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ABVI announces new facility expansion

May 4, 2011

The Association for The Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) is pleased to announce a major new expansion for the organization and the kick-off of a capital campaign to help fund its construction. ABVI plans to expand its operations through the construction of a new three-story building that will adjoin to the current facility, ultimately creating an anticipated 60 new jobs.

To raise funding needed for this facility, ABVI is initiating the public phase of the organization’s capital campaign. During the public phase, ABVI plans to raise $2.6 million needed to complete the project.

For the past 100 years, ABVI has provided services to individuals who are blind or visually impaired in Rochester. In 2010, ABVI provided comprehensive vision rehabilitation and support services to more than 3,100 people in Monroe County and the surrounding five-county area – a 20 percent increase from 2009. With the population of aging baby boomers increasing in the Greater Rochester area, individuals in need of the services provided at ABVI is also growing.

“Over the years, we have completely maximized our available space to accommodate the growing population of individuals in our community with visual impairments,” said Gidget Hopf, President and CEO of ABVI. “As we enter our second century of service, we know that meeting the increasing need for our services, support and training means that we must expand. The new facility will help us provide service excellence, increase accessibility, and offer continuous improvements to those we serve.”

The new facility will include a larger and enhanced adaptive technology and career training center, space for skill-building with technology, a new Vision Rehabilitation Center, a larger InSight Shop, an expanded Optical Shop and additional examination rooms. Additionally, the new facility will help ABVI provide opportunities and enhanced services for the thousands who are blind or visually impaired in our region.