Guiding Eyes for the Blind, the internationally accredited nonprofit guide dog school in Yorktown Heights, has received a challenge grant from the Reader's Digest Partners for Sight Foundation (PFS).  Designed to stimulate donors' generosity, the Foundation will provide an additional dollar, up to $50,000, for every two dollars the renowned guide dog school raises.

Guiding Eyes is up for the challenge.  "Thanks to the community's support, we have had tremendous success in meeting or exceeding challenge grant goals," said William D. Badger, Guiding Eyes' President and Chief Executive Officer.  "Donors are gratified to know that their gifts will go further due to the Foundation's generosity and we know that we'll be able to raise the full $100,000 needed to leverage the $50,000 grant.  This is a wonderful opportunity to support a very special and deserving population."

The funds raised in response to the challenge are designated to support Guiding Eyes' Special Needs Program, dedicated to serving blind people who are also challenged by other disabilities, such as hearing loss, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, dialysis support, and cerebral palsy. Ten years ago, Guiding Eyes was the first guide dog school in the world to develop a Special Needs Program dedicated solely to serving the multiply disabled.

The Program also serves elderly people who may experience age-related health complications, and trains Special Needs clients to use guide dogs in order to achieve greater safety and independence.  These special needs clients are frequently turned away by other schools, while Guiding Eyes reinforces its commitment to this special population by vigorous earmarked fundraising activities.

PFS and Guiding Eyes have worked side by side, since their respective inceptions in the 1950’s, toward a parallel mission to increase the self-reliance and dignity of blind and visually impaired persons. Initially established to support the Braille edition of Reader’s Digest (due in part to founder DeWitt Wallace’s own vision loss), PFS evolved into a major large print publisher and grant maker. Most recently, PFS grants have supported Guiding Eyes’ pioneering role in training blind men and women who have additional disabilities to use guide dogs.

To make a donation or for further information, please contact Linda Press, Guiding Eyes' Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, at 914-243-2250, or via email at lpress@guidingeyes.org.

About Guiding Eyes for the Blind: Guiding Eyes for the Blind (www.guidingeyes.org), an internationally accredited nonprofit guide dog school, was founded in 1954 to enrich the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women by providing them with the freedom to travel safely, thereby assuring greater independence, dignity and expanded horizons of opportunity. Since that time, Guiding Eyes has become one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, graduating more than 8,000 guide dog teams. It provides superbly bred Guiding Eyes dogs, professional training and follow-up support services to students at no cost to them and depends on contributions to fulfill its mission. The comprehensive cost of breeding, raising, preparing, training, and supporting a Guiding Eyes team is $45,000. Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, NY and the Canine Development Center is in Patterson, NY.