About DGC
MISSION
The mission of Delta Gamma Center is to help children who are blind or visually impaired reach their full potential through family-centered, specialized services, and community support.
DGC's STORY
From the moment of diagnosis, the Delta Gamma Center (DGC) provides life-changing services to help ensure children can reach their full potential. Founded over 70 years ago, DGC is the only organization in the greater St. Louis area specializing in educational, therapeutic, and supportive services for children, birth to age three, who are blind or visually impaired and their families.
Services are provided one-to-one in the home, at daycare centers, and at DGC to Missouri and Illinois families within a 50-mile radius of our Richmond Heights location.
Usually taken for granted, 80-90% of learning occurs through vision, so much of learning occurs incidentally through observation of the people, places, and actions around us. As a result, children who are blind or visually impaired from birth or shortly thereafter have very unique learning needs and often they have additional disabilities and complex medical needs.
Proceeds from Run for Sight provide educational, developmental, therapeutic, and recreational services to children from birth through high school and their families, as they seek to live a life without limits from vision loss.
Your support provides:
• Early Intervention educational, therapeutic, development, and recreational services for children from birth through three years old;
• Group activities for school-age children to develop independence and social skills and engage in the community;
• Family support to help families navigate their child's visual impairment as well as other challenges and needs for resources; and
• Vision screening for young children at higher risk of vision problems and/or with limited access to vision services.
Over 70% of Delta Gamma Center's annual budget depends on community support. Funds raised from Run for Sight are an investment in the future of our children and our community.
TESTIMONIALS
"We learned one of the most important things that we would ever learn in raising a blind child. We learned that he needed to know he was loved like every other child. Also, we needed to allow him to experience everything he could. That we should not filter out things that we didn't think he could do. Let him try things. Let him feel things, play in puddles, in the mud." - 'Ron' is the proud father of a young man who grew up with services provided by DGC and is now a college graduate.
"I'm really proud of myself for making it up there and not giving up." - a GRADS participant after climbing to the top of a high ropes course during a summer challenge trip.
"It took months before I could muster the courage to call DGC. When I finally made that call, it changed our lives! Today our beautiful daughter is an inquisitive toddler. She has learned to distinguish objects based on color, shape, and texture. And, through family activities, I've found encouragement and support from other parents." - 'Melissa' felt overwhelmed following her baby's diagnosis of albinism, a genetic condition that causes visual impairment.
"DGC has given something to our daughter that she gets nowhere else - hope, confidence, and tangible skills in areas of high interest. We really appreciate how DGC is equipping her with the skills she needs to be a successful, self-confident, and adventurous young woman." - 'Donna & Keith' parents of a teenager who first began receiving services from DGC as a toddler.
