Social investment The sale of gambling products is only the starting line, the building blocks to generate resources des-tined entirely to the social purposes of the ONCE. In the financial year 2023, more than 247 million euros were allocated to direct social investment, of which more than 165 million euros went to blind people, with the remaining 82 million euros to so-lidary programmes for other disabilities. Because the provision of social services for blind people is the priority and a special effort has been made, not only to preserve them, but in some areas they have been reinforced, especially focu-sing on problems such as protection for the el-derly, minors or deaf-blind people, as well as the more than 3,300 people who, after losing their sight and surely going through some of the most difficult moments of their lives, took to the ONCE to receive the professional and personalised at-tention they deserve. 2023 Highlights 2023 Highlights 2023 Highlights Swipe to read more • Global coverage to 70,997 blind people affi-liated to the Organisation • Personalized and specialised care for the 3,377 new people who lost their sight in 2023 • 31,725 completed personal care services to affiliates • Expansion of specific services for adults: re-habilitation (8,572); Braille and/or management of tiflotechnology (assistive technology) trai-ning (7,263); psychosocial support (2,822) • 3,156 different beneficiaries received 6,086 technical devices, valued at 6.5 million euros, on loan for adapting their study or work places • Comprehensive care for 7,187 blind or seve-rely visually impaired students (769 of them university students) • A total of 92,562 hours of mediation for de-af-blind people through FOAPS • The ONCE Guide Dog Foundation has provi-ded 130 new guide dogs • Development of 102 technological and so-cial research projects • Collaboration of 2,823 volunteers, who provi-ded 176,790 hours of services to blind people • 3,384 one-off economic benefits for blind people, with an investment of 3.4 million euros • Genetic counselling in relation to ocular pa-thology for 37 applications