Anchor Center for Blind Children

Anchor Center for Blind Children is a nationally recognized leader in teaching children with vision, cortical visual, dual sensory (vision and hearing), and co-occurring disabilities during their most formative years of development – birth to age five. Located in Denver since our founding in 1982 by the Delta Gamma Fraternity (whose philanthropy is "Aid to the Blind"), we are the only privately funded 501(c)(3) pediatric blindness organization in Colorado – and one of just a handful in the U.S. – that offers the full range of center-based, home visitation, and community-partnership services specializing in:

• Early intervention, special education, and therapy (physical, occupational, speech-language, horticultural, and music therapies);

• Family coaching and support;

• Vision screening, ophthalmological care, and assessment; and

• Groundbreaking research

Notably, we are also leading the way in programming and innovative research and interventions for children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) – a brain-based neurological condition affecting the brain’s ability to accurately interpret visual stimuli, and the leading individual cause of blindness among children living in both low-income and developed countries.

Reaching children early is essential, as 90% of early learning happens through visual and auditory observation. Also, blindness is rarely the only challenge our students face. Indeed, due to prematurity, complicated births, genetic factors and/or physical trauma, young children with visual impairments often face intellectual and developmental disabilities (e.g., Down syndrome, Cerebral palsy), chronic illness (e.g., cancer, seizure disorders), speech and language difficulties, social and behavioral concerns, and mobility limitations. Our most recent data indicate that 75% of our students with blindness have at least one co-occurring disability or medical condition. Thus, if not addressed early and with proper expertise, these challenges can significantly hinder a child’s education and development, as well as and future employment opportunities.

Our work is critical. While relatively rare (i.e., approximately 2% of Colorado’s population has a visual impairment; Erickson et al., 2017), pediatric blindness often correlates with a myriad of related challenges, such as intellectual and developmental disabilities, speech and language difficulties, spatial confusion, social and behavioral concerns, and mobility limitations – all of which can hinder a child’s future educational and employment opportunities, not to mention quality of life. 

Fortunately, specialized interventions and education, especially when provided early, can markedly improve the developmental trajectories of children with blindness, and even the functional vision of those with CVI. Our strategic focus on serving babies and young children early – combined with our transdisciplinary team of expert teachers, therapists, family and developmental specialists, pediatric ophthalmologists, and researchers – sets our center apart from other organizations and is at the heart of our lasting impact.

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"Anchor Center changed our lives forever. It is our community, our support, and a home away from home. It is a place where the dignity and potential of every child is respected."
- Anchor Center Parent