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Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Published September 4, 2024

8 years, 36 selections, $1,970 in donations

Since January 2016, Guiding Eyes for the Blind has been selected to benefit from the Hannaford Helps Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs 36 times at 6 different Hannaford locations. In total, the organization has received $1,970 in donations to further its mission of connecting people with vision loss to trained guide dogs.

Tell us about Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s mission is to provide guide dogs to people with vision loss. Founded in 1954, Guiding Eyes for the Blind is passionate about connecting exceptional dogs with individuals for greater independence. We believe in the powerful, meaningful change that our beautiful dogs bring to the lives of people facing the daily challenges that blindness and vision loss present.

We believe in the powerful, meaningful change that our beautiful dogs bring to the lives of people facing the daily challenges that blindness and vision loss present.

At Guiding Eyes for the Blind, we strive to ensure no one with vision loss faces the challenge alone. We foster connection, freedom, and happiness for the visually impaired community through a partnership with a world-class guide dog and a network of steadfast support.

Our dogs change each person’s life profoundly, and we work to support them in living joyful, independent, and fulfilling lives beyond our campus borders.

Guiding Eyes can provide these extraordinary dogs to those in need because of the generous individuals and philanthropic organizations that donate to us. We do not rely on government funding.

Through this unwavering support and dedication, Guiding Eyes has graduated more than 10,000 guide dog and student teams since we were founded.

What services do you provide to the community?

Guiding Eyes provides all services completely free of charge, including pairing a guide dog with their person. Each guide dog is carefully matched with their handler based on pace, pull, personality, and other critical factors. Once a pairing is made, the expert Guiding Eyes trainers work closely with each team to train them together. This training is done either at Guiding Eyes’ training center in Yorktown Heights, New York, or at the student’s home.

Each guide dog is carefully matched with their handler based on pace, pull, personality, and other critical factors.

It’s worth noting that more than 7 million Americans are living with uncorrectable vision loss. Current research shows that low vision and blindness will more than double in the next 30 years, with 2.3 million people expected to be blind and more than 9.5 million living with low vision.

How has Guiding Eyes for the Blind used the donations from the Hannaford Helps Community Bag Program to further its mission?

Guiding Eyes breeds, raises, trains, and places guide dogs. Over 500 pups are born annually, and our expert team of scientists, trainers, vets, and volunteers work in concert to ensure that those who need a guide dog will be paired with an exceptionally bred dog that has gone through rigorous training. Wonderfully, when guide dogs are not in harness or guiding their handler, they’re normal dogs that receive endless affection, playtime, and relaxation. 

Hannaford’s generosity has supported every aspect of our work – from the breeding stage through to graduate aftercare – to meet the growing needs of our diverse community of people with vision loss.

Tell us a story about a program, service, or initiative the Hannaford Helps Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs have supported.

Every year, Guiding Eyes graduates over 150 guide dog teams. It costs $50,000 to train and care for a guide dog throughout its working lifetime with a person who is blind.

The journey of a dog to become a fully trained guide starts almost as soon as it’s born! From birth to eight weeks, puppies receive early training and socialization. From 8 weeks to 16 months, puppies learn key skills with volunteer puppy raisers. From 16 months to 22 months, dogs are immersed in training to learn guide work. At 22 months, dogs are matched and live with their person until they retire between the ages of 8 and 10. From that point, they live the life of a loved and pampered family pet. 

This journey is filled with education and training gleaned from decades of expert experience. The Hannaford Helps Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs support this critical path to help ensure our guide dogs will become world-class guides.


The Hannaford Helps Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs support this critical path to help ensure our guide dogs will become world-class guides.

Have you noticed any changes in community awareness or support since becoming involved in the Hannaford Helps Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs?

Our community’s awareness has increased since becoming involved in these programs. Part of a dog’s training is taking them to different places to get used to new scenarios and environments. Hannaford shoppers are readily recognizing our trainers and dogs out in the community, honing their skills!

What advice would you give to other nonprofits participating in the Hannaford Helps Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs?

This won’t be surprising to any nonprofit, but it is crucial to share the impact Hannaford is making on your mission– it keeps everyone involved motivated and energized!

Interview with Lisa De Luca, Head of Corporate Partnerships