Welcome to the home of the Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN).
HAVIN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization comprised of various volunteer groups and organizations from across Houston that serve the information, resource, and support needs of the blind and visually impaired. Our vision is to educate, provide peer support, and unify the blind and visually impaired community in the Greater Houston area.
Our mission is to provide training, education, workshops, seminars, and mentorship to the blind and visually impaired Community, providing skills and resources to help individuals live full and independent lives.
Because we are blind and visually impaired ourselves, we understand how large in area Houston is and the challenges this poses to the many people from across our great city who are also blind and visually impaired. Our goal when starting HAVIN was to try to make it a little smaller for us, at least once a year, for those of us who are blind and visually impaired. To do this, we bring together the various support groups and nonprofit organizations that serve the blind and visually impaired community and make up HAVIN to host at least one event a year, the annual Insight Expo. While its not practical to come to each of our group’s individual meetings, it is possible for us to come together for that one day a year and bring unity to our community.
That is how we started, but we have grown to do so much more than that today. Read below for the latest news and information about HAVIN. There are also links to our “About Us” page above, and “Our Groups,” if you want to find out about our history, or to contact one of the groups that comprise HAVIN.
Make a Donation to HAVIN
Even though we are a dedicated group of volunteers working collectively to serve our community, we still have expenses and rely on the generosity of donors to help us meet our financial obligations. If you would like to make a tax-exempt donation to support the work of HAVIN, know that it is much appreciated.
Secure donations can be made through Square using a debit or credit card at this link:
However, if Zelle, PayPal, or the Cash app are your preferred methods of donating, we also have accounts set up on each of those platforms to receive payments.
For Zelle and PayPal, send donations to
for the Cash app, our Cashtag is $HAVINTX
Thank you
HAVIN wishes to recognize the
Houston Delta Gamma Foundation
For continuing to support our work in bringing unity to the community by providing HAVIN with another grant this year.
The Houston DGF is a phenomenal organization that supports many aspects of blindness and vision loss through their charitable efforts.
Come Out for the HAVIN Talent Showcase
Here’s your opportunity to support HAVIN and enjoy entertainment from members of our own blind and visually impaired community. This is our second effort at the HAVIN Talent Showcase and we’d like to make it an annual event.
Event Highlights
The Lighthouse of Houston Choir: Prepare to be moved by the breathtaking harmonies and captivating sounds of this exceptional choir!
Sensational Local Talent: Discover a dazzling, diverse array of performances from gifted individuals across our community.
Door Prizes: Every registered attendee will be automatically entered into drawing for exciting door prizes!
Delicious Refreshments: Enjoy complimentary snacks and refreshments while taking in the show.
- Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Time: 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- Location: Metropolitan Multi-Service Center, 1475 W. Gray St., Houston, TX 77019
- Admission / Ticket Cost: $10 Donation
Pre-registration is required both to attend and to enter the door prize drawings! Reserve your spot now before space fills up:
5th Annual Houston Community White Cane Safety Day
HAVIN is once again proud to be a co-sponsor of the Houston Community White Cane Safety Day (HCWCSD). This is the fifth year for this Houston area grass-roots celebration of the independence that a white cane or guide dog brings to the blind.
Our tag line is “By people who are blind for people who are blind,” to reflect the five organizations that co-sponsor this day of celebration for our Houston blindness community.
Being an event organized and hosted by blind people is also representative of the core value of independence we find in our white canes and guide dogs.
This year’s theme is Creating Awareness Promoting Independence.
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 9 AM to 12 PM).
Location: Metropolitan Multi-Service Center (MMSC),
1475 West Gray, Houston, TX 77019.
Cost: Free
*Pre-Registration closes on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
In addition to our program focusing on the independence found from using white canes and guide dogs, we will also have plenty of exhibitors who serve our community, light refreshments, and several hundred dollars in door prizes for those who pre-register. Walkups are welcome on the day of the event, too, but will not be eligible for the door prize drawings.
Remember to
Register for this year’s HCWCSD celebration
and also read information about the march below.
Don’t Forget the March!
There will also be a White cane March of Independence beginning at 9:00 AM that morning with a starting point at
the Whole Foods Market on Waugh Drive.
The march will go up to West Dallas and turn. Following that marchers will be turning on Dunlavy, coming down to West Gray, and finishing at the MMSC.
Marchers will assemble at 8:30 AM,
Assembly location: The Whole Foods Market on Waugh Drive, the Montrose location
701 Waugh Dr, Houston, TX 77019,
*Attendees who plan to march and are using MetroLift should use the Whole Foods Market as their destination that morning.
The groups co-sponsoring the HCWCSD are:
Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN)
Houston Council of the Blind (HCB)
iBUG Today
National Federation of the Blind Houston Chapter (NFB)
Visually Impaired Advocates Houston (VIA)
HAVIN Happenings
Want to know what HAVIN and our groups and organizations have planned for the coming months? Great news!
We now have the monthly HAVIN Happenings newsletter that comes out at the beginning of each month. If you’re not already on the mailing list, send an email to
And we’ll get you added to the HAVIN email list.
The Lighthouse of Houston also has a
community calendar for the blind and visually impaired
showing many of these activities. This shows not only activities from those affiliated with HAVIN, but other groups and organizations as well.
Get in Touch with HAVIN
If you want to reach us, our email is:
HAVIN also has a dedicated phone number. Contact us at (713) 570-6968.
Follow us on social media – We’re on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @HAVINTX
Or through your local group or organization email list.
Recognizing our sponsors and supporters
We appreciate everybody who has donated to support HAVIN. In just the past year alone, there has been an abundant number of charitable donations to HAVIN, and we want you all to know how grateful we are for these. This includes several individuals, as well as businesses. If you are one of the many individuals who have donated to HAVIN, thank you.
We would like to acknowledge the official sponsor of our annual Insight Expo,
The University of Houston College of Optometry
who have been part of HAVIN since our launch and have graciously hosted all of our Insight Expos.
Additionally, we would like to thank the following sponsors for helping us through charitable grants.
Houston Delta Gamma Foundation
WalMart Local Community Grants Team and WalMart Facility # 3579 in Kingwood
And, finally, HAVIN would like to say thank you to the following businesses for supporting us as we have delivered our programming and as we have expanded our operations and service.
Non-24 Sleep Wake Disorder/Vanda Pharmaceuticals
Hear how we began
If you would like to learn more and hear our president telling more about the formation of HAVIN, check out this interview with Chelsea Nguyen at Sight Into Sound studios.
Follow HAVIN on Social Media
We are on Twitter and Instagram: @HAVINTX
Also be sure to follow us on Facebook: (20+) Houston Area Visually Impaired Network – HAVIN | Facebook
Footer