Cleveland sight center receives grant

To help blind persons overcome the challenges they face to establish a career and live independently, Key today presented a $50,000 Key Foundation grant supporting career development projects at the Cleveland Sight Center.

The unemployment rate of blind or visually impaired persons in Cuyahoga County is a staggering 60 percent, according to the Cleveland Sight Center, which has served the needs of the blind for nearly a century. Of the adult blind persons who are seeking jobs, about 66 percent have no work history or have not worked in more than 10 years.

"Many blind or visually impaired adults must transition mentally and emotionally to accept the fact that they can live independently," says Cleveland Sight Center Executive Director Michael Grady. "Not only do these clients have to learn proper mobility techniques, and master the ability to use a variety of adaptive equipment and techniques, they must also learn how to interact appropriately in the workplace."

For example, some clients must learn to focus and speak in the correct direction to supervisors and co-workers. Others may need assistance with their professional appearance or resume development. The Key Foundation grant will support services and programs at the Career Development Center operated by the Cleveland Sight Center.

The Career Development Center served about 50 blind individuals last year. More than 41 percent landed jobs. "Every year, we expect to place more blind persons in jobs that can help them live independently," says Grady. "The Key Foundation grant will help us achieve this ongoing goal." Founded in 1906, the Cleveland Sight Center is a private agency that provides educational, rehabilitative, preventive and support services for 10,000 people in Greater Cleveland who are blind or visually impaired.

Cleveland-based KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $92 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally.