History

During the late 1940’s there were several fires in Rockford where a blind person was involved. A few Rockford Lions and their wives decided to try to identify the blind in our community and they began holding a monthly dinner at the Salvation Army Citadel. This led to the formation of the Winnebago County Association of the Blind (WCAB). They approached the Lions in 1953 to help them build their own center. The Lions pledged to match whatever funds they raised and began raising funds by selling roses. Local Lions clubs have been selling roses every year since then and the Center is often referred to as the house that roses built.

The first Center at 625 Adams Street Just South of Rural Street, opened in the fall of 1962 through the collaborative efforts of the Winnebago County Association of the Blind and the Rockford Lions Club.  The Center became a District 1-D Lions project in 1969. District 1-D Lions represent over 60 Lions, Lioness and Leo clubs in the ten northwestern counties of Illinois. Lions support encouraged the Center to reach out to communities throughout Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. It was home for 41 years until we moved to our present location.

Today we are located at 8038 MacIntosh Lane, one third of a mile North of East State Street on the east side of Lyford Road. We now serves over 20 counties from the Milwaukee/Chicago suburbs to the Mississippi River and 11 states through a collaborative federal grant with PEP Net Midwest.

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Mission Statement

Our mission is to help individuals with a vision and/or hearing loss enhance their quality of life and live independently

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Vision Statement

Improve the quality of life as the leading force in the fields of vision and hearing

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Value Statement

This value statement defines how we, the Board of Directors and employees of the Center for Sight & Hearing, want to interact with each other, with the individuals we serve, within our community and our world.

Respect - We demonstrate respect by a commitment to uphold the highest standards, and to recognize the true worth and excellence of each individual.

Honesty and Integrity - We strive to exhibit honesty and integrity by adhering to high moral and ethical principles, and by demonstrating fairness toward all those with whom we come in contact. 

Communication - We pledge to be open to the interchange of thoughts, opinions, and information from any source.

Professionalism - We have a responsibility to continually improve our knowledge and expertise through ongoing training and education, and by maintaining certification and licensure.

Dependability - We are obligated to provide reliable quality services for individuals with vision and/or hearing loss.

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