Lighthouse of Collier

What Lighthouse of Collier does

Lighthouse of Collier, Inc. is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 and headquartered at 2685 Horseshoe Drive South, Suite 101, Naples, FL. It is the only agency in Collier County providing vision-loss services to individuals of all ages, delivering Early Intervention (birth through age 5), Children's Programs (ages 6–13), Transition Programs (ages 14–24), Adult Programs, and a Music Program at no charge to clients. Programmatic scope spans orientation and mobility, assistive technology training (JAWS, VoiceOver, iPhone/iPad accessibility), independent living skills, braille education (including music braille via GoodFeel software), vocational rehabilitation, support groups, and summer camps.

The organization earns no service revenue from clients. Its revenue mechanics are a three-stream nonprofit model: (1) donations and charitable contributions (individual giving, memorial/vehicle donations, planned giving); (2) foundation and corporate grants (notably Naples Children & Education Foundation, Collier Community Foundation, Arthrex, Moorings Park Foundation, The League Club); and (3) state legislative/government funding through the Florida Division of Blind Services. A November 2023 $1 million donation from Sue Bookbinder was the largest single gift in organizational history.

Distribution is direct-to-client through in-person services at the Naples center, home-based services for homebound clients funded by legislative grants, and remote/virtual service delivery. Go-to-market is community-led: referral pipelines from local eye doctors, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Florida Lions Eye Clinic, and senior living facilities, supported by annual benefit events, White Cane Awareness Day activities, and earned media coverage. The organization carries 12+ specialized staff (Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Program Director, Rehabilitation Instructor/Occupational Therapist) and earned FULL Accreditation from the Association for Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind & Visually Impaired (AER) in January 2023. Geographic operations are restricted to Collier County, FL.

Name

Lighthouse of Collier

Legal name

Lighthouse of Collier, Inc.

Website

https://lighthouseofcollier.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lighthouse of Collier is a Naples, Florida-based nonprofit founded in 2009 and the only Collier County agency providing free vision-loss services to individuals of all ages — spanning early intervention, children's programs, transition-age youth, adults, seniors, and music education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vision Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Technology (AT) Access & AAC Access Support (OT-Led) (EDAKAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vision & Hearing Early Intervention Services (EDACAFAN), Early Intervention OT (Birth–3) / Preschool OT (EDAKAFAJ)

Keywords

• Vision rehabilitation services
• Assistive technology training
• Blind and visually impaired support
• Nonprofit social services
• Independent living skills

Headquarters

HQ city

Naples

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, memorial donations, vehicle donations, Amazon Smile, and planned giving programs
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Grants from organizations such as Naples Children & Education Foundation, Collier Community Foundation, Arthrex, The League Club, and Moorings Park Foundation
3. Legislative/Government Funding: Florida Division of Blind Services funding and legislative grants from Florida state government

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lighthouse of Collier is a nonprofit rehabilitation and social services organization that provides free programs and services to blind and visually impaired individuals of all ages in Collier County, Florida. Its offerings span Early Intervention for babies (birth to age 5), Children's Programs (ages 6-13), Transition Programs (ages 14-24), Adult Programs, and a Music Program featuring Braille music instruction. All services are delivered at no charge through in-center, home-based, and remote modalities.

