2020 Annual Report

Adapting to 2020

Since our founding, Vision Loss Resources has been committed to helping people adapt to the unexpected.

Faced with vision loss or impairment, people look to Vision Loss Resources for new ways to live independently and stay connected to the community. When 2020 brought another new reality none of us expected—the COVID-19 pandemic— social distancing and other safety protocols (especially for older adults) presented entirely new obstacles for Minnesotans with vision loss, blindness, or deafblindness.

But as we always have, our community of staff, clients, and supporters mobilized quickly to adapt, connect, and thrive. With stay-at-home orders in place, staff reached out in whatever safe ways we could, making phone calls to more than 1,000 clients to see what they needed, delivering groceries, and referring people to food shelves, health care resources, and more.

Before the pandemic, Vision Loss Resources and DeafBlind Services Minnesota clients thrived during in-home, one-on-one services, and group activities that brought them together to share stories of grief and hope about vision loss. Quickly, we replicated these experiences as best we could by making support groups, recreational activities, and educational classes available on Zoom. Further, with roughly a quarter of clients lacking a smartphone or other Zoom-ready device, we referred them to organizations that distributed free or low-cost devices.

Ultimately, through it all, 93 percent of clients shared that our services helped them remain independent, a nine-percent increase over 2019. Meanwhile, we trained 263 professionals to work with people who have vision loss (six percent more than in 2019), setting them up to hit the ground running as COVID restrictions loosen in 2021.

Like other nonprofits, we also faced financial challenges. Contract Production Services, Vision Loss Resources’ social enterprise and main source of funding, creatively adapted its business during an economic slowdown to continue sustaining our programs. Meanwhile, donors and foundations also stepped up in big ways—thank you all for your overwhelming generosity.

We are so grateful for everyone’s courage, heart, and willingness to, as ever, adapt. Thanks to the entire Vision Loss Resources community—staff, clients, volunteers, and donors—our organization is poised to rise and thrive in 2021 and beyond.

– Paul Erdahl, Board Chair
– Kate Grathwol, President/CEO

Program Accomplishments

Independent Living Skills: Helping people adapt to vision loss through rehabilitation services and skills training.

• 151 individuals with vision loss received their first service and made connections to internal and external resources, part of the Community Services program.
• Clients learned new skills during 12 intensive classes on independent living skills and 25 one-on-one technology training sessions.
• 36 working-age adults completed 7,100 hours of classes at the Rehabilitation Center to adapt to vision loss and prepare to return to school or the workplace.

“Vision Loss Resources changed my life. Once I was introduced to your services, I learned I didn’t need to be isolated.” – Verna, 88, after a technology training via Zoom.

Community-Building and Outreach: Bringing people together for social and emotional support, and teaching the wider community about vision loss.

• Over 140 people participated in 149 social activities and 67 support group sessions, mainly via Zoom.
• 153 volunteers engaged 156 clients in nearly 4,000 hours of reading, shopping, and social activities.
• 263 professionals were trained in techniques for working with people with vision loss.

“This is one happy place in my life: being part of VLR activities. I’m sure that I’m not the only person saying this.” – Sandra

DeafBlind Services Minnesota

Pandemic-era social distancing made 2020 an exceptionally challenging year, as many deafblind individuals use the hand-over-hand touch of tactile American Sign Language. With safety precautions in place, DeafBlind Services Minnesota continued to partner with deafblind Minnesotans to communicate with others, access information, and integrate into their communities.

• 83 deafblind adults and 45 deafblind children and youth received a total of 4,483 services, mainly one-on-one sessions with interveners and service support providers.

“With these services I can be more independent and decide on my own what I want to do.” – Dave

Board & Key Staff

2020 Board of Directors

Paul Erdahl, Global Talent Strategies
Board Chair

Susan Markey, Maslon LLP
Vice Chair

Mike Treece, Berger Transfer
Secretary

Andy Freeman, Retired, Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust
Treasurer

Mary Bear-Dukes, Retired, Allina Health
Member at Large

Julie Anderson, Foundation Fighting Blindness

C. Elston Chambers, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Ellen Conway, Community Representative

John Corneille, Foundation Fighting Blindness

Louise Jacobs, Retired, Allina Health

Chuck Stroud, AdoptAClassroom.org

Leigh Wilson-Mattson, Fundraising Professional

Alana Wright, Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging

Debbie Wygal, Community Representative, Professor emerita, St. Catherine University

Kate Grathwol, Vision Loss Resources, member ex officio

Key Staff

Kate Grathwol, President/CEO

Mauricio Lopez, Controller

Linda Guzman, Director of Manufacturing

John Filek, Director of Programs

Financials

2020 Balance Sheet

* Includes cash, receivables, inventories and investments

2020 Statement of Activity

REVENUE AND SUPPORT

EXPENSES

** Vision Loss Resources does business as Contract Production Services, which performs hand-packing and assembly for businesses throughout the Midwest. For more than 50 years, Vision Loss Resources has directed 100% of this for-profit venture’s profits to Vision Loss Resources programs. Learn more at www.cpsmsp.com.

Thank You for Supporting Vision Loss Resources