Thursday, October 8, 2026 | Anchorage Museum
Why This Matters
Vision loss touches employment, independence, and the small daily activities most of us take for granted. For more than forty-five years, the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired has been the only organization in Alaska providing comprehensive training and rehabilitation for blind and visually impaired Alaskans. We train clients in orientation and mobility, daily living skills, assistive technology, and pre-employment readiness. We run a Youth Transition Program in two annual cohorts. We bring the work into rural communities off the road system. We run low vision clinics that pair assessment with the devices that restore daily function. Last year, roughly 240 Alaskans came through our programs. Nationally, blind and visually impaired adults are employed at a rate of 44 percent, compared to 79 percent for sighted peers. We are working to close that gap, one Alaskan at a time.
Seeing With Our Hearts is our annual fundraiser and the moment when our community decides what we can do next. Sponsorships funded last year’s Youth Transition cohort, and they will fund the youth coming through this year. Sponsorships keep the rural outreach truck moving, the clinic devices flowing, and the lights on for the work that defines this organization. When you sponsor SWOH 2026, you invest in the practical skills that let blind and visually impaired Alaskans live independently, work with dignity, and stay connected to their families and communities.
The Evening
Doors open in the early evening at the Anchorage Museum. The Mask-querade theme welcomes guests in cocktail attire with their masks. Expect an open bar with drinks priced through the evening, heavy hors d’oeuvres and food stations through dessert, a silent and live auction, and a program that brings the work of the Center into clear focus.
Sponsorship Opportunities
We are seeking sponsors across three programs in 2026. Each program speaks to a distinct community and carries its own recognition.
Corporate Sponsorship
For statewide and national corporations who want to anchor the evening and have their brand on every piece of event material. Three tiers: Lead Corporate Partner at $25,000 (two slots, full table), Community Partner at $10,000 (five seats), and Program Partner at $5,000 (two seats).
Local Eye Care Partner Program
For ophthalmologists, optometrists, eye surgery centers, and vision care clinics across Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. Your patients become our clients. This program recognizes the continuity of care that begins in your office and continues at our Center. Four tiers: Lead Vision Partner at $10,000 (one slot, full table), Practice Partner Premier at $5,000, Practice Partner Supporting at $2,500, and Doctor Friend of the Center at $1,000.
Local Business Partner Program
For Anchorage and Mat-Su Valley local businesses, family firms, and independent operators. This includes local professional services, family-owned shops, contractors, and small business owners across industries. Four tiers from Lead Local Business Partner at $10,000 (one slot, full table) through Friend of the Center at $1,000.
Sponsor a Table for Our Clients
For $1,000, you can fund a table for ten ACBVI youth program participants or older blind clients to attend Mask-querade as guests of the Center. These are members of our community who would not otherwise be in the room. Your gift opens that door. Recognition is simple: your name on the table card and in the program, listed as the host of an ACBVI client table for the evening.
Multiple givers can pool toward a sponsored client table at $100 per seat, with the combined group recognized as co-hosts.
Host Your Own Table
For $1,000, you can host a table for ten of your friends, family, colleagues, or staff. Your group name appears on the table card and in the event program.
Individual Tickets
Individual tickets are available for the evening. Tickets include admission, heavy hors d’oeuvres and dessert stations, access to the silent and live auction, and the program. Drinks are priced separately at the open bar.
Tickets are limited by venue capacity. Once the event reaches its 120 seat limit, sales close.
Key Dates
- September 1, 2026: sponsorship commitments and logo files due for inclusion in printed event materials.
- September 15, 2026: final RSVPs, guest names, and ticket purchases due for seating and catering counts.
- October 8, 2026: Mask-querade evening at the Anchorage Museum.
Contact
All sponsorship inquiries, ticket purchases, and event questions are coordinated through Caren Ailleo.
Email: cailleo@alaskabvi.org
Phone: 907-771-4311
Accessibility
ACBVI is an organization for blind and visually impaired Alaskans. The Mask-querade event is built to welcome attendees of all abilities. The Anchorage Museum venue is wheelchair accessible. Large-print and Braille programs are available on request. Sighted guides are available for any attendee who would benefit. To request specific accommodations, contact Caren Ailleo at cailleo@alaskabvi.org by September 15, 2026.