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Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc.
174 Court Street
Binghamton, NY 13901
Local Telephone: (607) 724-2428
www.avreus.org
E-mail: avreinfo@avreus.org
Contacts
Robert K Hanye, President and CEO, rhanye@avreus.org
Richard McCarthy, Director, Program Services
General Information
The Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. (A.V.R.E.) is a private, non-profit organization that serves people with vision disabilities. People of all ages, from infants to elders, can and do benefit from A.V.R.E. services. A.V.R.E. offers a range of learning, living, and working options for people who have a vision disability.
A.V.R.E. lives its mission by engaging and employing individuals with sustained vision loss at all levels of the organization and acts as a model for the community.
A.V.R.E.’s Senior Vision Services program is designed for people 55 and older who have developed severe vision loss. Specialists who understand the special issues of older people with vision impairment staff the program. A person does not have to be legally blind to receive the services, but the vision loss needs to be severe. The services offered through this program include travel training for orientation and mobility, rehabilitation therapy for independence and communications, a low vision center, a retail store, and employment assistance. An additional component is peer groups; through these groups seniors can meet other people in similar situations. Older people with vision loss now know they are not alone and can share problems and solutions. These groups can include discussions, speakers, training and many other things depending on what the people in the group would like.
Geographic Area Served: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins, Schuyler Counties in New York and Bradford, Susquehanna, and Tioga Counties in Pennsylvania.Services Offered
Assessment
Staff works with infants and toddlers and their parents to provide a wide variety of early skill training. These include tactile and sensory learning experiences, such as buttoning and zipping clothing, opening bags of food, and peeling bananas or eggs.
Children ages 0-2 are provided with vision stimulation.
Preschoolers are provided with orientation & mobility (travel-training) instruction, and pre-braille skills to prepare for schooling. Forums and information sharing for parents are also provided. Staff coordinate closely with early intervention and preschool agencies and the New York state Commission for the Blind.
Staff work with school-age children, their parents and teachers in all grades up to the age of 14. Services include O&M instruction at schools and around the community, independent living skills training both at home and at school, teaching braille and adaptive computer technology, and connecting to peers.
Early Intervention/Infant Services
Works with infants and toddlers, and their parents to provide a wide variety of early skill training. These include tactile and sensory learning experiences, such as buttoning and zipping clothing, opening bags of food, and peeling bananas or eggs.
Children ages 0-2 are provided with vision stimulation.
Preschoolers are provided with O&M instruction, and pre-braille skills to prepare for schooling. Forums and information sharing for parents are also provided. Staff coordinate closely with early intervention and preschool agencies and the New York State Commission for the Blind.
Employment/Job Training
Works with young people with a vision disability in obtaining summer work or jobs that are part of a school-to-work transition program to provide the broadest experience possible to prepare for an independent and successful working life.
Also works with young people through pre-vocational skill development to research careers of interest and to develop "soft skills" that are critical to success in the employment world.
Information and Referral
Provides information to parents of children with visual impairments.
Low Vision Services
The Norman Richterman Low Vision Center, located right at 174 Court Street in Binghamton, provides a close, convenient location where consumers can come to have a comprehensive low vision eye examination, and to try out and receive the prescribed devices.
Preschool Programs
Provides O&M instruction, and pre-braille skills to preschoolers to prepare for schooling. Staff coordinate closely with preschool agencies and the New York state Commission for the Blind.
Recreation Services
Through a contract from the New York State Commission for the Blind, A.V.R.E. provides recreational outings for children and teens who are legally blind. Involvement in recreation and social activities during the formative years of life has a significant, positive impact on many of the basic aspects of growing and reaching adulthood. A.V.R.E.'s goal is to increase the social skills, independence, confidence and self-esteem of children with a vision disability by using a recreational setting.
Support for Parents
Holds forums and opportunities for information sharing for parents.
Travel/Orientation and Mobility
Specially trained instructors teach orientation and mobility. The training may include how to move about in a specific environment such as a home, school or work place. It usually involves teaching proper techniques for safe and effective travel with a long (white) cane. It also includes training on how to be aware of clues from the environment and knowing one's location. This service is provided to people in all age categories.
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