Sights for Hope reflects a tradition of service inspired by an American icon, forged by dedicated groups who answered her call, and unified by a shared purpose.
When Helen Keller addressed the global convention of Lions Clubs on June 30, 1925, she challenged the Lions to become “Knights of the Blind” in the fight against visual impairments. Among those who responded were members of the Allentown Lions Club and Bethlehem Lions Club, who founded branches of the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind in Lehigh and Northampton counties, with the Lehigh County branch formally established on August 6, 1928.
Despite the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II, both organizations endured and evolved. Their early work focused on trade skills such as broom making. Over time, their focus shifted to quality of life by introducing transportation services, launching children’s vision screenings, and promoting eye health through community education.
In 1984, the Lehigh County branch became the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI). The Northampton County branch became Visual Impairment and Blindness Services (VIABL) in 1994 and expanded into Monroe County in 2003. By then, both had operated independently as PAB member agencies for decades.
In the early 21st century, ABVI and VIABL chose to unify. On January 15, 2010, they formed Center for Vision Loss – continuing ABVI’s organizational legacy while integrating VIABL’s programs and service area to strengthen impact across the Lehigh Valley and Monroe County. We adopted the name Sights for Hope on April 6, 2021, choosing to center our identity on possibility and forward movement. Since then, Sights for Hope has been recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s leading providers of rehabilitative and preventive services related to vision loss.
We are honored to advance the movement sparked by Helen Keller. Within that unbroken chain, we empower people to move forward with confidence however they see the world by strengthening skills, delivering supports, and championing solutions. We bring her noble legacy forward, driven by some of her wisest words, which proclaimed that, “Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”