Our Mission

Our History

Rhode Island Association for the Blind

IN-SIGHT has its roots in a group called the Rhode Island Society for the Blind, formed in 1905 by a group of Providence churches seeking to incorporate people who were blind into the community through monthly socials and luncheons.

In 1923, the Rhode Island Association for the Blind was formed by a group of volunteers to meet the needs of people with vision impairments. The group was officially incorporated in 1925 under the direction of Jarvis Worden and Board president, Mrs. Rush Sturges.

Outlook Chair Caning Shop

The first project of the new organization was creating employment opportunities for blind men. In 1926, the group leased a storefront on Broad Street in Providence with almost a dozen caners. The organization continued to offer chair caning services until 2019.

Helen Worden Becomes Executive Director

Assuming the role left by her late husband, Jarvis, Helen Worden became the Association’s full-time leader in 1938, serving for almost 40 years. Mrs. Worden’s aunt, who was blind, inspired her to become involved in helping people with visual impairments.

Since Mrs. Worden’s retirement in 1977, only three other people have served in the Executive Director position: Robert Carolan, Judith T. Smith, and current director Christopher Butler.

Helen Keller Visits Providence

In 1938, Helen Keller visited Providence and delivered a speech to more than 2,000 people at the former Metropolitan Theater. A hand-signed picture of Ms. Keller from the day is displayed at IN-SIGHT.

Historic Arcade Building

In 1945, with the help of local historic preservationist John Nicholas Brown, the Association purchased the historic Arcade building in downtown Providence, saving it from imminent demolition. The Arcade served as the organization’s headquarters for more than 20 years and was owned by the agency until the late 1980s.

Low Vision Clinic

In 1959, local optometrist Frank DiChiara opened one of the first low-vision clinics in the country, helping people learn to maximize their remaining vision through magnification, lighting, and other devices.

In 1989, Dr. Helene Bradley, who interned with Dr. DiChiara, took over the clinic and still manages it today.

Rhode Island Radio Information Service

In 1981, a group of volunteers began a free radio reading service, broadcasting on a sub-signal of a college radio station. Each day, volunteers came to a broadcast studio to read newspapers, magazines, and books for people who could not access print due to their visual impairment. Listeners accessed the signal through specially programmed radio receivers.

In 1988, the Rhode Island Radio Information Service and the Rhode Association for the Blind merged to form IN-SIGHT.

With a precipitous decline in newspaper readership and in people’s ability to access information through other technologies, the radio reading service was discontinued in 2022.

Providing Employment Opportunities

For much of its history, the organization was a source of employment opportunities for people with visual impairments. Starting with the chair caning shop in 1926 and expanding into handicrafts, jewelry assembly, industrial sewing, packaging, and other opportunities, such as managing a store on a Navy base in Massachusetts.

The enterprise programs were housed in various locations over the years, including the Arcade Building, Independence Square in Pawtucket, an industrial building in Providence, and an industrial park in East Providence.

As more employment opportunities for people with disabilities became available, the enterprise programs were phased out starting in 2009.

Building Financial Sustainability

In 1933, C. Prescott Knight made a bequest of $20,000 to the Association to be used as an endowment to fund the work of the agency in perpetuity. Hundreds of individuals and families have since duplicated Mr. Knight’s generosity. Today, almost half of the agency’s annual expenses are covered by income from charitable trusts and money invested from bequests.

The Future

What does the future look like for IN-SIGHT?

Our hope is that continued advances in technology, treatments, and science will one day fulfill our mission.

But, for today and likely the next few decades, there is still a lot for us to do.

Despite the incredible advances that have already been made in technology, people living with visual impairments still face several challenges. Our role in teaching people how to overcome the emotional and practical aspects of vision loss is as relevant and needed today as it was when we were formed in 1923. We also still have a lot of work to do to educate the community about blindness, breaking down the misconceptions that are holding people back from being as independent and confident as they can be.

Your continued support for our valuable mission makes a difference in people’s lives each day, and we never take it for granted.