What Center for Sight & Hearing does

Center for Sight & Hearing is a 501c3 nonprofit dual-specialty clinic headquartered in Rockford, Illinois, founded in 1962 as the Winnebago County Association of the Blind and operating today from a nearly 24,000 square foot facility at 8038 MacIntosh Lane. The organization delivers integrated vision and hearing care to individuals across Northern Illinois, Central Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin, serving approximately 9,150 patients in 2022 across its core clinical lines. Vision services include comprehensive clinical exams, low vision optometry, vision rehabilitation, technology training (screen readers, magnifiers, accessibility software), Orientation & Mobility (white cane) training, OrCam MyEye wearable assistive devices, and Braille transcription with over 25 years of experience. Hearing services include audiology assessments, hearing aids from the top five manufacturers across multiple form factors (RITE, CIC, BTE, ITE/ITC) with Bluetooth and Auracast connectivity, cochlear implant mapping, tinnitus management, pediatric hearing care, and ITAC telephone equipment distribution.

The business model is a hybrid of clinical fee-for-service and philanthropic funding. Clinical revenues derive from unit-priced services such as $150 hearing exams, $200-$250 hearing aid programming fees, repair and accessory fees, and hearing aid device sales. The operations are significantly underwritten by donations, grants, and fundraising events, with the organization stating that 82 cents of every donated dollar flows directly to programming. Notable grants include $30,000 from Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging for low-income senior hearing aids, $29,000 from the Illinois Fraternal Order of Eagles, and a $10,000 Lions of Illinois Foundation grant. The customer base is overwhelmingly individual patients (children and adults with vision or hearing loss, including seniors with age-related conditions), supplemented by community partner referrals from Lions Clubs, healthcare providers, schools, and the Illinois Department of Human Services. Sales channels are direct clinical delivery via walk-in hours, scheduled appointments, and online appointment requests, with a satellite office in Morton, IL extending geographic reach.

Name

Center for Sight & Hearing

Legal name

Center for Sight & Hearing

Website

https://cshni.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Center for Sight & Hearing is a 501c3 nonprofit dual-specialty clinic in Rockford, Illinois, founded in 1962, providing integrated vision and hearing care, rehabilitation, assistive technology, and support services to individuals with vision or hearing loss across Northern Illinois, Central Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vision and Hearing Care Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vision & Ophthalmic Diagnostic Centers (Optometry/OCT/Retinal Imaging) (HLAFAKAI), Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)

Keywords

• Vision care services
• Hearing care services
• Assistive technology training
• Vision rehabilitation services
• Hearing aid services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Clinical Services Revenue: Revenue from hearing exams, hearing aids, vision exams, and related clinical services. Hearing aid sales from top 5 major manufacturers. Pricing for exams, programming, repairs, and accessories.
2. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events including Gerald Broski Memorial Golf Outing, Dining in the Dark, and Hike for Hearing 5K. Golf Outing raised over $40,000 in 2026 for vision clinic equipment.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donations with 82 cents of every dollar going directly to programming and services. Also includes memorial gifts, in-kind gifts, and matching gifts from employers.
4. Grant Funding: Received $29,000 in grants from Illinois Fraternal Order of Eagles, $30,000 from Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging for hearing aids for low-income seniors, $10,000 Lions of Illinois Foundation grant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Center for Sight & Hearing is a nonprofit dual-specialty clinic delivering integrated vision and hearing care, including clinical vision exams, low vision optometry, hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing from the top five manufacturers, vision rehabilitation, orientation and mobility (white cane) training, assistive technology training, cochlear implant mapping, Braille transcription, OrCam MyEye device distribution, sign language instruction, and social/support groups for deaf and low vision communities. The organization serves residents of Northern Illinois, Central Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin from its Rockford headquarters and Morton, IL satellite office.

