Karen Haught, Executive Director of the Seeing Hand Association (Seeing Hand), was recently appointed by Governor Jim Justice to the West Virginia State Rehabilitation Council to serve a three-year term as an advisor to the West Virginia State Division of Rehabilitation Services.
Haught, who has worked tirelessly at Seeing Hand for the past 11 years, said she was thrilled to be part of a group that helps make a difference in the lives of the disabled population of West Virginia.
“I am honored and proud to be appointed to the West Virginia State Rehabilitation Council. I look forward to working with the many dedicated council members to help those with disabilities achieve their goals,” she said.
Haught joined Seeing Hand in 2012. She came to the nonprofit from a diverse background of business management, teaching, and nonprofit management. Her ongoing mission is to find new projects for the organization and to increase the number of employees and programs.
Since 1936, Seeing Hand has helped blind and visually impaired individuals lead fulfilling and independent lives through various programs including employment, health and wellness, support group, education and outreach, low vision products and access technology.
Under her direction, Seeing Hand created the Edelman Garden – named after the family that generously donated an empty lot on historic Wheeling Island. The garden offers blind and visually impaired workers the opportunity to learn how to weed, plant, water, and harvest produce. The garden was designed with an assortment of vertical elements which makes it possible for Seeing Hand gardeners to navigate the green space with ease.
By 2017, Seeing Hand had doubled the size of the garden and had installed braille identification plates. This project continues to be one of the nonprofit’s most visible accomplishments, going from vacant lot to a bountiful garden filled with aromatic and sensory experiences, with vegetables to enjoy!
Seeing Hand also offers a service to refurbish fire extinguishers. This project expands employment opportunities for the blind and visually impaired and transforms the organization from one of sustainment to one of growth.
Haught believes her work at Seeing Hand will never be done until all blind and visually impaired workers have the same opportunities as their sighted peers.
Her appointment to the West Virginia State Rehabilitation Council will see her become a member of a group of between 15 and 26 members who serve three-year terms and who can only serve two consecutive terms on the body. The majority of members must be individuals with disabilities or who represent a person with a disability and not be employed by the state Division of Rehabilitation Services.
The Council’s vision is to ensure that all people with disabilities are provided with an equal opportunity to receive the vocational rehabilitation services for which they are eligible. The committee meets four times a year and participates in a national fall and spring conference.
Its mission is to review, analyze and advise the West Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services regarding its program eligibility, performance, and effectiveness in empowering individuals with disabilities to achieve their employment goals. One of the most important jobs of the Council is to assist the Department in preparing its State Plan for Vocational Services. The overall purpose of the State Plan is to assure that State and Federal governments play a leadership role in promoting employment for persons with disabilities and to ensure a link between citizen participation and the legislative process.
For more information about the West Virginia State Rehabilitation Council, go to wv-src.org.
For more information about the Seeing Hand Association, follow the agency on social media, and visit the website at seeinghandassociation.com
