Lighthouse Guild

04/02/2026

Our incredible star Kiana Glanton is at it again! Watch Kiana and her daughter Kali featured in a Spectrum commercial using the accessible Spectrum Access App – a free smartphone app that provides audio descriptions for blind and visually impaired users to help follow along during their favorite shows.

Way to go Kiana and Kali – continue to be a voice for our community and accessibility for all.

03/27/2026

Veronica came to the U.S. from Ghana at 38. She spent decades working to give her three children the education she never had. They became successful professionals in medicine, architecture and technology.

Then she lost her vision — and then her job and her home.

At 57, she walked into Lighthouse Guild and decided it was finally her turn to shine. Four years later, she passed her final GED exam — Science, the subject she feared most — with a college-ready score.

Yesterday, the same children she sacrificed everything for watched her receive her diploma.🎓

Veronica is one of six graduates from Lighthouse Guild's GED program — the largest class in the program's history. Each of them earned their High School Equivalency diploma through a program built from the ground up for students who are blind or have low vision.

Congratulations Veronica, Amanda, Frdous, Jamie, Vanessa, and Johnine. May this moment be the start of your next chapter. 👏

03/25/2026

Terrell is BACK on Team Lighthouse Guild at the 2026 Five Boro Bike Tour!

Why? Because this team, this ride, is more than just 40 miles through NYC. It’s a chance to prove that
he’s UNSTOPPABLE.

He was inspired to get on a bike for the first time last year, after losing his
vision, and he never looked back.

You can join Terrell and the rest of our incredible team! Click the link in bio and pedal for a purpose this year!

03/23/2026

♂️✨ Thomas Panek ran the NYC Half Marathon last Sunday using AI-powered Meta smart glasses — and last night, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir covered why it matters.

13.1 miles through New York City. Real-time audio descriptions of his surroundings. Live coaching from ultramarathoner Scott Jurek via WhatsApp. Hearing the finish line before he crossed it.

This is what Lighthouse Guild AI was built to show that technology shaped by the blind and low vision community performs differently, because it's designed by the people who actually need it.

Grateful to ABC World News for telling this important story!

https://amp.abcnews.com/video/131311841/?fromLive=true

Blind runner Thomas Panek finished the United Airlines New York Half Marathon last weekend, assisted by AI glasses co-developed by Lighthouse Guild and Meta.

03/15/2026

History. Made.

This morning, Lighthouse Guild CEO Thomas Panek crossed the finish line of the NYC Half Marathon — 13.1 miles through the streets of New York City, supported by Meta smart glasses providing real-time audio navigation the entire way.

Landmark call-outs as he moved through the city. Live performance stats. Environmental alerts. And — in a first for any race — remote coaching from legendary ultramarathoner Scott Jurek, delivered straight through the glasses as Thomas ran.

Thomas ran alongside NYRR Board Member and Achilles International guide Jed Laskowitz. But today, he had something he has never had on a course before: real-time, AI-powered situational awareness across every mile.

This was the debut of Lighthouse Guild AI — our new initiative to co-develop adaptive technology with leading partners. Meta is our first.

What worked today isn't a prototype -- it's a preview. The same technology that navigated Thomas through 13.1 miles of unpredictable urban terrain is the technology that will help someone navigate a grocery store, cross a busy intersection, or avoid obstacles along their path.

The race is done. But the work starts now!

03/15/2026

What a morning! Thomas took down the NYC Half, aided by his Meta glasses and proudly crossing the finish line with NYRR and Achilles volunteer Jed Laskowitz.

Thomas has run many marathons, but none quite like this! Stay tuned for more

03/14/2026

Something BIG is happening tomorrow.

Thomas Panek, Lighthouse Guild President and CEO, an accomplished marathon runner with over 20 races behind him, is taking on the NYC Half Marathon, again.

But this time it will be different. How? Follow along with us tomorrow to find out!

03/12/2026

John Elliott spoke with Kevin and Lenise, two participants in Lighthouse Guild’s Tech Pals program — where younger people with vision loss are paired with older adults who share the same lived experience to teach technology, answer questions, and form lasting bonds

Through Tech Pals, Kevin helped Lenise build new tech skills, boost her confidence, and gain more independence. What makes it powerful isn’t just the technology — it’s the trust, empathy, and shared understanding that only comes from learning from someone who’s walked the same path.

03/11/2026

Next up in our CBS New York series: a look at the future of accessible technology.

John Elliott speaks with Shanell Matos, who leads our assistive tech program, and Lighthouse Guild Ambassador Fitz Martin to explore the rise of smart AI glasses — how they work, what they can recognize, and why they’re transforming daily life for people who are blind or have low vision.

Fitz also discusses just how far we’ve advanced in braille, and how this technology is revolutionizing reading and writing for people with vision loss.

03/10/2026

We were excited to host legendary New York weatherman and journalist John Elliott of CBS New York at Lighthouse Guild this weekend! All week, we’ll be sharing highlights from his visit and the innovative ways we support people who are blind or have low vision.

John spoke to our CEO Thomas Panek and Kiana Glanton on our development team to talk adaptive athletics, our upcoming 5 Boro Bike Tour team, and how Lighthouse Guild walks alongside people through every step of their vision loss journey.

03/10/2026

We were excited to host legendary New York weatherman and journalist John Elliott of CBS New York at Lighthouse Guild this weekend! All week, we’ll be sharing highlights from his visit and the innovative ways we support people who are blind or have low vision.

John spoke to our CEO Thomas Panek and Kiana Glanton on our development team to talk adaptive athletics, our upcoming 5 Boro Bike Tour team, and how Lighthouse Guild walks alongside people
through every step of their vision loss journey

03/05/2026

Bike Tour season starts NOW!

We’re officially kicking off our journey to the 2026 TD Five Boro Bike Tour, and we can’t wait to introduce you to some of the incredible riders who make Team Lighthouse Guild so special.

Meet Loudny — who lost her sight in 2023 and refused to let it stop her. She joined our team last
year to prove to herself that independence doesn’t end with vision loss… and she ended up inspiring everyone around her.

This year, she’s back — stronger, braver, and so ready to ride again.
Watch her story. Feel the energy. And get ready… because this season Team Lighthouse Guild is
UNSTOPPABLE.

Join us today: https://lighthouseguild.org/events/ride-with-team-lighthouse-guild-at-the-td-five-boro-bike-tour-2026/