“I had wonderful teachers who knew I was going to be successful,” says Caitlin Hernandez, graduate of Wayfinder’s Blind Babies Foundation early intervention program and teacher of children with disabilities. “I want to pay this forward.” Caitlin, now age 29, was born blind. “I have light perception but no functional vision,” she explains. When Caitlin…
“Before Elizabeth was born, I had never met a blind person,” says Gina, Elizabeth’s mother. Back then, Gina and her husband, Greg, wondered, How should we play with Elizabeth? Should we limit her activities? What will her life be like when she grows up? Wayfinder was there with the answers. When Elizabeth was 6 weeks…
Our Assistive Technology Training program is offering a 3-day intensive IPhone accessibility workshop on December 16, 17 and 18. Attendance requires approval from your Department of Rehabilitation counselor. Read below for more information and registration information! Adults with visual impairment will learn how to fully utilize their iPhone and maximize its functions for use in…
Meet an Inspiring Wayfinder Family “Tatsiana is a joy,” says Pam Chapin, program director and vision impairment specialist with Wayfinder’s Blind Babies Foundation program in Northern California. “No one can meet her without falling in love with her.” “I love Pam,” says Tatsiana, mother of Sofia, who was in our Blind Babies Foundation program for…
Welcome Isaias, the newest student in Wayfinder’s Special Education School! His happiness and good nature draw everyone to him. Isaias has multiple disabilities, including vision impairment, and uses a wheelchair. His parents, Hector and Marian, chose Wayfinder’s school because it could meet their son’s different needs. “The school has more therapists in-house who can help…
Shane Aguilera got an early start on his achievements. At age 2, he began playing the piano. He started competing in the Wayfinder Paralympics (previously named the Junior Blind Olympics) when he was just 6 years old. He added guitar-playing to his talents, as well as composing his own music. And he released a solo…
The Year: 1958 The People: Founder, Norm Kaplan, camp staff and campers gather for fun. The Moment: Children play beep baseball during the first camp held at Camp Bloomfield. Read the rest of our New Heights newsletter.
Wayfinder received a grant from the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation to empower its members to participate in the National Fitness Challenge, an initiative founded by the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA). Check out these Wayfinder Moments from the past few months of the #AnthemFitnessChallenge! Read the rest of our New Heights newsletter.
Ryan is a former intern from our Transition Services program. How did Wayfinder help you overcome your biggest obstacle and thrive? I had only experienced my side of being visually impaired. Wayfinder gave me exposure to people with different visual impairments. It gave me an advantage in my master’s program. What does being a Wayfinder mean…
Elena is not yet 2 years old, but she has already battled extreme odds—and won! Elena was born at slightly more than 5 months, weighing only 1 pound, 4 ounces. “She had only a 20% chance of survival,” says Hector, Elena’s dad. After two months in a neonatal intensive care unit, doctors discovered abnormal blood…
