In 1982 CFI began as the Helen Campbell Center for the Blind. Founded by five newly blind women that recognized the need for skills in survival, and independent living for people with visual impairments. In 1986, services were expanded to encompass and acknowledge the needs of people with all types of disabilities. The Center now serves 11 counties within 40,000 square miles on the Western Slope of Colorado, with offices in Grand Junction and Montrose.