Frequently Asked Questions

+ How much will CCVI services cost?

First, it's helpful to understand how CCVI is funded as a whole. For the organization, the expenses to educate a single child are in the tens of thousands of dollars for salaries, facilities, administration, etc. Therefore funding for CCVI comes from a variety of sources. Many students are referred from their home school districts to have a contractual partnership with CCVI and are funded through that method. For children in the infant & toddler program, CCVI is partially reimbursed by the state. Other parents choose to pay out of pocket for some services. For some therapies, parents may be able to bill insurance. In summary, since the range of services needed depends entirely on each individual student, there is no set cost to attend CCVI. The best method is to give us a call or send us an email, so our team can work with you and find available resources. It's our vision for all children to be empowered to reach their highest potential, regardless of their ability to pay.

+ Are there specialized therapies my child can receive?

Yes, CCVI provides direct therapy services throughout the year. Every child receives individual programming based on their goals, and therapies are always considered. Click here for a list of our specialized therapy options.

CCVI also offers Aquatic Therapy for CCVI students, parents, and alumni (ages six months to nine years). The properties of the water can have positive influences on muscle tone, strength and control, flexibility, pain management, and overall fitness. This is why Children's Center for the Visually Impaired is home to a heated, fully-accessible pool.

For children with visual impairments specifically, Aquatic Therapy is beneficial due to its rich sensory feedback; the use of moving water increases visual attention and promotes ease of movement in a reduced gravity environment.⠀

Contact CCVI to explore all of our outpatient therapy offerings.

+ Does CCVI offer extracurricular activities?

While CCVI started as simply a preschool; it has grown programs well beyond our original classroom model. Throughout the school year, CCVI students take field trips to immerse themselves in the Kansas City area and experience real world examples of the situations they will face as they grow. Whether it's taking public transportation on the KC Streetcar, searching for beeping eggs in an egg hunt in Loose Park, or visiting SeaLife Aquarium, learning about the sighted world is an essential activity that students can participate in. It isn't extracurricular. It's simply curricular. One offering that CCVI delivers is a child & parent/caregiver session for children from ages birth to 3. Scheduling for this for the 2025-2026 school year will be released shortly. The organization also co-hosts Kansas City Beep Kickball in the Fall. Beep Kickball is open to all kids ages 3-13 and can be adapted to the needs of each student wanting to play. Contact us to learn more.

+ Does CCVI offer after school care?

CCVI does not currently offer after school care.

+ How is CCVI funded?

CCVI does its best to serve every visually impaired child seeking programming, regardless of their financial background. The five largest sources of income for the organization are: tuition and local contracts, public and private grants, special events, individual contributions, and investment gain. 75 cents of every dollar donated to CCVI goes toward essential programs that directly put resources in the hands of children birth through age twenty-one.

+ What CCVI's most popular event?

The CCVI Trolley Run is one of the largest timed 4-mile races in the country. Every year, thousands of participants gather on the streets of Waldo, Brookside, and the Country Club Plaza to celebrate the success of CCVI students. This event, which takes place annually in late-April, has been a historic part of CCVI and the Kansas City community for 35 years. You can find out more about the Trolley Run by visiting trolleyrun.org.

+ Do you need volunteers?

CCVI teaches students that helping others is an essential part of building a community. Every year, volunteers assist CCVI events and demonstrate that committment as role models. Volunteer registration typically opens a month or two from event day. To be notified of when registration opens, click here.

CCVI also has a long history of hosting classroom volunteers or high school students that can help the teachers.

+ Where does a donation go?

For every dollar raised, 75% goes toward programs at CCVI. These programs include the mobile outreach for vision education program, the CCVI early learning academy, and the CCVI early intervention in-home program. That 75 cents can be spent on specialized providers who are in a critical shortage across the nation, facilities to deliver the services in, or transportation costs to get care to children in the most rural parts of the region. Ten percent of every dollar provides administration resources to serve the program staff. Eight percent provides the development team resources to host events like the CCVI Trolley Run. Seven percent goes towards building maintenance of the Children's Center Campus.

+ How can I host a fundraiser?

A third party fundraiser is an excellent way to donate to CCVI and get your community involved in helping children with visual impairments. There are variety of fundraising ideas found on CCVI's Fundraising Tips blog. Some of the fundraisers include hosting a restaurant night, a trivia night, an auction, a luncheon, and a shirt sale; however there are many more ideas you can incorporate. Contact development@ccvi.org to learn more or find out how to get started.

+ Why should I donate?

Leaving the Hospital with a newborn in the backseat, parents struggle to see the road ahead clearly; they feel alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the words the doctor has told them. Their child was diagnosed blind.

These parents must navigate the complex web of the educational system, advocate for their child, and address the exponentially higher financial implications related to disability—all while traveling through a foggy grieving process of social and emotional health needs.

There are hundreds of families each year needing support, care, and resources for kids who are blind. They turn to Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI) for hope. But we can't do it alone. They need your support, too.

+ Can I make a gift in honor or memory of someone?

Yes, to make a tribute donation online, visit ccvi.org/give and enter the name of the honoree. To make a tribute donation via check, include the honoree’s name and contact information of who should be notified.

+ How do I cancel or change my credit card information on a recurring donation?

CCVI is grateful that you have chosen to have an immediate impact on the life of a child. You can contact development@ccvi.org for any billing questions or changes.

+ Is my gift tax-deductible? How do I get a tax receipt?

All donations to CCVI are 100% tax deductible. Contact development@ccvi.org to obtain a copy of your tax receipt.