The Houston Area Visually Impaired Network is comprise of representatives from area groups and organizations that support and serve our visually impaired community. Here is a current list of the groups and organizations that make up our board of directors, along with group meeting dates/times and locations, and the contact person for that group or organization.
Please feel free to contact the representative of the group or organization nearest you and see about joining up with one of our support groups. This is where HAVIN started, and where our greatest strengths lie, with our individual members.
NOTICE: Some of our groups are still not meeting back in person since the COVID-19 pandemic. If interested in any of these groups, contact the person listed to find out more information about their group.
Blind Professionals Network
Uniting to break barriers and achieve professional success!
Blind and Visually Impaired individuals coming together to empower one another by sharing professional knowledge and experiences to maintain success in any professional industry; helping to overcome work place barriers, reach career goals and achieve entrepreneurial success!
Attend a local meeting in Houston, TX or participate on a BPN national conference call via Zoom.
BPN conference calls are held every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 pm cst via Zoom meetings.
Please visit BPN on Facebook to find out about BPN monthly networking events and various professional conference call workshops.
www.facebook.com/blindpronet
Contact Victoria Hillard (800) 699-8238
Email info@BlindProNet.org
Web site: www.blindpronet.org
Blinded Veterans Association Greater Houston regional group
The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) is the only national Veterans Service Organization (VSO) chartered by the United States Congress and exclusively dedicated to assisting America’s blinded veterans and their families. Approximately 100 war-blinded soldiers from World War II founded BVA on March 28, 1945. The BVA Congressional charter designates the organization as the official advocate and representative for all blinded veterans before the executive and legislative branches of government. Throughout the 77 years of its existence, BVA has successfully carried out this important function while at the same time contributing meaningfully to making life better for thousands of individual blinded veterans from across the country.
Since the organization’s’ early beginning, BVA has worked tirelessly with the now Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assure top-quality, comprehensive medical and rehabilitative services/benefits for blinded veterans.
Prior to the pandemic, we met at the Michael E DeBakey medical center. Since then, 90% of our meetings are via telephone. Currently we meet, every other month on the first Saturday. Our meetings are restricted to Blind Veterans who are members of the Blinded Veterans Association. Membership dues are, $20 for life.
Web site: https://txbva.org/
Contact BVA President Paul Williams
Email: pmwilliamssr@gmail.com
Phone: 832-933-9800. (If no answer, please leave a message. )
Dan Arnold Center for Vision Rehabilitation, UT Health
Support group meets: 2nd Friday of the month
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: 6400 Fannin, Suite 1800, Houston, TX 77030
Website: http://www.cizikeye.org/low-vision-visual-rehabilitation/
Contact: Amna Ali and Mallika Tyagi
Email: lowvision@uth.tmc.edu
Occupational Therapists:
Grace Chang grace.s.chang@uth.tmc.edu
Diana Arnold diana.arnold@uth.tmc.edu
Phone: 713-486-9408
Foundation Fighting Blindness Houston Chapter
Meets once a month at 6pm via conference call
Web site http://www.blindness.org/local-chapters/houston-tx
Contact person: Michele Goldfarb‑Shapiro, – Events Manager
Email: mgoldfarb-shapiro@fightingblindness.org
Houston Council of the Blind (HCB)
HCB meetings are held on the third Saturday of the month (except for holidays)
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
1475 W. Gray,
Houston 77019.
Contact: Peggy Garrett, President
Email: prcgarrett@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 832-242-4941
iBUG Today
Our mission is to promote the individual independence, social integration, and educational development of the blind and visually impaired community through accessible technology training.
Visit our website to learn more about our free group and individual training programs and social events.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, President
Email: ibugtoday@gmail.com
Phone: (832) 453-7139
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/ibugtoday/
Twitter: @ibugtoday
http://www.ibugtoday.org
The Lighthouse of Houston
We Serve All Ages and All Stages of Vision Loss. Our mission is to enable and empower people who are blind or low vision to realize their full potential.
Location: 3602 W Dallas Street, Houston, TX 77019
Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.
www.HoustonLighthouse.org
Contact: Daryan Jones djones@houstonlighthouse.org
Phone: 713-284-8441
National Federation of the Blind of Texas – Houston (NFBT-Hou)
Meets: 1st Saturday of the month
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Metropolitan Multi-Service Center
1475 W. Gray St., Houston, Texas 77019
Contact: Stacie Gallegos, President
Email: sgallegos@nfbtx.org
Phone: 346-704-0190
VIEOL Visually Impaired Equality Of Life
VIEOL Visually Impaired Equality Of Life
And
“NEWS YOU CAN USE!”
A Community Outreach Resource Information Organization
Our mission Focuses On The Visually Impaired Blind And Low Vision Community Obtaining Equal Opportunities To Experience And Enjoy Life Independently. The Ability To Obtain Accessibility, To Achieve And To Accomplish Everyday Goals. We service the greater Houston and surrounding areas.
Blindness Skills Offered:
Introduction To “News You Can Use!” A Community Outreach Resource Information Organization
Fundamentals Of Basic Keyboarding
Fundamentals Of Basic Braille
Introduction To Simple Gardening
Contact: Monique Mason
vieol.htx@gmail.com
281-891-3602
The Visually Impaired Advocates (V.I.A.)
Weekly Support Group Meets both in person and on Zoom every 1st, 2nd, 3rd, And fifth (Only if it applies) Thursday of the month
Time: 10:30 AM CT 11:30 AM CT; Sometimes The meetings last till 12:00 PM CT
Location: Metropolitan Multi-Service Center 1475 W. Gray St., Houston, TX 77019
Monthly Zoom call every 4th Thursday of the month:
Let’s talk about it
Time: 7:00 PM CT to 8:00 PM CT
For additional info and Zoom details, contact:
Talana Townsend, President
Talana.Townsend@gmail.com
832-867-0140
Web site: http://www.viadvocates.org/
Visually Impaired People of South East Texas (VIPSET)
Monthly support group for people who are blind or visually impaired in the Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, Porter/New Caney area
Meets: 3rd Monday of the month
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Hybrid meetings on Zoom and in-person at Kingwood Methodist Church, Room K103
1799 Woodland Hills Dr., Kingwood, Texas 77339.
Web page: http://www.havintx.org/our-groups/vipset/
Contact: Ron Graham, President
Email: rongraham80@gmail.com
Phone: 713-825-9108
(Revised 02/21/2024)