The Houston Area Visually Impaired Network is comprise of representatives from area groups that support and serve our visually impaired community. Here is a current list of the groups that make up our board of directors, along with the group’s meeting dates/times and locations, and the contact person for that group.
Please feel free to contact the group representative nearest you and see about joining up with one of our groups. This is where HAVIN started, and where our greatest strengths lie, with our individual members.
NOTICE: several 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
For additional information
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.
Contact BVA President Paul Williams
Email: pmwilliamssr@gmail.com
Phone: 832-933-9800. (If no answer, please leave a message. )
Web site: https://txbva.org/
Dan Arnold Center for Vision Rehabilitation, UT Health
Meets: 2nd Friday of the month
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Location: 6400 Fannin, Suite 1800, Houston, TX 77030
Contact: Carmen Mullins-Occupational Therapist
Email: Carmen.F.Mullins@uth.tmc.edu
Phone: 713-486-9412
Website: http://www.cizikeye.org/low-vision-visual-rehabilitation/
Foundation Fighting BlindnessHouston Chapter
Meets once a month at 6pm via conference call
Contact person: Michele Goldfarb‑Shapiro, – Events Manager
Email: mgoldfarb-shapiro@fightingblindness.org
Web site http://www.blindness.org/local-chapters/houston-tx
Houston Council of the Blind (HCB)
Meets: 1st Sunday of the month
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Lighthouse of Houston
3602 West Dallas, Houston, TX 77019
Contact: Gayle Metoyer, President
Email: Metoyer903@comcast.net
Phone: 281-794-2012
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
National Federation of the Blind of Texas – Houston (NFBT-Hou)
Meets: 3rd Saturday of the month
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Lighthouse of Houston
3602 West Dallas, Houston, Texas 77019
Contact: Stacie Gallegos, President
Email: sgallegos@nfbtx.org
Phone: 346-704-0190
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 United Methodist Church, Room K103
1799 Woodland Hills Dr., Kingwood, Texas 77339.
Contact: Ron Graham, President
Email: rongraham80@gmail.com
Phone: 713-825-9108
Web page: http://www.havintx.org/our-groups/vipset/