June 29, 2021
Grant awards total more than $325,000 to improve the lives of the blind and visually impaired
CINCINNATI – Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired (Clovernook Center) announced that it has received 12 grants totaling more than $325,000 to fund equipment upgrades and new programming to benefit people who are blind and visually impaired (BVI) in the Greater Cincinnati community.
Michael Ehrensberger, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, says each of the grants is essential to the work and mission of the institution.
“Thanks to the generous support of these institutions and foundations, Clovernook Center is able to provide a variety of resources to the BVI community,” said Ehrensberger. “Our nonprofit works in many capacities with those who are blind or low vision to enrich and improve their lives. None of the work we do would be possible without the generous support of our funders.”
A $112,500 grant from The Ettlinger Memorial Trust Fund, as well as generous donations from several foundations, will fund the continued work of Clovernook Center’s Pediatric Low Vision Clinic, a partnership between Clovernook Center and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. This grant will enable the clinic to provide low vision and assessment services for clients age 3-21 living with uncorrectable visual impairments that can interfere with academic performance and daily activities.
The Pediatric Low Vision Clinic, working with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Ophthalmology, works to enhance each child’s remaining vision and provide access to visual environments in and outside the classroom. Clovernook Center’s program is unique in that it offers comprehensive services focusing on literacy, communication, safe travel, daily living activities, and social interactions.
Clovernook Center’s Pediatric Low Vision Clinic is also made possible by generous support from:
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- $30,000 – The Daniel and Susan Pfau Foundation
- $25,000 – Charles H. Dater Foundation
- $20,000 – Erma A. Bantz Foundation
- $10,000 – The Andrew Jergens Foundation
- $6,000 – William P. Anderson Foundation
- $35,500 from the Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation was received to support a portion of the salary for a Pediatric Low Vision Clinic Coordinator. Additionally, $16,000 from the Spaulding Foundation was received to purchase tools needed to assist children who visit the Pediatric Low Vision Clinic.
Additional grant funding received by Clovernook Center will allow the agency to continue the work of the Arts & Accessibility Initiative and other programs and services. Clovernook Center is grateful for the following grants:
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- A $30,000 grant from The Louise Taft Semple Foundation will support Clovernook Center’s Arts and Accessibility Initiative, which began in 2016. These funds will be used to offer accessible opportunities for blind and visually impaired individuals in arts and culture, locally and throughout the United States.
- A $25,000 grant from the Thomas J. Emery Memorial has been secured to hire a dedicated Arts & Accessibility staff member. As the Arts & Accessibility Program has grown, so too has the need for a dedicated staff person to manage the program itself. The Arts & Accessibility Coordinator will work directly with partner organizations. They will streamline processes and ensure quality control.
- A $5,000 grant from the Delta Gamma Foundation has been secured for the Arts & Accessibility initiative. These dollars will be used to provide museums and cultural institutions with accessibility assessments such as Braille booklets for exhibits, tactile representations of exhibit elements and audio recordings with descriptions.
- A $10,000 grant from the Robert and Christine Steinmann Family Foundation will be used to purchase new equipment needed to produce hanging tags through Clovernook Center’s Social Enterprise department. This department is primary staffed by those with visual impairments, with more than 85% of employees being blind or visually impaired.
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About Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Since 1903, Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired has been providing life-enriching opportunities and empowering people who are blind or visually impaired to be self-sufficient and full participants in their communities. Adult programs and youth activities, as well as arts and recreation departments, provide critical services to those who need it. Clovernook Center’s Braille Printing House is the largest volume producer of braille in the world. It prints books, magazines and other materials for the National Library Services and braille patrons worldwide while providing employment opportunities for individuals who are blind and visually impaired. For more information, visit www.clovernook.org
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