About VIPS Louisville

Before 1985, children who were blind or had low vision in Kentucky & Southern Indiana had no access to early intervention services for their vision-specific needs. That all changed when a group of concerned citizens, led by Sharon Bensinger, formed the idea to start VIPS. Mrs. Bensinger had no personal connection to anyone who was blind, other than being employed by American Printing House for the Blind Research Department. However, it was in that job that she took countless numbers of phone calls from desperate parents looking for services for their child with blindness

With $20,000 in startup grants from WHAS Crusade for Children and Metro United Way, VIPS was born! Mrs. Bensinger was the first employee and began with a caseload of 14 families. Since that time, VIPS has grown into an impactful agency, serving hundreds of families a year across two states, with office locations in Louisville, Lexington, and Indianapolis. VIPS Louisville operates Kentucky’s only full-time preschool for children with blindness or low vision, a nationally accredited program, and Jefferson County, KY’s first five-star rated child care facility.

Have a question?

Contact the VIPS Louisville office for more information!

$25

Provides a child with a

braille book.

$50

Provides a child with a magnification device.

$150

Provides a child with

in-home early intervention.

$250

Provides a child orientation and mobility instruction.

Louisville Wish List

• Clorox Wipes
• Lysol Spray
• Hand Sanitizer
• Face Masks
• BlueTooth dual pairing Speaker set
• Cricut Maker Machine
• Cricut mats
• Self-Adhesive Laminating Sheets, 9" x 12”
• Astrobrights Cardstock, 8.5" x 11", 65 lb “Vintage" 5-Color Assortment
• All colors of cardstock especially white and black
• White construction paper
• Adhesive Hook and Loop Velcro, Black, 1-Inch x 10-Foot Industrial Grade and Wear and Tear Resistant
• Crayola Silly Scents Twistables Crayons, 24 Classic Crayola Colors Non-Toxic Art Tools for Kids 3 & Up, Scented Self-Sharpening No Mess Twist-Up Crayons
• Washable Glue
• Colored duct tape
• Elmer’s Jumbo Glue Sticks
• Dry Erase Markers (black) thick and thin
• Scented markers
• Play-doh (small containers)
• Large paint brushes (large handles)
• Washable paint
• Acrylic paint (all colors)