Product overview

Center for Sight & Hearing is a nonprofit dual-specialty clinic offering integrated vision and hearing care services through multiple specialized products. Vision services include the Vision Clinic (clinical eye exams and low vision optometry), Vision Rehabilitation Services, Technology Training (access and assistive technology), Orientation & Mobility Training, OrCam MyEye wearable assistive technology, and Braille Transcription. Hearing services include the Hearing Clinic (audiology assessments and cochlear implant mapping), Hearing Aids (multiple styles including RITE, CIC, BTE, ITE/ITC from major manufacturers), Hearing Aid How-To support, and ITAC phone equipment distribution. The organization also offers Sign Language Classes (Levels I-III) and Social & Support Groups for both deaf and low vision communities. All services are provided at the Rockford headquarters with satellite locations in Morton, IL and throughout northern Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vision Clinic / Clinical Vision Services Comprehensive eye care including clinical exams, low vision optometry, and treatment for conditions such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration for patients with any level of vision loss.
• Vision Rehabilitation Services Vision rehabilitation counseling providing low vision device recommendations, home environment adaptations, label appliances, and training for independent living for individuals with vision loss.
• Technology Training Comprehensive technology assessment and training program including access technology (screen readers, magnifiers, smartphones) and assistive technology (CCTV magnifiers, portable electronic magnifiers, big button telephones, talking book players).
• Orientation & Mobility Training White cane training for individuals with vision loss to safely commute and navigate, taught by certified orientation and mobility instructors.
• OrCam MyEye Wearable assistive technology solution featuring a smart camera mounted on eyeglasses frames that recognizes faces, identifies products and money, and converts visual information to speech for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or have reading disabilities.
• Braille Transcription Transcription service converting print materials into Braille, including court, medical, educational, community flyers, and personal materials. Requests require at least 3 weeks advance notice.
• Hearing Clinic / Clinical Hearing Services Comprehensive hearing services including pediatric and adult assessments, speech in noise testing, hearing aid selection, fitting, real ear verification, wax removal, tinnitus management, and cochlear implant mapping.
• Hearing Aids Audiologist-curated hearing aids from the top five manufacturers in styles including Receiver-In-The-Ear (RITE), Completely-In-Canal (CIC), Behind-The-Ear (BTE), and In-The-Ear/In-The-Canal (ITE/ITC), featuring Bluetooth, Auracast, rechargeable battery, and direct iPhone connectivity.
• ITAC (Illinois Telecommunication Access Corporation) Distribution Distribution of specialized telephone equipment through the Illinois Telecommunication Access Corporation program to deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, deaf-blind, and speech-disabled Illinois residents.
• Sign Language Classes Three levels of American Sign Language instruction: Level I (basics including alphabet, finger spelling, colors, family signs, food, weather), Level II (expanded vocabulary and other sign systems), and Level III (words used differently in conversation), offered at $75 for an 8-week session.
• Social & Support Groups Deaf Senior Social Groups (for individuals 55+ fluent in ASL) and Low Vision Social & Support Groups including dinner, support group meetings, fellowship meetings, Fun Friday, and virtual support groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,150 patients served in 2022
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lions Clubs InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lions Clubs International for community outreach, referrals, and fundraising. Lions clubs across the state sell roses annually to support the Center. The organization is often referred to as 'The House That Roses Built' due to Lions' fundraising efforts.
• Lions of Illinois FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLions of Illinois Foundation provides grant funding. Received $10,000 Lions of Illinois Foundation grant. Kirkland Lions and Sycamore Lions sponsor Dining in the Dark events.
• Fraternal Order of EaglescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllinois Fraternal Order of Eagles raised and donated $30,000, with $19,000 earmarked for Vision Clinic expansion. Terry Gobin, former Illinois State Eagles President, led fundraising efforts.
• Leader Dogs for the BlindminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for providing Leader Dog services. Provides training to receive a Leader Dog for eligible clients with vision loss.
• Central Illinois Center for the Blind and Visually ImpairedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner providing care for people with vision loss in Illinois.
• Crusader Community HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity health partner for providing healthcare services to patients.
• Illinois Department of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly Intervention program partnership for children with hearing loss. Illinois Department of Human Services provides support and referrals for services.
• UIC Specialized Care for ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UIC Specialized Care for Children to provide hearing care to children from infants to young adults.
• Milestone IncorporatedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving people with disabilities in Illinois.
• RAMPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRAMP (Rehabilitation, Achievement, Motivation, Progress) is a Center for Independent Living partner providing services to people with disabilities.
• Rockford Lions ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRockford Lions Club coordinates the Hike for Hearing 5K Run/Walk with CSH. Lions clubs historically supported the organization since its founding.
• Rockford Lions ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rockford Lions Club for the 2nd Annual Hike for Hearing 5K Run/Walk at Rock Cut State Park.
• Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging (NIAAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $30,000 from NIAAA to provide hearing aids for low-income seniors.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• OrCam Technologies: Developer of wearable visual-assistance technology, including the OrCam MyEye device offered by the Center. It is an adjacent technology participant that shares the Center’s assistive-tech target users but does not operate an integrated clinic.

Direct peers

• Miracle-Ear: Hearing-care retailer and audiology provider focused on hearing assessments and hearing-aid solutions. It is comparable to the Center’s adult hearing services, device sales, fitting, and follow-up support.
• MyEyeDr: Optometry and eyewear network providing eye examinations, corrective lenses, and related clinical services. It overlaps the Center’s clinical vision exams and optical-product offering, with a primarily commercial delivery model.
• The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. Nonprofit serving people who are blind or visually impaired through rehabilitation, assistive technology, training, and employment services. Its target population and specialized vision-care model are directly comparable, although it operates in a different region.
• The Chicago Lighthouse: Chicago-based nonprofit providing low-vision rehabilitation, assistive technology, orientation and mobility, and related services. It closely overlaps the Center’s vision-loss mission and rehabilitation offering.
• Beltone: National hearing-care provider offering hearing evaluations, hearing aids, fitting, and ongoing support. It directly overlaps the Center’s hearing clinic, hearing-aid selection, and maintenance services.

Broad incumbents

• Visionworks: Large optical retail and optometry provider offering eye exams and eyewear. It is a broad incumbent comparator for the Center’s primary eye-care and corrective-lens activities.

Emerging players

• The Carroll Center for the Blind: Nonprofit provider of blind and low-vision rehabilitation, assistive technology, and orientation-and-mobility training. It is directly comparable to the Center’s specialized vision rehabilitation and independence-building services.
• Envision: Nonprofit vision-rehabilitation and assistive-technology organization serving people with vision loss. It is comparable in low-vision rehabilitation, access technology, and specialized disability support, though it is based in another region.

Regional players

• Vision Forward: Milwaukee-based nonprofit serving people with vision loss through low-vision rehabilitation, assistive technology, and independent-living training. Its geographic proximity to the Center’s Southern Wisconsin service area makes it a useful regional comparison.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@centerforsightandhearing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-sight-hearing

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Sight & Hearing