Blind Service Chicago is launching Core Compass, an adaptive Pilates program for people who are blind or have low vision. Created with Chicago small business Movement Med, the program brings people together through movement, wellness, and community connection while making fitness more accessible for Chicagoans often excluded from traditional fitness facilities and programs.

Core strength is especially important for people with vision loss because movement often depends more on balance and body awareness than visual cues. A stronger core can improve posture, steadier walking, safer weight shifting, and quicker balance reactions. It can also reduce fatigue and help lower fall risk. When the body feels centered and supported, everyday travel becomes easier and more confident.

Core Compass will offer weekly classes open to Chicago participants every Tuesday at Blind Service Chicago’s Bernstein Center in downtown Chicago. Sessions will be led by instructors holding Pilates Instructor (Mat and Apparatus) Certification and The Medical Exercise Training Institute’s Advanced Medical Exercise Trainer Certification. Equipment for classes has already been pledged through in-kind support, making the program ready to launch quickly once funding is secured.

Accessible fitness options remain limited for many blind and low vision adults. Traditional gyms often rely on visual demonstration and can feel isolating or unsafe. Core Compass changes that through tactile cueing, descriptive instruction, individualized support, and small class sizes. Participants will strengthen their bodies, build confidence, and connect with peers in an inclusive setting.

We expect to reach more than 100 blind and low vision Chicagoans through direct participation, rotating enrollment, and shared instructional resources sent throughout our community.