VIPS

VIPS Armed with this knowledge, a group of concerned parents and community volunteers founded Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) in 1985.
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VIPS is a nonprofit agency that provides early intervention and educational services to young children who have blindness or low vision in Kentucky and Indiana. Researchers and therapists who work with children who are visually impaired have demonstrated there is a direct correlation between early intervention and future academic success. Their mission was to enhance learning opportunities by prov

iding early intervention services to young children with blindness or low vision and their families in the Louisville area. They began with grants of $10,000 each from Metro United Way and the WHAS Crusade for Children. VIPS started modestly with one employee providing eight families with home-based early intervention services once a week. In January of 2002, we began a $2.3 million Capital Campaign with the goal of additional space for office and support services as well as a Classroom Wing for center-based preschool services. VIPS purchased the building at 1906 Goldsmith Lane, renovated the space, and moved in December of 2004. In the Summer of 2008, the Kosair Charities Kids Town and the Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation Classroom Wing were completed. In the fall of 2008, young children who were blind, visually impaired or deaf-blind from across the region came to VIPS to attend Kids Town Preschool at VIPS, the first preschool for children with blindness/low vision in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Central Kentucky’s first office opened in Lexington in 1990. To better prepare for our growth, in 2016 we entered into a collaboration to locate our office at the Lexington Hearing & Speech Center and started a program for two-year-olds. Because our mission knows no borders, in August 2011 we opened a satellite location with two employees in Bloomington, Indiana. Six years later, VIPS Indiana has grown exponentially to serve children in need across Indiana. We moved the Bloomington office to the IIC in Indianapolis in May 2014 to expand our reach. As VIPS in Indiana continued to grow exponentially, it has become apparent that VIPS was outgrowing the small office space at the IIC so in 2018, VIPS embarked on a $2.1M Capital and Operations Campaign to build a 6,300 square foot space now known as the Simon and Estelle Knoble VIPS Family Resource Center at 1212 Southeaster Avenue in Indianapolis. This space, was opened in April of 2022 and includes not only offices but a Sensory Room, accessible Toddler Town, a Lending Library, a Parent Hub, and so much more. No other space exists like this in Indiana- a space designed specifically for children who have visual impairments in mind. Today VIPS is a statewide agency in Kentucky and Indiana with a total annual budget of $3.2 million and still growing; serving children in need from birth to age five years of age and their families. VIPS was the first and continues to be the only nonprofit agency in Kentucky and Indiana providing vision-specific services to this population of children.

At the VIPS Gala each year, guests have the opportunity to bid on the naming rights to one of two special spaces either ...
08/31/2026

At the VIPS Gala each year, guests have the opportunity to bid on the naming rights to one of two special spaces either Mobility City or the Sensory Garden, depending on the year. This year, the Mobility City naming rights were up for grabs, and John and Jill Talbott, VIPS alumni parents, were victorious. But instead of choosing a name for themselves, they chose to give that opportunity to someone else.

They gifted the naming rights to the Riley family, whose son Wells was one of the children spotlighted at the Gala this year. The name they chose for the street crossing was Wells’ Wilderness Trail and on Thursday, we hosted a ribbon cutting for the new name to be unveiled.

The story behind the name began long before there was ever a sign at Mobility City. But this tale is best told by Wells’ dad, who shared how a little boy, a NICU room, a movie character named Russell, and a whole lot of love came together to create Wells’ Wilderness. Watch this video, https://loom.ly/zKSg2tg, to hear the Riley family tell the story behind the name and why seeing Wells’ Wilderness at VIPS means so much to them.

A special thank you to John and Jill for turning their Gala win into a gift that has brought joy to a current VIPS family. Once a VIPS family, always a VIPS family, and that is one of the beautiful things about VIPS: our families become part of a community that continues to support, celebrate, and uplift one another long after their time with us “officially” comes to an end.

So on this Milestone Monday, please join us in celebrating Wells’ Wilderness Trail at Mobility City and in wishing Wells a very Happy Birthday as today happens to be his birthday, making this Milestone Monday even more special!

