The Bluegrass Council of the Blind is facing a tighter budget this year as grant funding falls short, and its executive director says the community's support will be critical to keeping services running.Executive Director Theres a Thomas said grants are the organization's primary source of income and this year, more of those applications have come back with a "no.""Our primary source of income are grants. We write a lot of grants. There's a lot of no's, but we do survive on those yeses that we get," Thomas said.The financial pressure is real. The council has already identified significant losses compared to last year."We've had at least $55,000 that we had last year that we already know has been cut for this year, so it's getting tight," Thomas said.Thomas has a personal connection to the organization's mission. More than a decade ago, she found the council as someone living with a vision impairment."Because I was a person with a vision impairment, I decided to kind of get more involved and learn more about what they do, and from that, the executive director informed me later that year that she was going to be retiring and asked if I was interested in the position," Thomas said.Among the services the council provides is a mobile market, where people with vision impairments can get help navigating everyday tasks like grocery shopping."Take a look at the strawberries. Are they going to be good for the next couple of days, or do we might need to pass on those? Things that most people take for granted when they're at the grocery store. But for someone like me that can't see that, you really need help from someone else," Thomas said.The council also provides transportation and connects clients with tools that make daily life more accessible. Thomas emphasized that all services are available at no cost and with no barriers to entry."Our services are free of charge to our clients. There's no fees involved. We don't require insurance. You don't need a referral from a doctor or a case worker. You simply just give us a call," Thomas said.Despite the funding challenges, the council's commitment to serving Kentuckians with vision impairments has not wavered. Thomas said community support will be essential to keeping those doors open.Molly Demrow is committed to covering the stories that matter to you. If you have an idea, please reach out to Molly at [email protected]. ...read more read less