Teach People with Vision Impairment How to Use Assistive Technology
Financial Contribution: $300
Volunteers Required: 10-12
Date: Flexible 2024
Time: 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Location: 250 West 64th Street, between Amsterdam and West End Avenues
Lighthouse Guild’s Technology Center is the largest and premier assistive technology resource in the U.S. The Center not only includes all the latest aids and devices, but also has a Smart Home Lab and is a creative hub, connecting healthcare professionals, researchers, innovators, companies, and most importantly, the users of assistive technology working together to advance technological development for the blind and visually impaired community.
Mainstream technology, including iOS and android devices, and applications have many accessibility options. However, many people with vision loss, especially seniors, can have a difficult time learning or using these functions or may even have no knowledge of it. To expand awareness to the public and to increase client’s use of these important technologies, we have created a 1:1 experiential training session that will allow us to train volunteers to help clients learn how to use these technologies.
We would like a group of 10 corporate volunteers to learn how to use the accessibility features or applications for the pending workshop. This can include features on the iOS iPhones, Android devices, as well as applications created specifically to assist people with vision impairment. After they learn how to use the assistive features, devices or applications, volunteers will then participate in a workshop where they will assist an instructor by teaching users, one on one, how to use the accessibility features on their devices, applications, or other assistive devices. To further refine the operations of these volunteer involved workshops, the corporate team will present the lessons learned and any recommendations to improve the program.
Spring Awakening with the ADHC Program
Financial Contribution: $850
Volunteers Required: 15
Date: April 2024 (Flexible)
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm or 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Locations:
Albany/Latham GuildCare, 30 Century Hill Drive, Suite 2, Latham NY 12110
Niagara Falls GuildCare, 4520 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Buffalo GuildCare 1170 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Manhattan GuildCare, 250 West 64th Street, New York, NY 10023
It’s spring, when the trees are blooming, and spirits are reborn! It is a good time for a special day to revive the spirits of our clients in one of our programs! To celebrate spring let’s revive spirits for the season with games, trivia, and a planting session for the participants in the Adult Day Health Care Program.
Career Services Mock Interviews
Financial Contribution: None
Volunteers Required: 6
Date: 3 times annually: October/November, February/March, or May/June
Time: At your convenience during business hours. The event takes approximately three hours.
Location: Your corporate office (preferred)
Our Career Services program provides training and assistance for people who are visually impaired and looking for a job. An important part of this service is preparing clients for the interview including practicing traveling to an unfamiliar location for the interview. We are looking for a group of corporate volunteers who are willing to conduct mock interviews for these program participants at their place of work. Each session consists of approximately five participants. At most we would require one staff person per student for the mock interviews which would take no longer than 30 minutes each. At most 6 staff members or at least 2 or 3 staff persons would conduct more than one interview. The event ends with a 30 minute debrief for a greater learning experience. The students would be accompanied by 2-3 Career Services Counselors. The mock interviews occur three times each year. We are asking your group to host one of the mock interview sessions.
Take A Visually Impaired Teen Bowling
Financial Contribution: $ 2300
Volunteers Required: 12
Date: TBD Saturday, April-May 2024; Nov-Dec 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 2:45 pm
Location: Lighthouse Guild, 250 West 64th Street at West End Avenue
Join a group of 25 teenagers who are visually impaired or blind for an afternoon of bowling! After receiving a short training on sighted guide techniques, you will assist Lighthouse Guild staff by guiding the teens from Lighthouse Guild to the bowling alley. You will be paired with a teenager for the trip to the bowling alley, during bowling and on the trip back to Lighthouse Guild for dismissal. You will share a pizza lunch with the teens at the bowling alley.
Park Outing for Young People with Vision Loss
Financial Contribution: $700
Volunteers Required: 10
Date: May 2024, Flexible on a Saturday
Time: 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Location: Lighthouse Guild, 250 West 64th Street at West End Avenue
In The Saturday Youth Skills Program boys and girls ages 6 -13, who are blind or partially sighted, come together to learn, play, and socialize through the Lighthouse Guild Saturday Youth Skills Program for School-Aged Children. Activities, ranging from adaptive computer training to table games, to parent and peer counseling — as well as local trips — are designed to help youngsters achieve greater academic, personal, and social success in their mainstream schools. Join a group of 30 youths who are visually impaired or blind for a walk to Central Park and engage them in activities such as kickball followed by lunch. Assist Lighthouse Guild staff by guiding the teens from headquarters to the park using human guide techniques, physically demonstrating body movements, assisting with lunch distribution and cleanup, and escorting the group back to headquarters. If you have any special skills or hobbies that might make a fun group activity such as drum or guitar playing, we look forward to hearing them!
Teach Teens to Dress for Success / Professional Attire Fashion Show / Try-On Event
Financial Contribution: $600 (transportation and lunch)
Volunteers Required: TBD by group.
