The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired South Carolina (ABVI) recently received a $13,500 grant from the Medical Society of South Carolina through the Roper St. Francis Physicians Endowment Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. The Medical Society awards grants to nonprofits that strive to improve health, wellness and access to care for residents in the Tri-County area.
Funding priorities through the Roper St. Francis Physicians’ Endowment include four community health needs: Access to Services and Coverage for Un- and Underinsured; Obesity, Nutrition and Physical Activity; Mental Health; and Alcohol and Drug Abuse. ABVI’s vision rehabilitation services address several of these needs as almost all ABVI’s adult clients receiving services are under-insured and studies show people who are blind or low vision who have not received vision rehabilitation services are more likely to suffer from depression than their sighted peers. However, research also should that services like ABVI’s skills training help to empower clients with the adaptive approaches necessary to achieve daily tasks which restores independence, self-confidence, self-esteem, reduces rates of depression and improves overall quality of life.
ABVI’s mission is to empower people who are blind or have low vision to live fulfilling, purpose-driven lives. ABVI provides adults with vision rehabilitation training to help them learn to live safely with vision loss, and for some, develop job-readiness skills to enter or re-enter the workforce. Vision rehabilitation training is essential for adults who are blind or low vision as it helps them reclaim ownership of their lives, communicate with others, participate in communities, build confidence, combat depression, age safely in place and improve their overall quality of life. The grant from the Medical Society of South Carolina through the Roper St. Francis Physician’s Endowment Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC supports ABVI’s essential skills training and support services to adults throughout the Tri-County.
“The need for vision rehabilitation services is growing rapidly with our aging population, and without efforts to expand access to these essential services, we are facing a healthcare crisis,” said Courtney Plotner, President & CEO. “This grant from the Roper St. Francis Physician’s Endowment Fund of CCF is an investment in the health, safety and quality of life of our Tri-County neighbors with low vision.”