Product overview

Lighthouse of Collier is a non-profit service organization providing programs and services at no charge to help the blind and visually impaired become independent. The organization offers five core service programs: Early Intervention & Babies (birth through age 5), Children's Programs (ages 6 to 13), Transition Program (ages 14 to 24), Adult Programs, and a Music Program. All services are provided free of charge to clients in Collier County, Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Intervention & Babies Program (Birth through Age 5) Provides programs and services for infants and young children from birth through age 5 who are blind or visually impaired, including home visits, family education, developmental support, tactile skills, and visual stimulation. Designed for families of children with visual impairments or at risk for vision loss in Collier County.
• Children's Programs (Ages 6 to 13) Programs for school-age children focusing on independent living skills, assistive technology, communication skills, social interaction, recreation and leisure, orientation and mobility, career education, sensory efficiency, and self-advocacy through the Expanded Core Curriculum. Includes a summer camp and iPad Program for children.
• Transition Program (Ages 14 to 24) Services for teenagers and young adults offering career, college, and life skills development through engaging learning experiences and community integration. Includes a Transition Camp (ages 14-21) held at community locations such as Girl Scout House in Downtown Naples.
• Adult Programs Comprehensive services for adults and seniors who are blind or visually impaired, including rehabilitation instruction, assistive technology training (JAWS, VoiceOver, iPhone/iPad), orientation and mobility, independent living skills, vocational rehabilitation, and support groups.
• Music Program Program enabling visually impaired and blind students to read and write music using specialized tools including GoodFeel software to convert print music to Braille, and Braille music code instruction.
• Home-Based Services Services provided in clients' homes for those who are homebound or unable to travel, made possible by legislative grants from the Florida Division of Blind Services.
• Remote/Virtual Services Virtual classes, support groups, and individual lessons delivered via phone and video conferencing for clients unable to attend in person.

Quantifiable outcome

• Maintained independence at home for clients who would otherwise require institutional care
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Florida Lions Eye CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEye care clinic providing ophthalmology services and referrals; part of the VisionServe Alliance network
• Bascom Palmer Eye Institute - University of Miami Health SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier eye institute providing specialized eye care and referrals; one of the nation's leading eye care centers
• Florida Agencies Serving the BlindminorOthersStatewide association of agencies providing blindness services; CEO Robin Goldstone Garcia's predecessor (Scott Flagel) was elected Treasurer
• VisionServe AllianceminorOthersNational alliance of vision loss organizations providing best practices, networking, and advocacy
• Collier Area Paratransit SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation partnership helping clients access appointments and community resources independently

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lighthouse Guild: Large NYC-based nonprofit combining vision rehabilitation with behavioral health and healthcare services. Comparable as an AER-accredited vision services provider operating on a significantly larger scale and broader service portfolio.

Regional players

• Broward Lighthouse for the Blind: Florida nonprofit in Broward County providing rehabilitation, technology training, and support services for blind/visually impaired clients. Comparable in mission and program structure; serves a different regional market in Florida.
• Lighthouse for the Blind of the Palm Beaches: Regional Florida nonprofit delivering assistive technology training, independent living skills, and orientation & mobility for the visually impaired. Closely comparable program mix but serving a different Florida geography (Palm Beach County).
• Visually Impaired Persons of Charlotte County: Small Florida nonprofit serving visually impaired clients with peer support, assistive technology, and independent living services in an adjacent county. Closely comparable in mission and small-NPO scale to Lighthouse of Collier.

Others

• Bascom Palmer Eye Institute: Premier academic eye care institution and active Lighthouse of Collier referral partner. Comparable as an ecosystem participant in the blindness services value chain, providing clinical diagnoses that drive referrals into rehabilitation agencies.
• American Foundation for the Blind: National nonprofit focused on research, advocacy, and resources for the blind. Comparable as a peer in the blindness services ecosystem, though operating at national scope with a different functional focus than direct service delivery.
• Florida Agencies Serving the Blind: Statewide association of agencies providing blindness services. Lighthouse of Collier's predecessor CEO was elected Treasurer, indicating active membership; comparable as a peer network of mission-aligned Florida agencies.
• Florida Lions Eye Clinic: Eye care clinic and referral partner within the VisionServe Alliance network. Comparable as a complementary service provider in the Florida blindness ecosystem, addressing clinical eye care that feeds Lighthouse's rehabilitation pipeline.

Direct peers

• Lighthouse Central Florida: Florida-based nonprofit providing rehabilitation, education, and independent living services for blind and visually impaired individuals. Directly comparable as a regional Lighthouse-affiliated agency offering similar lifespan programs from early intervention through adult services.

Emerging players

• National Federation of the Blind of Florida: State affiliate of a national advocacy and self-help organization for the blind. Comparable as a Florida-based peer organization serving visually impaired individuals, though focused more on advocacy and peer support than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/lighthouseofcollier
• Xx.com/lighthouse_of_c

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Lighthouse of Collier