Vision Corps

Carol Gifford is presenting and attending the PA Association of Non-Profits (PANO) annual conference at The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center. Rooting Deeper is a great conference!

Pic, from left, Adam Hosey, Anna Keilly, and Carol Gifford.

Are you registered to vote in PA?

You have until Oct. 19, 2026 to register to vote in the midterm election.

You can register to vote online at vote.pa.gov/Register.

Are you registered to vote?
✅ Register online: vote.pa.gov/Register

Is your voter registration information up to date?
✅ Find your registration status: vote.pa.gov/Status

🗳️ The last day to register to vote in the general election is Oct. 19.

I scream, you scream ... and our York office got ICE CREAM!

Our York office had a special treat recently when an ice cream truck rolled up and they got to choose some yummy treats!

🍦🍨🍦🍨

We’re at Representative Smith-Wade-El’s Senior Health Fair today at Bright Side Opportunities Center.

Lots of good convos with friends and new supporters!

BINGO!

Cindy Lou Altman, a VisionCorps client from Chester County, likes to play bingo but she was having a hard time seeing the numbers on the card.

A shout-out to Animated Brewing Company for providing accessible bingo cards that Cindy Lou can use to participate in the fun games at the brewery.

👏👏👏

We met with U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan recently in her West Chester office.

We talked about VisionCorps' employment programs for people who are blind or vision impaired. Rep. Houlahan supports the AbilityOne program and said she will work to protect it to continue to provide jobs for people who are blind or have severe disabilities. We appreciate her support and help with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and federal contracting.

We were proud to add a star and our VisionCorps signature to her wall of visitors (behind us)!

From left, VisionCorps' George Tobler and Chris Ament, Rep. Houlahan, and Carol Gifford, also from VisionCorps.

We were at the United Way of Lebanon County’s kick-off campaign event tonight at the Lebanon County Exposition Center.

We met friends from the Lebanon Lions and other supporters!

September is National Guide Dog Month, a time to recognize the incredible partnership between guide dogs and the people they serve. These highly trained dogs provide more than mobility assistance. They help foster confidence, independence, and greater access to the world for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Guide dogs, also known as leader dogs, play a vital role in helping people who are blind or visually impaired navigate their daily lives safely and independently. From guiding their handlers up and down stairs to helping them maneuver around obstacles and changes in elevation, guide dogs serve as trusted partners in travel and mobility.

We welcomed Alyssa Otis from Leader Dogs for the Blind as part of our Speaker Series last month. During her presentation, Alyssa shared insights into the important work guide dogs perform and discussed key considerations for individuals exploring whether partnering with a guide dog is the right fit for their lifestyle and mobility needs.

Watch the video below to learn more about guide dogs and discover whether this unique partnership may be right for you.

Speaker Series 2026: Is a Dog Guide Right for Me? Hosted by VisionCorps and featuring Alyssa Slot of Leader Dogs for ...

SNEAK PEEK!

LNP + LancasterOnline is writing a story about VisionCorps' 100th anniversary! Our agency, which was founded in 1926, was first located in downtown Lancaster -- and 100 years later, remains headquartered in downtown Lancaster, at 244 N. Queen St.

A newspaper photographer visited our Lancaster location recently to take some photos for the story.

Pic 1: President and CEO Megan Tomsheck
Pic 2: Desi Oudinot demonstrates how to use a Brailler. Benjamin Brenya is in the back Chris Ament is watching the photographer.
Pic 3: Desi Oudinot demonstrates how to use a Brailler. Benjamin Brenya is in the back

Stay tuned to see the story soon!

We met recently with Yonathan Kebede, president of Paoli Hospital, Main Line Health in Chester County.

Yonathan was a rappeler on Team Liberty Chester County, chaired by VisionCorps' Chester County Ambassador Natanya Sortland, for Eye Drop 2026 in June. He says he wants to come back again and rappel in Eye Drop 2027!

We appreciated his participation in Eye Drop and his interest in exploring future partnerships in Chester County. VisionCorps is always interested in finding new ways to provide services for people who are blind or vision impaired in Chester County -- and the other four counties (Adams, Lebanon, Lancaster, and York) in which we serve.

Photo, from left, VisionCorps' Tim Runstrom and George Tobler; Yonathan Kebede, and Natanya Sortland.