Sights for Hope

What Sights for Hope does

Sights for Hope is a Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1928 that provides rehabilitation, prevention, and support services for people who are blind or visually impaired. It operates two regional service centers in Allentown (Lehigh Valley) and Stroudsburg (Monroe County) with approximately 30 professionals and 60 volunteers, delivering services at little or no cost to clients across three counties. The organization's service model is organized around three pillars: Skills (life skills education, orientation and mobility training, technology skills delivered by ACVREP-certified vision rehabilitation therapists), Supports (casework, guided door-through-door transport, personal counseling, peer support groups, the Posch Braille Library), and Solutions (functional low vision exams by an on-staff optometrist and assistive device consultations).

Its product portfolio spans Life Skills Education, Assistive Device Solutions and Low Vision Care, Client Supports and Activities, Prevention Services (including free Spot Vision Screener screenings for pre-kindergarten children), Youth Programs (Camp I CAN!, Mom and Me in Motion, Preschool Playtime, Transitions), the Focused Futures Partnerships referral network with Valley Health Partners and VSP Eyes of Hope, and two client-led Lions Clubs. Its core technology is the handheld Spot Vision Screener for pediatric vision screening, supplemented by conventional assistive hardware and a services database tracking client outcomes.

Sights for Hope's revenue model blends 41% private contributions (individual donations, foundation grants, special events, planned giving, cryptocurrency donations), 34% service revenue and assistive device sales (PA Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services subsidizes over 62% of assistive device sales, plus contracts with County of Lehigh, County of Monroe, PAB, and Pocono Mountains United Way), and 24% distributions from the separately incorporated Sights for Hope Endowment Foundation. The organization holds Charity Navigator's four-star rating for five consecutive years and Candid's Platinum Transparency rating for six consecutive years, and is ranked first among 25 Pennsylvania Association for the Blind member agencies in service hours.

Name

Sights for Hope

Legal name

Sights for Hope

Website

https://sightsforhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vision Rehabilitation and Preventive Eye Health Services

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Offices of Optometrists (621320)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Vision Impairment & Blind/Low-Vision Inclusive Childcare (HSAAAIAK)

Keywords

• Vision rehabilitation services
• Assistive technology solutions
• Low vision care
• Community vision screenings
• Blindness support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Allentown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Contributions: 41% of funding comes from private contributions including standard donations, private grants, bequests and estate gifts, and special event contributions. The organization has expanded giving options to include cryptocurrency donations via Every.org platform.
2. Service Revenue: 34% of funding comes from contracts for services and sales of assistive devices. Contracts with two private organizations (Pennsylvania Association for the Blind and Pocono Mountains United Way) and two government organizations (County of Lehigh and County of Monroe). More than 62% of assistive device sales are subsidized by Pennsylvania Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS).
3. Endowment Foundation: 24% of funding comes from the affiliated Sights for Hope Endowment Foundation, a separate nonprofit with its own 501(c)(3) status and Board of Directors. The foundation invests and stewards assets to support long-term sustainability and provides an annual allocation toward operating budget. Investment portfolios managed by Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management and ESSA Bank.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sights for Hope is an independent nonprofit organization that delivers vision rehabilitation and prevention services to people who are blind or have visual impairments in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and Monroe County. Its offerings span life skills education, low vision exams, assistive device solutions, client casework and counseling, guided transport, and pre-kindergarten vision screenings. Services are provided at little or no cost through two regional service centers, mobile outreach, and in-home visits.