On July 29, 20 employees from Travelers Insurance's Diversity & Inclusion Network spent an hour creating something speci...
08/28/2026

On July 29, 20 employees from Travelers Insurance's Diversity & Inclusion Network spent an hour creating something special for the children and families served by VIPS.

Together, the volunteers made 31 birthday cards, purchasing all of the supplies themselves and filling each card with a little extra thought and creativity. While a birthday card may seem like a small gesture, these handmade cards are one way to help children feel remembered and celebrated on their special day.

We’re grateful to the Travelers team for giving their time and helping make a child’s birthday a little brighter. 💙

Looking for a fun night at Lynn Family Stadium? We’ve got tickets to see Louisville City FC take on El Paso Locomotive F...
08/27/2026

Looking for a fun night at Lynn Family Stadium? We’ve got tickets to see Louisville City FC take on El Paso Locomotive FC! Grab your tickets and enjoy an exciting night of soccer while supporting VIPS and our mission to empower children who are blind or have low vision! 💜

Saturday, September 12, 2026
7:00 PM
Lynn Family Stadium
Section 116

🎫 Get your tickets here: https://loom.ly/TrwJHa8

08/26/2026
Safety first! 🫀👏 A huge shoutout goes to members of our VIPS Education Team who kicked off the week by completing their ...
08/26/2026

Safety first! 🫀👏 A huge shoutout goes to members of our VIPS Education Team who kicked off the week by completing their CPR and First Aid certification training.

We’re dedicated to being prepared to keep VIPS children and families safe and supported! Thank you to our team for continuously prioritizing the wellbeing of our community! ❤️✨

Thank you to Tina Abner at The Early Childhood Training Center for providing this valuable training!

Thank you for participating in the 6th Annual Pickleball Classic. This time next year?!?
08/26/2026

Thank you for participating in the 6th Annual Pickleball Classic. This time next year?!?

For 15 years, Paige Maynard has been helping children who are blind or have low vision and their families see what’s pos...
08/24/2026

For 15 years, Paige Maynard has been helping children who are blind or have low vision and their families see what’s possible. Her journey with VIPS began as a practicum student, and today, she serves as our Kentucky Education Lead. She coaches teachers, collaborates with partners and helps strengthen the programs that support the children and families we serve.

Now, Paige is taking the next step in her own learning journey as she pursues her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. Her goal? To use research and leadership to create positive change for young children who are blind or have low vision.

Paige was recently featured by the University of Kentucky College of Education, where she shared how her doctoral cohort has inspired her to “learn to lead well and make things better in our spaces.” Read about it, https://loom.ly/WJk_CDA

From practicum student to education leader to doctoral student, what a milestone for this Milestone Monday! We’re so proud to celebrate Paige and all she continues to bring to VIPS.

Our 6th Annual Pickleball Classic was our biggest yet! We welcomed a record-breaking 240 players and raised an incredibl...
08/21/2026

Our 6th Annual Pickleball Classic was our biggest yet! We welcomed a record-breaking 240 players and raised an incredible $54,500 to support the children and families we serve. We’re grateful to every player, sponsor, volunteer and supporter who helped make this year’s event such a success.

Check out more photos on our website: https://loom.ly/f_Ag4b8

We’re Hiring: Grants SpecialistVIPS is looking for a relationship-focused fundraiser to join our Development team! This ...
08/19/2026

We’re Hiring: Grants Specialist

VIPS is looking for a relationship-focused fundraiser to join our Development team! This position is more than grant writing. The Grants Specialist will build relationships with foundation and corporate funders, identify funding opportunities, develop proposals, steward partnerships, and communicate the impact of VIPS’ work. If you’re a strong communicator, relationship builder, and strategic thinker who enjoys building connections in the community, we’d love to hear from you!

Location: Louisville, Indianapolis, or remote for the right candidate.

Apply by September 11, 2026: Send your application, resume, and cover letter to Carol Dahmke at [email protected].

Click here to view the job description: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fTP5urBf_G_V0W3LLPXQwa9x35QU0PWe/view?usp=sharing

Know someone who would be a great fit? Share this post!

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1906 Goldsmith Lane
Louisville, KY
40218

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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