This vision was articulated as the ability of an individual who was blind to "stand up at the workbench and earn his daily bread." Mr. Ryan, who was visually impaired, traveled across Maine as an almanac salesman and saw others who were blind, kept at home and isolated from society. As a result of his determination and persistence, the "Maine Institution for the Blind" opened its doors in 1905. Helen Keller raised $1,000 to help launch the Maine Institution for the Blind and we count Civil War hero, Joshua Chamberlain as one of the earliest members of our Board of Trustees. Even though our name has changed, our needs continue to grow as baby boomers age and someone in the United States loses the sense of sight every 7 minutes. The ability of the Iris Network to continue with our mission rests upon the charitable support we receive from foundations, donors of all means, as well as our contract for services with the Maine Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The Iris Network, Maine's leading independent resource for blind and visually impaired individuals is the gateway to an active, successful and fulfilling life for individuals with vision loss. We are a statewide organization of dedicated professionals working to bring genuine independence and unlimited promise to the lives of blind and visually impaired individuals throughout Maine.

The Mission Statement of the Iris Network
The mission of the Iris Network is to empower persons who are blind or visually impaired to attain their self-determined level of independence and integration into the community; to provide rehabilitation, training, education and other related services for individuals, their families and other support systems; and to be a resource regarding issues related to blindness and visual impairment within the state of Maine.