Product overview

Sights for Hope is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of rehabilitation and prevention services for people with visual impairments and blindness. The organization operates as a single integrated service model (not a platform-plus-modules architecture) centered on three pillars: Skills (life skills education, orientation and mobility training, technology skills), Supports (casework, guided transport, counseling, peer groups), and Solutions (low vision exams, assistive devices). Key named programs include Life Skills Education, Assistive Device Solutions/Low Vision Care, Client Supports and Activities, Prevention Services with vision screenings using the Spot Vision Screener, Youth Programs (Camp I CAN!, Transitions), Focused Futures Partnerships, and the Posch Braille Library. Two client-led Lions Clubs provide community service opportunities. Services are delivered from two regional service centers in Allentown and Stroudsburg, PA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Life Skills Education Adaptive skills training for people with visual impairments covering Braille, kitchen safety, meal preparation, check writing, personal organization, in-home lighting adjustments, orientation and mobility, technology skills, financial planning, fraud protection, and voting. Delivered by ACVREP-certified vision rehabilitation therapists.
• Assistive Device Solutions / Low Vision Care Functional low vision exams by Dr. Anthony Silvetti, O.D., with consultations on low-tech and high-tech assistive devices and magnifiers available at Low Vision Care Areas in both service centers. Exams are Medicare-eligible; assistive device sales are subsidized by BBVS for more than 62% of transactions.
• Client Supports and Activities Individualized client support including casework guidance, guided door-through-door transport, personal counseling, peer support groups (e.g., Women's Client Support Group), social and recreational activities (e.g., Crafters Corner), and access to the Posch Braille Library with over 400 Braille books, games, and items. Bilingual casework services available.
• Prevention Services Free pre-kindergarten vision screenings (ages 0-6) using the handheld Spot Vision Screener at preschools, daycares, and kindergarten registration events, plus community education programs: C. Well Bunny Goes to School (preschoolers), Low Vision Road Show (communities), Eyes in the Library (students), and Doing Things Differently (professionals).
• Youth Programs Programs for children and youth with visual impairments including Camp I CAN! summer day program (ages 7-13), Mom and Me in Motion (ages 2 and under), Preschool Playtime (ages 3-7), and Youth Transitions program for teens exploring educational and career opportunities.
• Focused Futures Partnerships Referral and enrollment program connecting qualifying families with free or low-cost eye care services from Valley Health Partners, Stroudsburg Eye Specialists, Pennsylvania Vision Foundation, and VSP Eyes of Hope gift certificates.
• Posch Braille Library Braille library at the Lehigh Valley Services Center containing over 400 Braille books, games, and items for clients to borrow.
• Guided Transport Services Door-through-door guided transport for clients to medical appointments, grocery shopping, agency programs, and other critical needs, with drivers trained in guiding clients with visual impairments. Ticket fee: $3.50 per trip / $7 round trip; no qualified client denied due to financial hardship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96.3% of participating clients improve their ability to perform daily activities
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Muhlenberg College Pickleball ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 October 2026Muhlenberg College's Pickleball Club organized the inaugural Lehigh Valley Intercollegiate Pickleball Tournament on October 4, 2026, selecting Sights for Hope as the charitable partner to raise awareness about blindness and visual impairments. Expected to draw approximately 150 players from eight Lehigh Valley colleges and universities.
• Valley Health Partners (VHP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValley Health Partners (VHP) in Allentown, PA, provides eye exams, glasses, and other optometry services for children ages 0-6 with a sliding scale fee structure. VHP is a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike (FQHC-LA) by HRSA that does not turn patients away based on ability to pay. Sights for Hope provides referrals for families and coordinates directly with VHP professionals through the Focused Futures partnerships program.
• Stroudsburg Eye SpecialistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStroudsburg Eye Specialists in Tannersville, PA, provides free eye exams and glasses for qualifying Monroe County families. These free services are underwritten by the Tannersville Lions Club. Sights for Hope connects eligible families through the Focused Futures partnerships program.
• Pennsylvania Vision FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pennsylvania Vision Foundation, an affiliate of Vision Benefits of America (VBA), provides free eye exams and glasses to Pennsylvania families with incomes of 300% or less of the federal poverty threshold who are underinsured for vision care. Sights for Hope team members confirm qualifications and enroll families into the program.
• VSP Eyes of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSights for Hope is an authorized distributor of VSP Eyes of Hope gift certificates for access to free eye exams and glasses from participating eye care professionals. Families with incomes no greater than 200% of the federal poverty threshold and no other insurance coverage for eye care and eyewear qualify.
• Pennsylvania Association for the Blind (PAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAB is a private association that receives funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services annually for Sights for Hope's contract. Sights for Hope is an independent member of PAB, which comprises 25 member agencies serving 66 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. PAB has been affiliated with Sights for Hope since its inception in 1928.
• Pennsylvania Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBVS is a division of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. It has a legal mandate to assist blind and visually impaired persons to gain employment and become self-sufficient and to deliver comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services. More than 62% of Sights for Hope's assistive device sales are subsidized by BBVS, which also refers clients to Sights for Hope's services.
• Lehigh University (College of Health / CDAT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLehigh University's Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies (CDAT), led by Vinod Namboodiri, Ph.D., is conducting the MABLE (Mapping for Accessible Built Environments) initiative with Good Shepherd Rehabilitation to test a wayfinding app for people with vision loss. Sights for Hope clients participate in testing. Namboodiri also serves on the Sights for Hope Board of Directors.
• Good Shepherd Rehabilitation NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGood Shepherd Rehabilitation Network is a joint partner with Lehigh University on the MABLE initiative for indoor wayfinding for people with disabilities. Sights for Hope's Devin Darby, OTR-L, works as co-lead of Good Shepherd's low vision program.
• United Way of the Greater Lehigh ValleycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of Sights for Hope's major champions and funding partners. Provides financial support and helps connect donors to Sights for Hope through United Way workplace giving campaigns.
• Pocono Mountains United WaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of Sights for Hope's major champions and funding partners. Provides financial support for Monroe County services and helps connect donors through workplace giving campaigns.
• Lions Pennsylvania Districts 14-K and 14-U and Their ClubscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLions clubs from Lehigh and Northampton counties (District 14-K) and Monroe County (District 14-U) provide substantial financial support, volunteer drivers, and community advocacy. The annual Lions Campaign raised $48,535 in 2026 and $50,250 in 2025 from 28+ clubs. Sights for Hope traces its founding to Lions clubs in 1928.
• VisionServe AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA multinational network of North American agencies that serve people with visual impairments. Sights for Hope is a member of the VisionServe Alliance, connecting it with peer organizations globally.
• Pennsylvania Lions District 14-KcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Lions Clubs in Lehigh and Northampton counties. District leadership automatically serves on the Sights for Hope Board as Lions Leadership Director. Provides annual financial support through the Lions Campaign.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Prevent Blindness: National nonprofit focused on vision preservation and eye health screening. Sights for Hope's pre-kindergarten screening program (5,000+ annually) aligns with Prevent Blindness's prevention mission, though Sights for Hope also delivers full rehabilitation services beyond screening.
• American Foundation for the Blind: National nonprofit advocacy and research organization for people with vision loss. Operates in adjacent space (policy, research, resources) and is a peer VisionServe Alliance member alongside Sights for Hope, though focused on systems-level work rather than direct service delivery.

