Publicly reported tax data shows that the Tarrant County Association for the Blind, which operates as Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth, reported $6,769,339 in revenue, $5,836,964 in expenses and $11,505,362 in assets for fiscal 2024, according to ProPublica’s compilation of IRS Form 990 data. The organization serves as many as 3,000 clients a year and has fewer than 70 employees, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The organization’s reported finances have drawn attention to production pay. The Star-Telegram reported that blind and visually impaired employees who make, package and ship office supplies, specialty packaging and drug-testing kits earn about $10 to $11 an hour.
Worker complaints and management’s response
Worker complaints and management’s response. Current and former employees told the Star-Telegram about unsafe conditions on the manufacturing floor. Allen has denied wrongdoing and said he has not mistreated employees.
Compensation records reviewed by the Star-Telegram show a disparity between production-worker pay and executive compensation. In 2024, he received $229,451 in salary and $13,529 in other compensation.
Roof failure and delayed work
The roof became another point of dispute after heavy rain preceded the April 2025 collapse of a section beneath a rooftop HVAC unit. Allen told the Star-Telegram that he did not know the roof was structurally compromised. Records reviewed by the newspaper show that he had warned the organization’s insurer in October 2023 that the existing roof could no longer be maintained indefinitely.
The Lighthouse raised $87,000 for roof work in 2023. By October 2024, it had received a $268,000 repair estimate, while financial statements showed more than $900,000 in available general-purpose funds, more than $400,000 in restricted funds and over $12 million in investments, the Star-Telegram reported. A 2025 proposal for full replacement and renovations exceeded $2 million.
The roof was replaced in June 2026, and plans for the rebuilt space include assistive-technology facilities and a mock apartment for household-task training. By August 2026, the Lighthouse had received more than $600,000 in insurance payments connected to the collapse. Former controller Kim Anding filed a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance seeking an investigation, according to the Star-Telegram.
Pay, benefits and competing accounts
Texas has minimum-wage rules, according to the article.
Higher earnings can affect workers who receive disability benefits. Those considerations may help explain why some employees hesitate to seek higher wages, although they do not resolve the workers’ safety allegations.
Relevant standards and employment resources
The U.S. AbilityOne Commission defines competitive wages and benefits for participating agencies as pay at or above minimum wage and comparable to the customary rate paid to employees without disabilities performing similar duties. A commission policy effective Jan. 1, 2024, also sets requirements for participating agencies. Those standards apply to participating agencies, so this article does not apply them to Lighthouse here. For workers seeking alternatives, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is included as a job-search and training resource separate from the allegations concerning Lighthouse.
The Star-Telegram reported that Ann Allan called for Allen’s departure. Anding resigned as controller in July 2026. He became president and CEO in 2008.
The nonprofit’s history predates Allen’s tenure. Founder Willie Fay Lewis, who lost her eyesight as a child after scarlet fever, established the organization in 1935. The organization received federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in August 1966, according to ProPublica’s records.
