VIP Spotlight

YVETTE HARVEY

Yvette Harvey lives in the San Fernando Valley with her husband and daughter. She has been an important part of Hearts For Sight since 2023. She started out as a participant with a visual impairment, began going on long hikes weekly with other HFS guides and participants, and then very quickly became part of the HFS staff.

Yvette’s career was in early childhood education for 30 years; the last 20 years at the Cal State Northridge University Children’s Center was as a Supervising Teacher. It was her whole life, but as her eyesight deteriorated (she has optic nerve atrophy), the University was unable to provide the accommodation for her to adequately work with preschool children. She took the hard decision to accept the University’s offer of long-term disability in 2023/2024. She says:

There was no quick fix for that and what I really needed was an extra pair of eyes. I wanted to make sure that everybody was safe and healthy because you needed the vision watching 20 children out in the yard running around. So, a lot of people will say, “Well you don’t look blind, you walk around just fine.” But when you put me in a situation where it’s new or unfamiliar or safety is an issue, I’m challenged. And reading and identifying colors are challenging.

Yvette heard about Hearts For Sight and attended her first hike in December 2023 while she was going through the turmoil of whether to go on long term disability or not. She says:

This was my first time with other people with canes and guide dogs—with people like me and it was amazing! My vision was such a new thing to me, and I met people with low vision that I can relate to.

She was introduced to Racquel, was invited to attend Fam Camp training as her first unofficial experience as HFS staff. She then started camping and doing fundraising for Monster Bash and Prom Night and more. She continues to help with coordinating hikes, mental health programs and fundraising. Finding Hearts For Sight and Wayfinder has meant that Yvette can continue to work. She has worked on a DMH funded project for HFS as well as HFS’ ongoing programs. She says:

I didn’t know there was a Hearts For Sight, I didn’t know there was a Wayfinder. I was looking for groups to go hiking and I’m so happy I found HFS. I love it (volunteering and working for HFS and Wayfinder), it’s for a good cause.

Being with HFS has really changed my outlook. We talk about what life is like and the challenges we face. We talk about resources and we talk about different ways to accommodate ourselves and we learn from each other. So now I am an advocate.

HFS is thankful for Yvette’s skills and positive attitude which have helped propel our programs forward. She says:

It’s a symbiotic relationship. I benefit from HFS just as much as HFS benefits from me.