Direct peers

• Chicago Lighthouse: Chicago-based nonprofit serving people with visual impairments through rehabilitation, assistive technology, vocational training, and youth programs. Comparable to Sights for Hope in mission, integrated service model (skills, supports, solutions), and rehabilitation/prevention focus.
• Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Regional Ohio nonprofit offering vision rehabilitation, life skills training, assistive devices, and prevention services. Closely comparable to Sights for Hope in size, mission, and integrated service architecture across skills/supports/solutions.
• Lighthouse Guild: Major New York-area nonprofit providing vision rehabilitation, low vision exams, assistive technology, and support services for people with visual impairments. Directly comparable to Sights for Hope in service mix, though operating at significantly larger scale in a denser metro market.
• Cleveland Sight Center: Northeast Ohio nonprofit providing vision rehabilitation, low vision services, assistive technology, and early childhood vision screenings. Similar regional nonprofit structure, service breadth, and youth prevention focus as Sights for Hope.
• Lighthouse for the Blind of Houston: Texas-based nonprofit providing rehabilitation, employment, and assistive technology services for people with visual impairments. Comparable integrated service delivery model and mission to Sights for Hope, operating in a different regional market.

Others

• VisionServe Alliance: Multinational network of North American agencies serving people with visual impairments. Sights for Hope is a member agency, making VisionServe Alliance a peer ecosystem organization rather than a direct competitor; it provides shared learning and benchmarking across similar organizations.
• Foundation Fighting Blindness: National nonprofit funding research for retinal degenerative diseases. Adjacent to Sights for Hope's client population (70% of whom have progressive retinal conditions), but focused on research rather than service delivery, making it a thematic peer rather than a direct competitor.
• Pennsylvania Association for the Blind: Private association of 25 member agencies serving 66 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. Sights for Hope has been affiliated with PAB since its 1928 founding and receives state contract funding through PAB. Functions as both a peer network and a funding conduit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MonroeSfHLions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sights-for-hope

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Sights for Hope