Date: November 2023 – May 2024
Time: 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Location: Your company or on site at Lighthouse Guild
We need a team of volunteers to find creative ways to explain attire guidelines (formal, semi-formal, business, business casual, and casual) to our teens in the Saturday Youth Transition Program. At the conclusion of the event, the teens should know the difference between the different categories and have an opportunity to see/touch, try on or see a fashion show of the different categories for a work environment. Use the lunch break as an opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with the teens. This is an ideal opportunity for an organization with image consultants as a part of their team.
Dining Etiquette: Making a Good Impression
Financial Contribution: $1600
Volunteers Required: 10
Date: October – May on Saturday’s; Summer Monday – Friday
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Lighthouse Guild, 250 West 64th Street at West End Avenue.
What’s better than a nice lunch after a long work week? Help the teens in the Saturday Youth Transition Program learn the rules of a dining experience, then support them as they put the lesson into practice. You will conduct a training session on the rule of dining (curriculum included) complete with interactive opportunities for role playing. Then, using human guide techniques, accompany the teens to a location for a dining experience. During this event, the teens will learn about the components of a meal, how to set the table and how to lead conversations during a social gathering. The activity will help the teens practice the eating and dining skills they will have learned in our program. Bring your appetite and witty repartee!
Senior Program: Casino Game/Craft Day for Seniors
Financial Contribution: $1000
Volunteers Required: 10
Date: Flexible, Monday through Friday
Time: 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Locations:
Albany/Latham GuildCare, 30Century Hill Drive, Suite 2, Latham NY 12110
Niagara Falls GuildCare, 4520 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Buffalo GuildCare 1170 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
The Adult Day Health Care Program of Lighthouse Guild needs a team of 10 volunteers to help our visually impaired senior citizens by engaging them in activities that create physical, mental, and creative stimuli. The Adult Day Health Care program provides support to people with a diagnosed chronic medical condition, and a functional vision problem. The support includes companionship, activities, nutrition, healthcare, and therapy. We need a team of volunteers to assist the staff create a special day and manage a combination of activities which physically, mentally and creatively challenge them as well as gives them that special day to look forward to. We would like to have a casino game day complete with horse racing, roulette, blackjack and the like. For the program participants. The activity would take place between 10:30 am and 12:00 pm, and again from 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm.
Tandem Ride with a Teen who is Visually Impaired
Financial Contribution: $ 2500
Volunteers Required: 15
Date: Saturday, May 2024
Time: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Central Park
The Youth Transition Program supports teenagers 14 – 18 years of age who are visually impaired. The participants are provided with opportunities for personal growth and increased self-sufficiency with activities that refine independent living skills. We created this opportunity to give the gift of a bike ride to a teen with vision loss. The Tandem Ride event encourages the spirit of teamwork, lifts the importance of physical activity and creates new possibilities for what can be done by a person who is visually impaired. Volunteer participants will learn human guide techniques and how to ride a bike in tandem. Prior experience riding a bike is required.
Senior Olympics
Financial Contribution: $1000
Volunteers Required: 12
Date: May 2023 (date is flexible)
Time: 9:30 am – 3:00 pm
Locations:
Albany/Latham GuildCare, 30Century Hill Drive, Suite 2, Latham NY 12110
Niagara Falls GuildCare, 4520 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Buffalo GuildCare, 1170 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Manhattan GuildCare, 250 West 64th Street, New York, NY 10023
The Adult Day Health Care Program would like to have a Senior Olympics. This will be a day of fun activities of various levels where seniors will compete with their peers. The Adult Day Health Care program provides support to people with a diagnosed chronic medical condition, and a functional vision problem. The support includes companionship, activities, nutrition, healthcare, and therapy. A team of volunteers is needed to support this event by running the activities and coordinating the competitions and the awards ceremony.
Senior Halloween Party
Financial Contribution: $1000
Volunteers Required: 10
Date: Thursday,October 31, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Locations:
Albany/Latham GuildCare, 30Century Hill Drive, Suite 2, Latham NY 12110
Niagara Falls GuildCare, 4520 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Buffalo GuildCare 1170 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Manhattan GuildCare, 250 West 64th Street, New York, NY 10023
Have a ghoulish good time with our adult program participants as a sponsor for the annual Halloween Party! You will host craft activities, provide light refreshments, dance with program participants on the dance floor, judge the costume contest and more.
Host a Tour of Your Company for Teens
Financial Contribution: $600-800 depending upon location (transportation and/or lunch) flexible.
Volunteers Required: TBD by group
Date: Saturdays November through May
Time: 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Location: Your company
Open a world of new career possibilities for the students in the Saturday Youth Transition Program! We invite you and your team to organize a tour of your company that will create awareness of the different of occupations it takes to run your business. Give our students an opportunity to experience your work environment, hear about the different jobs known and unknown that it takes to run the business. Finally share the skills and course work necessary to succeed. The event will include time for icebreakers and lunch, where there will be an opportunity for one-on-one interactions with the teens.
