The Growth Trajectory of the Chicago Lighthouse

​For over a century, the Chicago Lighthouse has fostered innovations in various sectors, including vision care, rehabilitation, education, employment, and technology. In 1906, a group of influential Chicago women launched the organization under the Improvement Association for Blind People. They launched it out of concern for the city's blind community.

In its initial years, the organization concentrated on gathering food and clothing donations from local women's clubs. Its work spanned two world wars and the Depression. The organization organized several skill acquisition programs to empower individuals with vision loss with employable skills like weaving, carpentry, and more. By the 1950s, it added clinical vision care to its list of services with the launch of a low-vision rehabilitation clinic in the Midwest.

During the 1960s and '70s, the organization added more services, including schooling, vocational training, and support for individuals with multiple disabilities. The federal government awarded Lighthouse an exclusive clock manufacturing contract during the late '70s. The organization witnessed rapid growth within the next two decades. By the 21st century, Lighthouse had already established several satellite low-vision clinics across Chicago. The organization currently offers its services to over 67,000 people annually.

Judge Megan Goldish, Honors&Awards; ProfessionalTopics; Hobbies&Interests; Groups&Organizations

Shop