Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

06/01/2026

Imagine your sister flies up from Outside in mid-July, and she has never seen Alaska. Because you attended Seeing with Our Hearts last fall, you get to skip the planning panic. You walk her to the Anchorage rail depot, climb into a deluxe railcar from Premier Alaska Tours, and watch the Chugach roll past while Denali grows in the window.
This round trip was a live auction item at Seeing With Our Hearts (SWOH) 2025. Many of last year's bidders are using their items this summer with their visitors. They Are not scrambling for tickets in June or hunting down summer availability. They thought ahead in the fall.
That is part of how SWOH works. The October event funds the independence work at Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI), and it stocks the summer ahead with experiences your guests will talk about for years.
SWOH 2026 is coming this fall. Over the next few months we will revisit each of last year's live auction items here on the page. By the time the bidding opens in October, you will know exactly which trip your summer needs.



Nate Kile, Executive Director

05/29/2026

Recently, one of our clients made coffee and a hot breakfast for her three grandchildren in her own kitchen. She is in her sixties, and she has not been able to do that since a diagnosis took most of her central vision.
She came to the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI) afraid of her own kitchen. Several months of work with her instructor rebuilt her confidence, some bump dots on the oven, tactile labels around the kitchen, and safe knife technique and a little encouragement did it. she was ready to be back in the kitchen she had cooked in for thirty years.
The instructor's notes from that morning describe her as steady, focused, and proud.
This is what your support pays for. The training and the time that let a visually impaired Alaskan cook for the people she loves again.
If you are already a supporter, thank you. If you want to start, the donate button on our page is the easiest first step.



Nate Kile,

Executive Director

05/29/2026

🎨🍿 ART CLUB + MOVIE & SNACKS 🎬

Looking for something fun to do this summer? Join us for a creative and relaxing afternoon at the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI)!

We invite youth and beyond to come enjoy art, a movie with Audio Description, and snacks in a welcoming environment.

🖌 Art Club
⏰ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Come create, explore art, and spend time with friends!

🎥 Movie with Audio Description & Snacks
⏰ 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Enjoy a movie experience designed to be accessible, with Audio Description and snacks provided.

📅 Dates:
• Friday, June 19
• Friday, July 10
• Friday, August 7

📍 Location:
Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI)
3903 Taft Dr., Anchorage, AK

We hope to see you there! Feel free to share with anyone who may be interested. 😊

05/28/2026

The Youth VIEW team at Texas Tech University is seeking families of children who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired to participate in a virtual research study. The goal of the study is to better understand how experiences in families, medical settings, schools, and the community may impact physical and mental health of blind, low vision, and visually impaired children. To address these important questions, we need 500 families to join the project!
Children (ages 9 to 17) who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired, and living in the United States, are eligible to enroll, along with a parent or guardian. Participation is completely voluntary; whether or not you participate has no impact on you or your child’s access to education, medical care, or employment.
To learn more about the study, please go to our prescreening survey page, which includes detailed information about study procedures, risks, and benefits. If, after reviewing this information, you would like to enroll, you can complete the prescreening survey, which takes 5-10 minutes of your time. Eligible families will then be contacted after completing the prescreener to answer additional questions and to schedule your study session.
To learn more or to complete the prescreening survey, go to: http://tinyurl.com/whalaby
In the meantime, if you have any questions about the study, please contact the team at [email protected]. Thank you!

Thank you for your interest in participating in this project, which will help us understand how experiences of ableism impact the health of children who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired. We are seeking U.S. residents, ages 9-17, who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired and their pa...

05/28/2026

📅 Upcoming Challenge Alaska Events & Opportunities

🌳 Kincaid Park Master Plan Open House
📍 Kincaid Chalet, Anchorage
📅 May 28, 2026 | 5:30 PM
Community input opportunity for the future of accessible recreation at Kincaid Park.

🌲 Summit Camp 2026
📍 BlueWater Basecamp near Eklutna Lake
📅 May 31, 2026
Overnight camp for young adults on the autism spectrum.

🐟 Raven Summer Program Activities
📍 Various Alaska locations
📅 Summer 2026
Fishing trips, disc golf, and a Denali adventure trip.

🚴 Challenge Alaska Summer Programming
📍 Various locations
📅 Summer 2026
Adaptive biking, water sports, hikes, camps, and outdoor adventures.

05/27/2026

Hello all,

Last October's Seeing with Our Hearts at the Museum was our best one yet. The room was full of laughter, warmth, and good food. The silent auction had something for everyone. The money that we raised from the paddle raise is still fueling the engine for the services that our clients have been receiving this year. I am very thankful for all who supported us and am excited to announce that our first table for the October 2026 Seeing with Our Hearts has already been purchased. A big shout out to Credit Union 1 for sponsoring our mission and for believing that empowering blind and low-vision Alaskans to be successful in life and work matters.

We have several cool things for this fall event. Over the coming months we will be announcing more sponsors and activities that will be making this year another one for the books. Tables will go quickly, and sponsorships are limited.

To receive a sponsorship packet, please email our Development and Outreach Director, Caren Ailleo, at

[email protected]

Nate Kile, Executive Director

05/25/2026

05/22/2026

The Board of Directors will hold their annual meeting on Tuesday, May 26 from 5pm to 5:30pm. The public is invited. It is a zoom meeting.
Meeting ID: 813 4399 4014
Passcode: 123

05/19/2026

A big thank-you to the American Association of Drilling Engineers for their generous donation of $2,500, presented to Casey Duer, Program Director and Tom Class, our ADL and Rural Outreach Coordinator at the Fin, Feather or Fur Food Festival, this past Friday, May 15. We very much appreciate your support for our mission.

05/13/2026

Dear Students, Families, and Community Partners,

The Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is excited to invite youth participants to our upcoming Work Ready Workshops, taking place May 26th through May 29th, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily.

These workshops are designed to help students build practical workplace readiness skills, increase confidence, and prepare for future employment opportunities in a supportive and engaging environment.

Throughout the week, participants will have opportunities to:

Explore workplace expectations and professional communication
Practice teamwork and problem-solving skills
Learn job readiness and interview techniques
Develop and practice resume writing skills
Build independence and self-advocacy skills
Participate in mock interviews, workplace scenarios, group activities, and career exploration exercises
A lunch break will be provided daily from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

Our goal is to provide meaningful and practical experiences that support students as they prepare for employment, training, and future career pathways.

Workshop Details:
Dates: May 26–29
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily
Lunch Break: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Hosted By: Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Location: Alaska DVR, 4600 Debarr Rd. STE 300, Anchorage, AK 99508 | Office Phone: (907) 269-3580

If you are interested in participating or would like additional information, please contact:

Daria Ezhova
Youth Transition Coordinator
Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
[email protected]