Overview
The Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI) is the primary nonprofit provider of vision rehabilitation services in Alaska. We deliver a full continuum of rehabilitation, training, and adaptive services to blind and visually impaired Alaskans of every age, from transition-aged youth through our oldest neighbors. Our reach is statewide, spanning Anchorage, the Mat-Su Borough, rural communities reachable only by air, and the Interior region around Fairbanks.
Our History
Origins and Founding
ACBVI traces its origins to 1977, when it was founded as the Sensory Impairment Center through a grassroots effort led by Alaskans who were blind, working with the Alaska Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. They were responding to a clear gap. Blind Alaskans had to travel out of state for lengthy rehabilitation training, and orientation and mobility instruction taught in milder climates did not translate to Alaska’s winters. The Division shared the concern, having seen clients who were sent out of state settle in their training cities and never return home. The founders deliberately chose to build an independent nonprofit rather than a program inside state government.
Incorporation and Nonprofit Status
On March 25, 1983, the agency incorporated as Sensory Impairment Center, Inc. under the Alaska Nonprofit Corporation Act, with the founding purpose of promoting services to blind and deaf Alaskans. The four founding incorporators and directors were Darrel Nather, M.E. Bowdish Jr., William Blackman, and Jane Brodie. In 1985 the corporation added federal tax-exemption language under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and today the Center is recognized as a public charity.
Our Facility and Name Through the Years
In 1985, through a special State Legislative Award, ACBVI purchased the building at 3903 Taft Drive in Anchorage, securing ongoing housing for clients who travel to Anchorage for training. Our name has evolved over four decades to reflect the people we serve:
- 1983: Incorporated as Sensory Impairment Center, Inc.
- 1985: The Louise Rude Center for Blind and Deaf Adults
- 1991: Alaska Center for Blind and Deaf Adults
- 1999: Alaska Center for the Blind. On July 1, 1999, services for the deaf transferred to The Arc of Anchorage, and the Center focused fully on blind and visually impaired Alaskans.
- 2002: Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, our name today.
Program Expansion
Over the years we have grown well beyond our original adult vocational training mission. We opened a low vision clinic in 2004 and added programs serving older Alaskans, blind and visually impaired youth, and rural communities. Our services now include Braille grant support for Alaska school districts, employment placement, community-based training, rural and Mat-Su outreach, and web accessibility consulting.
Governance and Tax Status
- Legal name: Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN): 92-0108817
- Tax status: 501(c)(3) public charity under Internal Revenue Code sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
- State of incorporation: Alaska, under the Alaska Nonprofit Corporation Act, originally filed March 25, 1983
- Fiscal year: July 1 through June 30
- An independent Alaska nonprofit corporation with no parent, subsidiary, or related corporations
- Annual financial statements audited by Altman Rogers and Co.
Our Programs
- Older Blind Program. Low vision evaluation, assistive technology, independent living skills, and adaptive devices for Alaskans aged 55 and older, funded by federal Independent Living grants serving Anchorage, Mat-Su, rural areas, and the Interior.
- Youth Program. Work-transition skills for blind and visually impaired youth ages 14 to 22 through a Pre-Employment Transition Services pathway, including Spring Break and Summer camps.
- Rural Outreach and Community-Based Training. Staff travel to clients across remote Alaska where specialized vision care is otherwise unavailable.
- Mat-Su Outreach. Low vision clinic and home-visit services in the Mat-Su Borough, supported by the Mat-Su Health Foundation.
- Low Vision Clinic. Functional vision assessments and adaptive device fitting, established in 2004 and a primary entry point for many clients.
- Comprehensive Vision and Rehabilitation Assessment. The basis for each client’s individualized service plan.
- Braille Grant Program. State-funded Braille devices and equipment for Alaska school districts.
- Day and Residential Training. Instruction areas, kitchens, an assistive technology lab, and dorm space for day clients and those traveling for multi-day training.
- Talking Books Support. Enrollment in the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.
- Community Awareness and Education. Outreach presentations and community education across Alaska.
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Individual client services in partnership with the Alaska Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Statewide Reach and Impact
In fiscal year 2026 to date, ACBVI has served 180 unique clients across Alaska:
- Anchorage: 71 clients
- Mat-Su: 45 clients
- Rural Alaska: 34 clients
- Fairbanks and the Interior: 30 clients
Of clients with completed outcome data this year, 97.6 percent showed measurable improvement in their independence (164 of 168), and adaptive devices were provided throughout the period. Our Low Vision Clinic delivered 114 visits, and 65 independent living service plans are active or complete. Most clients are 55 or older, reflecting our strong older-blind services, while our Youth Program serves Alaskans ages 14 to 22, giving us reach across the full lifespan.
Our Facility
ACBVI owns its home at 3903 Taft Drive in Anchorage. The Center acquired the building in 1985 and has occupied it ever since. The facility houses our Low Vision Clinic, training kitchens and instruction areas, an assistive technology lab, offices, and residential space for clients who travel to Anchorage for multi-day training.
The building has been steadily improved over the years. A 2016 roof replacement was funded by a Rasmuson Foundation grant. From 2017 to 2019, a major renovation funded by the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, the Rasmuson Foundation, the Richard L. and Diane M. Block Foundation, and a community donor campaign modernized the Activities of Daily Living training kitchen and added an arctic entry, with new cabinets, lighting, flooring, and energy-efficiency upgrades. A building-wide sprinkler and fire alarm project is underway, funded by restricted grants from the Rasmuson, Sholton, and Block foundations and a donation from the Lions Clubs of Alaska.
Funding and Support
Our work is supported by a diversified base of federal, state, foundation, and individual support, including:
- Federal Older Blind grants under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act, serving Anchorage and the Interior
- Pre-Employment Transition Services funding for the Youth Program, with corporate support from ConocoPhillips
- The Mat-Su Healthy Impact Grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation
- A rural outreach grant supporting service across remote Alaska
- A state-funded Braille grant for Alaska school districts
- Alaska Division of Vocational Rehabilitation funding for vocationally oriented clients
- Foundation support from the Rasmuson Foundation, the Sholton Foundation, and the Block Foundation, with civic partners including the Lions Clubs of Alaska
- Individual giving and our annual Seeing With Our Hearts event each October