wonder…
Javi has always had a positive spirit, but even he had doubts about what his future would hold. Visually impaired since birth due to optic nerve hypoplasia (underdeveloped optic nerves), he wondered if he would be able to succeed in college, get a job and live on his own. Everything changed when he attended a…
After high school, Madison, who has optic nerve hypoplasia, decided to continue living at home while she attended her local community college. Living in a small town with limited public transportation meant she had to depend on the kindness of friends and family to get to and from class and anywhere else she wanted, or needed,…
Ryan isn’t your average athlete. He is totally blind and has autism, so finding sports that meet his unique needs is difficult, to say the least. Playgrounds, community sports teams and schools often lack the resources and equipment to engage athletes with disabilities. So, for years, Ryan did not have the opportunities his sighted peers…
Parker is smart, athletic and mature beyond his years. He’s a young man with a plan and a bright future ahead of him, thanks to the care and support he received in our youth residential treatment program. Parker entered foster care as a teen. The trauma he experienced leading up to him leaving his home…
Darius has not had it easy. He and his sister were removed from their mother’s care at an early age due to neglect and abuse, so he faces serious emotional challenges. Thankfully, the children were blessed with an amazing caregiver—and now legal guardian—Sylvia, who loves them unconditionally. She has selflessly sacrificed to give them the…
Loving, curious and fun, Amergin is blind and was diagnosed with autism. He is also nonverbal and active…very active. At 5 years old, he was filled with energy, but without sight, Amergin struggled to make sense of the world around him. And without a voice, he couldn’t express his needs or discontentment. He communicated his…
Over seven years, Ronnie became completely blind. When he lost his sight, he also lost his livelihood and independence. “I’ve always taken pride in my ability to do things on my own, so when I lost my sight, I thought I would need to depend on other people for everything,” says Ronnie. “It was the…
Vision Impairment Specialists Drue Banister and Michelle Kim from Wayfinder’s Blind Babies Foundation program flew from Northern California to Beijing for an international early intervention forum hosted by Bethel China, a nonprofit organization pioneering early intervention for blind Chinese children. While early intervention home visits are considered critical for children who are blind or visually impaired…
Adriana’s biggest concern has always been what will happen to her son, Mario, after she and her husband pass. Fourteen-year-old Mario was born blind and later diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and autism. Mario attended a local public elementary school, but for middle school, his parents sought a more specialized environment. They wanted him to learn…
