Vision Services

Addressing the Mahoning Valley’s Vision Needs

Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries provides a wide range of vision services designed to address the special needs related to vision issues or vision loss.

Goodwill increased its Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities services by 137 percent from 2022 to 2023. A total of 991 children were screened in the fall of 2023, with 115 referred.

Radio Reading Service

Operating over the side-band of WYSU-FM, this service makes a variety of information accessible to individuals who are unable to read printed materials. Specially tuned receivers are provided free of charge to qualified listeners. Staff and volunteers read newspapers, periodicals and host talk shows so that persons who are sight impaired have access to news and entertainment.

Youngstown Radio Reading Service is also available worldwide through our steaming service on any computer, tablet or smartphone and through Amazon Alexa. Simply activate our Alexa Skill by using the phrase “Alexa, enable the Goodwill Youngstown Radio Skill,” which only needs to be activated once. To listen, use the phrase “Alexa, Goodwill Youngstown Radio” to access Radio Reading anytime, anywhere.

Children’s Vision Screening

Goodwill’s vision screening volunteers perform vision screenings on preschool children to help detect Amblyopia and other vision disorders. Amblyopia is a reduction in visual acuity that results from abnormal visual development in infancy and childhood. If not treated early enough, the loss of vision may range from mild to severe. Amblyopia is also known as “lazy eye.”

Goodwill’s workforce development team and volunteers screen four-year old children in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana county preschools and at community events. Information indicating a possible vision problem is sent to the family, who is encouraged to take the child for a vision exam. Follow-up contact is made by the program coordinator.

To learn more about our vision screening programs, contact us at
330-759-7921, ext.1217.

VIP Support Group

The VIP Vision Support Group was created by Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries for both visually impaired persons and very important people! We are proud to bring a support group to the valley as a safe space for individuals who are visually or print impaired. Our goal is to offer valuable support and provide a connection to resources that can help improve the individual’s quality of life. Monthly meetings will be held the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. at Youngstown Goodwill’s main office, 2747 Belmont Avenue in Youngstown. The sessions will offer peer support from Goodwill team members in addition to an open forum for discussion and guidance. Some meetings will also feature guest speakers who can offer insight or helpful resources related to vision or vision issues.

2024 MEETING DATES (starts at 10 a.m.): January 18, February 15, March 21, April 18, May 16, June 20, July 18, August 15, September 19, October 17, November 21 and December 19.

Unable to attend? You can join remotely at 971-224-6619 code 657435.

Vision Resources

Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries

2747 Belmont Ave.
Youngstown, Ohio 44505
Phone: 330-759-7921

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