The mission of Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth, a nonprofit organization, is to provide services to assist legally and totally blind individuals to achieve their highest level of personal and economic self-sufficiency consistent with their specific skills, general abilities and interests.
Life was extremely hard in Fort Worth in the early 1930’s if you were blind. The biggest challenge was earning a living so as to be self-sufficient. Begging was acceptable as a means and so it was not uncommon to see the blind standing on the street corners, offering up a song or a tune with the hope of raising enough to put food on the table.
One of the few resources available for persons who were significantly visually impaired was the Texas Commission for the Blind. It was the Commission that brought Willie Fay Lewis to Fort Worth in 1935. Mrs. Lewis was a blind woman who was charged with the assignment of “finding a handful of blind people and see what she could do to help them.” Told by city officials that there were only six blind folks in our community, Mrs. Lewis easily found ninety. She was the first director for what was to become Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth. A true advocate for those who were visually impaired, Mrs. Lewis knew firsthand the trials of living without sight, having been blind since the age of eighteen months.
Locating in a six-room house at 1710 Washington, Fort Worth, a persistent Mrs. Lewis organized nine blind workers in the production of pillowcases, rugs, brooms and mops, other hand-sewn items and the caning of chairs. Her goal was to encourage and empower members of this community to become independent and productive through gainful employment. In order for this to happen, she knew that the Lighthouse must provide training and employment opportunities. Under her leadership, this was accomplished.
The production of mops and brooms was very hard and physically demanding for the 24 employees who were primarily men that were blind. In addition to the production workers, blind salesmen canvassed the Fort Worth community, going door to door in welcoming neighborhoods selling the locally made mops and brooms. A small retail store was also opened.
For the next twenty-five years, the production of these items was the mainstay for the Lighthouse’s employment and revenue.
Thanks to Mrs. Lewis, Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth was the first Lighthouse in the nation to pay their employees a standard hourly rate, making a significant statement about the rights of all employees being entitled to fair treatment and fair wages in any workplace.
In 1938, the Lighthouse relocated to 428 S. Lake. With the onset of World War II, the Lighthouse supported the war effort by producing additional items such as bandages. Many years later that working relationship with government agencies through government contracts continues with the manufacture of products such as TRIADS (refrigerator-sized boxes designed to deliver humanitarian relief supplies from aircraft into disaster or military operations areas), energy dissipation pads (honeycomb designed kraft paper faced pads for air drops), non-incendiary LED marking flares and more.
In 1952, the organization became officially known as the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth and moved to its present location at 912 W. Broadway.
According to a Star-Telegram news article written in 1985 featuring Mrs. Lewis, the Lighthouse and Blind Children’s Service Center merged in 1966 to become the Tarrant County Association for the Blind.
In the early 1970’s, change came to the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth. Robert W. Mosteller was named President in 1973 and under his leadership the Lighthouse transformed from a small manufacturer of mops and brooms to a manufacturer of paper products, shipping containers and military products. Another very familiar Lighthouse face joined the staff in 1974; Wayne Pound served as Vice President of Community Services/Development.
Both Mosteller and Pound recognized a need for additional services for the blind community that would provide them opportunities and training so they could lead more independent lives. New programs were started that assisted individuals in orientation and mobility training and vocation evaluation.
Over the years, the Industrial Division expanded its product line, which meant more job opportunities for people who were blind or significantly visually impaired. This expansion also meant financial stability for the agency. An endowment was created with the reserves.
More room was needed for operations and in 1988, 27,000 square feet was added for manufacturing operations, bringing the size of the total facility to 80,000 square feet. In addition, the Lighthouse operates the Servmart at the Naval Air Station Fort Worth where sight-impaired staff are employed as sales associates.
The Lighthouse has provided lifelong careers for many. Robert Mosteller was President/CEO for 35 years and Wayne Pound was at the Lighthouse for 36 years. Many others have been here for significant lengths of time: 30-, 20-, 15-, and 10-year anniversaries are commonly celebrated.
A new era began at the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth in October 2008 when Platt Allen, III succeeded Robert Mosteller as President/CEO. With the goal of continuing the legacies of Willie Fay Lewis, Robert Mosteller and others, Allen’s priority is to expand the industrial division with new products, which also means expanding employment opportunities while continuing to provide second-to-none quality services to the legally blind within Tarrant County.
Currently, the Lighthouse’s Industrial Division employs 75 individuals who are legally blind for the manufacturing of products such as energy dissipation pads, graffiti remover, hygiene kits, non-incendiary LED marking flares, fast pack shipping containers, copy paper and clear-barrel pens. Products are available for sale to commercial businesses as well as to local, state and federal government agencies. In addition to the industrial division, rehabilitation services provide mobility and orientation training, skills assessment, and independent living skills training to over 1,500 individuals annually.
In the last 75 years, programs, manufactured products, and people have come and gone, but the one constant at the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth is the strong, ongoing commitment to providing meaningful services and assistance to Tarrant County individuals who are blind. That is the commitment for the next 75 years as well!
Other highlights:
- The Lighthouse hired Katherine Brooks, who was the very first African American from Texas to attend the Seeing Eye Guide Dog School in Morristown, New Jersey in 1965.
- Mrs. Brooks also became a “master caner” in the art of chair caning and was the first Employee of the Year in 1983.
- Lewis House was opened from 1975 to 2002 and was the first community based residential program in Texas for individuals who were blind and had other disabling conditions. It housed 20 of the Lighthouse employees.
- Ballpoint pen assembly started in 1975 for a government contract and employed 20 people. Currently the largest customer for this contract is the State of Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
- In 1980, the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth was associated with a beep baseball team, the Cowtown Roadrunners. The team won the Beep Baseball World Series and was named “National Champions” in 1980, 1983, and 1990.
- Cardboard box production began in 1982. Completed the 16 millionth cardboard box in 2007 without a single return. Currently producing 30 different types of boxes for government contracts.
- The Lighthouse started packaging copy paper in 1999 and currently can accommodate the packaging of 10 million sheets of paper daily.
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