Play Goal Ball with Visually Impaired Teens
Financial Contribution: $3500
Volunteers Required: 10
Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 3:00 pm
Location: New York City
Goalball is a popular Paralympic sport. You and your colleagues will spend a day with the 25 teens from the Saturday Youth Transition Program. After your orientation and human guide training, you will learn the rules of the game, then set up the court to host a goal ball tournament. If you are athletic, you can play with the program participant on one of the integrated teams. If you are not so athletic, you can help by setting up the court, serve as a referee, score keeper or host. In goal ball, the playing field is leveled because everyone wears blindfolds. As host you will cover the cost of the equipment and refreshments for the tournament participants.
Teen Empowerment Conference
Financial Contribution: $1,070
Volunteers Required: 17
Date: Saturdays, February 2024 – May 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Lighthouse Guild, 250 West 64th Street at West End Avenue
A diverse team of corporate professionals will lead a series of 45-minute workshops for visually impaired teens on a variety of topics that will empower them in three ways. They will: 1. be able to find more value in their academic work, 2. begin to prepare for the work world and, 3. develop a foundation for a financially responsible life. The topics will include:
- Financial readiness. The components of a paycheck and the need for a budget. (2 volunteers)
- Mock interviews, the right and wrong things to do during job interviews. (4 volunteers)
- The world of work. How the classes you take now lead to careers. (3 volunteers)
- Workplace attire; what’s right, what’s wrong. (4 volunteers)
- Selling yourself, how to create your elevator speech. (4 volunteers)
Lighthouse Guild Annual Holiday Celebration
Date: November-December 2024
Where:
Lighthouse Guild, 250 West 64th Street at West End Avenue
Albany/Latham GuildCare, 30Century Hill Drive, Suite 2, Latham NY 12110
Niagara Falls GuildCare, 4520 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Buffalo GuildCare 1170 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Make the Holiday season brighter for the participants in our Saturday Youth Programs and Adult Day HealthCare Programs. We invite corporate and community volunteer groups as well as individual volunteers to sponsor a student or senior and provide a personalized gift package for each for the holidays or for their birthday. The candidate’s identifying information is provided at the time of sponsorship. To sponsor a student or senior, contact Renita Carter at CarterR@lighthouseguild.org .
Santa Needs Elves: Wrap Gifts and Provide Personal Care items for People with Vision Impairment
Financial Contribution: $2100
Volunteers Required: 15
Date: Early December 2024
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: 250 West 64th Street; Between Amsterdam and West End Avenues
Every year, we work to make the Holiday season brighter for the participants in our Saturday Youth Programs, Adult Day HealthCare, Reading Services Programs and more. This year, we need a team of volunteers to wrap donated gifts and help provide and wrap the personal care items needed for our clients with the greatest need.
Host the Holiday Party for Adults at GuildCare
Financial Contribution: $1000
Volunteers Required: 15
Date: December 2024 (Exact date varies by location)
Time: 9:30 am – 3:00 pm
Location:
Manhattan GuildCare, 250 West 64th Street at West End Avenue
Albany/Latham GuildCare, 30 Century Hill Drive, Suite 2, Latham NY 12110
Niagara Falls GuildCare, 4520 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Buffalo GuildCare 1170 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Help create a festive environment for the annual Guild Care holiday parties! Your groups will add to the festivities as host who interact with the clients with holiday craft activities, games trivia and more! A great opportunity to wear your ugly holiday sweater! The culmination of the event will be when your team member serves as the man (or woman) in the red suit to distribute the holiday gifts and treats.
Bring Our Reading Program to Your Location
Date: Weekdays; On Going
Do you want to bring an on-going service opportunity to your company? The Reading Services Program is looking for locations for visually impaired adults to have 1- or 2-hour reading sessions with a volunteer. The mission of this program is to ensure that printed material-for personal, educational or professional use is accessible to people who are visually impaired. The client will provide the reading material. The content can range from personal mail to newspapers, magazines, mail books, and textbooks, class notes and research materials and a wide variety of business documents. To participate, the company must provide a private space for the reading pair to read that is available at the same time each week. Access to a computer, printer or WiFi is ideal. The minimum commitment is at least six months.
Visionary Partners Program
Lighthouse Guild’s Visionary Partner Program offers numerous levels by which corporations can have an immediate, positive impact on the lives of people who are visually impaired. For more information about this program, contact Cheryl A. Pemberton Graves at Gravesc@lighthouseguild.org.
- Music Education with Lincoln Center for the teens in the Saturday Youth Transition Program – Through musical performances Lincoln Center Education’s mission is to enrich the lives of students by providing opportunities for engagement with the arts onstage, in the classroom, digitally, and in the community. The donation of 32 tickets for Saturday performances is ideal. Donation: TBD
- Youth Programs – We welcome corporate sponsorship and participation for recreational, cultural, and educational activities during the hours of 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, on Saturday that support the programmatic agenda of developing well-rounded, confident and independent teens. Past events have included Tandem Bike Rides, Career Prep workshops and bowling outings.
- In-Kind Donations – There are opportunities for partners to donate needed items for our clients, they include laptops and Braille embossers for the Reading Services Program to support the reading and printing needs of clients, and staff who are blind and low vision.