Our Story
We have been a vital source of local and national support with a history of funding program innovation.
Our Mission
Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation is dedicated to fostering the independence of people who are blind and visually impaired.
Our Vision
An accessible and inclusive world where people who are blind and visually impaired have the tools, resources and opportunities to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
For 70 years, Partners for Sight has supported projects that enrich the lives of thousands of visually impaired individuals, and assists them with their goal to become integrated, productive, fully accepted and participating members of society.
Our History: 1955 – Now
RDPFS was established in 1955, by DeWitt Wallace, the founder of Reader’s Digest Association.
In our early years, we published high-quality, low-cost, large print reading materials for people who could no longer read standard-sized print. For decades, this commitment to accessible reading included the Reader’s Digest Fiction Favorites Large Print program, which brought bestselling fiction to readers across the country.
Today, Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation focuses on improving the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired through strategic grantmaking. Each year, RDPFS awards up to $600,000 in grants to organizations that provide services, training, and innovative programs that foster independence, educational and professional success, and full participation in society. We partner with organizations and professionals that assist, support, and train blind and visually impaired people with:
- In-home and remote training programs to increase self-sufficiency skills for independence
- Educational initiatives to build knowledge and increase prospects for employment
- Assistive Technology innovations that ease the difficulties of daily living
- Vision testing and distribution of eyeglasses and vision aids
- Training of professionals to recognize vision loss and make referrals into the low vision rehabilitation system
- Supporting of professionals with new tools and resources to improve service delivery, access and capacity
There is enormous unmet need for services to blind and visually impaired people.
Our Board and Staff
Staff
Soja Orlowski – Executive Director
Joining us in October 2024, Soja brings to RDPFS substantial experience in governance, grantmaking and fundraising. Most recently, she led a global health funder awarding $500,000 annually. Soja oversees all foundation operations and activities, in partnership with the RDPFS board.
Elizabeth Atkinson – Grants and Communications Manager
Elizabeth brings a strong background in communications and grant development, blending marketing expertise with experience on the grantee side. She has over five years of experience in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on grant writing, donor cultivation, and storytelling. Liz is passionate about connecting resources with programs that create meaningful impact in the communities they serve.
Board of Directors
Matthew G. Krieger – Board Chair
Matthew Krieger is a technologist and executive with experience in IT, manufacturing and publishing. He is President at Cober, Inc. and previously held senior IT leadership positions at Time, Inc. and Reader’s Digest Association. Matthew is Chief Technology Officer and sits on the Leadership Team of the SCORE Fairfield County Connecticut chapter and is Chair of the Southern Connecticut State University Computer Science Technical Advisory Committee. Matthew is also on the advisory board of Cyber-Seniors and until recently served on the Advisory Board for the Baruch College Computer Center for Visually Impaired People, having been part of a team that successfully transitioned the Center to a new home. Matthew is a frequent presenter on topics of business and technology. Matthew is also creator of Whysper, a platform allowing the consumption of text content as high quality text to speech. Matthew is a member of the Finance and Investment and Governance Committees.
Angela C. Winfield, Esq. – Vice Chair
Angela Winfield is Vice President and Chief Impact Officer for the Law School Admission Council, where she leads initiatives to promote access, equity, and fairness for law schools and prospective students. She also serves on the California Legal Pathway Collaborative’s leadership council and the board of trustees for Cayuga Community College. In addition, Angela is a board member of The Rev Theatre Company, Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation, and Success Beyond Sight. She earned her BA from Barnard College of Columbia University, her JD from Cornell Law School, and her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
John Krieger
John brings to the post a 35 year career in Financial and operations consulting, starting with Coopers & Lybrand, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has Installed financial and performance measurement systems in many industries from banking and insurance to mining and manufacturing. His work includes acting as Financial Director a multi-company research program for the petroleum industry that spanned five currencies on four continents. John holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hartford and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Donna Esposito – Treasurer and Secretary
Donna is a direct marketing professional with global expertise. Experienced at developing and launching new businesses, marketing, and communications. She currently works as Chief of Staff, Data Governance at Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets. Donna holds an MBA in Marketing Management from Pace University and a Digital Marketing certification from NYU. Donna serves on the Audit Committee.
George Abbott
George Abbott is an accomplished nonprofit executive with more than two decades of experience advancing opportunities for people who are blind and visually impaired. He most recently served as President and CEO of The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., overseeing a national social enterprise with operations across 20 locations, and previously held leadership roles at the American Foundation for the Blind, Hadley, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. His career spans vision rehabilitation, accessibility, employment, education, organizational strategy, and nonprofit leadership. George holds an M.S.Ed. in Rehabilitation Teaching of Blind Adults and a certificate in nonprofit management.
Ronak Patel
Ronak is Sr. Director of Commercial at Just Capital, where he oversees the firm’s sales channels and shapes the go-to-market strategy that translates its research into compelling value propositions for its partners. Prior to Just Capital, Ronak oversaw earned revenue and corporate partnerships at AFB. He previously held strategy and business development roles at Rocket Mortgage and Walmart, and began his career in capital markets at Capgemini Consulting and Barclays Investment Bank.
Ronak received his MBA in Strategy and Marketing from The Wharton School as a Social Impact Fellowship award recipient, and a BS in Finance and Operations Management from the University of Maryland.
Elise Grossman
Elise has over 30 years experience working in the field of rehabilitation. For 23 years, she worked at the International Center for the Disabled with individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), 13 of those years as Assoc. Director of the Cognitive Rehabilitation Program. For 8 years, she was Director of the Vocational Rehabilitation Dept. at the Lighthouse Guild, serving individuals who are blind and visually impaired. She conducted workshops at several Conferences across the state on the relationship between TBI and vision loss. Elise is currently retired. She holds a Master’s Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from NYU.
Our Latest Financials
Our latest audited financials can be viewed here:
Final FY2024 Audited Financial Statements for RDPFS. Please contact [email protected] if you are having trouble accessing.