The Strength of the Foundation is Through Our Communities
The Foundation Fighting Blindness Chapter network brings people together across the country to join in fighting blinding retinal diseases. Our family of volunteers and leaders stand up for those impacted by blinding diseases. From day one, they share the latest research and advancements, and provide access to local resources to guide individuals through their personal journey. And together, they celebrate the Foundation’s mission.
We are winning thanks to the dedication of our Chapters focusing on three key areas: education, resources, and revenue. Through informative sessions, Foundation staff, community, and national experts provide research information, low vision resources, and outreach to our local retinal specialists and eye care professionals. To continue accelerating our mission, each community is invited to be a stakeholder by participating in our fundraising events.
Welcome to the New Chapter Program Honoring One of Our Co-Founders
Nearly 50 years after its inception, the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the world’s leading organization committed to finding treatments and cures for blinding retinal diseases, unveils a rebranded chapter program, “Lulie’s Next Chapter for Light & Vision.”
In 1971, Gordon and Lulie Gund, along with Bernard and Beverly Berman, and several other committed families co-founded the Foundation Fighting Blindness to fund research finding treatments and cures for blinding retinal diseases. Lulie did not only want to further retinal research, but she also had the vision to provide vital resources and support for those in the blindness and visually impaired community. In 1972, Lulie created and became president of the Princeton, New Jersey Chapter, overseeing it for 48 years.
The chapter program is the backbone of the Foundation’s mission and will focus efforts on education, resources, and revenue. Not only do chapters provide the needed support for those in the community, but they also hold seminars and meetings which provide research information, low vision resources, and other industry topics and provide outreach to retinal practices and eye care professionals. Along with raising revenue through VisionWalks, dinners, Raising Our Sights do-it-yourself (DIY) fundraisers, and individual donors, chapters help accelerate the mission to drive research for preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected by retinal diseases.
From the beginning, Lulie was there.
She was a voice of inspiration in the early days of Gordon Gund’s fight against retinitis pigmentosa and always present as a guiding hand, helping him realize his vision…for the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
As the Foundation Fighting Blindness enters its 50th year, we begin Lulie’s Next Chapter for Light and Vision.
The Chapter program, originally conceived by Lulie herself, is the backbone of the Foundation’s mission. It provides resources, education, and revenue in the fight against the entire spectrum of blinding retinal diseases. Moving forward, it is important that Lulie’s memory remains at the core of the work of the Chapter program.
Lulie’s Next Chapter will include transformational initiatives such as Lulie’s Leadership Training, which will bring together the best of Chapter leadership to participate in leadership training and team development seminars – and Lulie’s Light Award, which will annually recognize the work and impact of leadership from the Foundation’s Chapter network around the nation.
This initiative will ensure that all of our Chapters, like Lulie, will always be there.
