Tag Archive

Support

A Gift That Lives On

05/30/2014 Andrea Ogarrio

There are many reasons to make a bequest. A bequest allows you to honor a loved one, while providing critical support to an organization. Giving by bequest costs nothing now, yet it may give you a great deal of satisfaction to know that your future gift will live on, promoting independence, self-reliance and confidence for blind and visually impaired individuals for years to come.

The lasting impact of bequests-both large and small-has helped shape the LightHouse for the Blind into what it is today. For many friends of the LightHouse, a charitable bequest is the easiest and best way to make a gift. By means of your will or other estate plan, you can name LightHouse for the Blind or Enchanted Hills Camp as the beneficiary of a portion of your estate, or of particular assets in your estate. Many of the most powerful gifts with an enduring impact have been bequests.

Even last month we received the latest gift of enduring love – a $906,000 bequest from Agnes Cole to be used to help support LightHouse programs over the long term.

If you would like to make a bequest to make a lasting difference, read more about leaving a legacy to the LightHouse.

You can also read our new LightHouse Planned Giving Guide. We are deeply grateful for your support.

Cover of LightHouse Planned Giving Guide

LightHouse News

Introducing the Mind’s Eye Therapy Group

04/28/2014 Lisamaria Martinez 1 Comment

LightHouse for the Blind’s Counseling and Psychological Services Program is offering a new therapy group called Mind’s Eye, intended for individuals with recent changes in their vision who are moving forward in their lives. With guidance from our staff psychologist, Connie Conley-Jung, Ph.D., the group facilitator, Ms. Rachel Longan, M.S. has thoughtfully designed this group for adults who are navigating this very personal journey.

Changes in vision can affect many aspects of a person’s life. Students who are participating in this group are able to process their experiences in a safe and caring setting. Ms. Longan incorporates a variety of techniques and experiential exercises into each session. Some of the topics the group is covering include new challenges in relationships, social participation, and emotional factors commonly associated with adjusting to changes in vision.

We already have one active group and we’re looking to recruit a second one. The series runs for 8-weeks as is held on Thursday afternoons at LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters. If you are interested in enrolling in a future Mind’s Eye therapy group please contact Dr. Connie Conley-Jung at 415 694-7307 or email her at cjung@lighthouse-sf.org.

About the Therapist
Ms. Rachel Longan has 8 years of experience conducting support groups and five years of supervised therapy hours in a variety of settings. Rachel is visually impaired and has co-facilitated a year-long support group specifically for individuals experiencing recent vision loss.

Ms. Longan has guest lectured at the International Conference on Costello Syndrome and at UC Berkeley. She is a Registered Marriage and Family Intern at the Lighthouse (supervised by Connie Conley-Jung, Ph.D.) and also works at the Pacific Center in Berkeley.

LightHouse News

Another Large Bequest Crowns a Very Caring Year for LightHouse

04/28/2014 Andrea Ogarrio

Last month we were heartened and grateful to receive a bequest of $906,000 from the Agnes T. Cole Trust. Agnes believed in our life-changing programs for the blind and included the LightHouse in her estate plans. These types of planned gifts are transformational for the LightHouse. Planned Gifts of any size enable us to plan for the future, invest in innovative new programming, and enhance our offerings for the blind and low vision community.

The LightHouse has been the beneficiary of more than $25 million in such bequests over the last generation, and this thoughtful kindness has made us able to continue to offer programs and services available nowhere else in Northern California.

To learn more about Planned Giving and its transformative power, we have a resource for you and your family: the LightHouse Planned Giving Guide. The Guide outlines and compares a variety of methods of estate planning vehicles and the benefits of each. You have the opportunity to ensure that future generations of blind children, teens, adults and seniors receive the training and support they need to live their lives to the fullest.

With your investment in the LightHouse, we can help blind and visually impaired people gain confidence and attain skills to find employment, become self-reliant, and fulfill their dreams. You can make a difference, and there are many gift options from which to choose, ranging from bequests to gifts that pay you income for life. You can take a look at an electronic copy of it here.

To receive a printed or braille copy, please contact us giving@lighthouse-sf.org.

Want to discuss planned gifts opportunities or notify us of your intentions? Please contact Jennifer Sachs, Director of Development, at 415-694-7333 or jsachs@lighthouse-sf.org.