Since 1961, Bolesta, Inc. has provided a diverse array of therapeutic and educational programs for infants, preschoolers and school aged children with hearing impairments throughout Florida.
	The Bolesta Center teaches hearing-impaired children to listen and speak with their hearing aids or cochlear implants. Through this approach, they learn to communicate normally, use regular telephones and be fully integrated into their families, schools, communities and larger hearing society. The kids are not taught lip reading or sign language and they are not placed in costly special education programs or in segregated classrooms.
Bolesta utilizes a learning method called Auditory-Verbal Therapy, which teaches children to become skilled listeners, helping them to create the necessary tools for speech and language development. United Way of Tampa Bay supports auditory-verbal therapy.