Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS YOUR AVERAGE ENROLLMENT? -- The average enrollment is 60, and LWSB has the capacity to house 91 trainees at a time.
DO THE TRAINEES LIVE ON CAMPUS? -- Yes, LWSB is a full residential facility with dormitories for women and men and a cafeteria that serves three meals a day.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY? -- A trainee who attends LWSB for our personal adjustment program stays approximately 4 months. A trainee enrolled in one of our 13 vocational programs stays between 4 to 10 months, depending on the program.
HOW MUCH DOES THE TRAINING COST? -- The training for one trainee costs approximately $4,600 a month for tuition, room and board.
DO THE TRAINEES HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR TUITION? -- No, the majority of the tuition fees are generally provided by each state’s rehabilitation agency. The rest of the funding comes from individual donations and bequests, general fundraising and Lions Clubs.
I THOUGHT THE LIONS CLUBS PROVIDED ALL THE FUNDING NEEDED BY LWSB? -- Lions Clubs from Arkansas and surrounding states contribute generously to LWSB. But Lions Clubs only contribute approximately 12% of LWSB’s operating budget, so the center needs support from many sources.
DOES LWSB ONLY SERVE PEOPLE WHO ARE TOTALLY BLIND? -- About 40% of the people LWSB serves are totally blind. The other trainees are “legally blind,” and have exhausted any physical restoration of eyesight that is possible.
WHAT IS THE AGE RANGE OF THE TRAINEES YOU SERVE? -- We serve adults, ranging from 16 years to 90 plus.
HOW IS A PERSON REFERRED TO LWSB FOR TRAINING? – Each state has a state agency that provides services to its residents who are blind. That Arkansas agency is called the Division of Services for the Blind. A person interested in training at LWSB should contact his or her state agency which has branch offices across the state. The state office then contacts LWSB with referral information. Anyone, however, can call LWSB directly to request information.
