WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Gov. Jack Markell and WNBA superstar Elena Delle Donne joined Vision To Learn founder and chairman, Austin Beutner, to launch the organization’s first public/private partnership to bring free mobile eye exams and free glasses to school children in low-income communities in Delaware. The event culminated in the distribution of free eye glasses to 35 school children at the Evan G. Shortlidge Academy.

Vision To Learn selected Delaware as the first state in a nationwide rollout to show how a close collaboration of state government, health care providers, school districts, and philanthropy can work together to meet the vision needs of school children in low-income communities.

“When you can improve the vision of a child, you open up an entire new world to them,” Senator Coons said . “Too many Delaware children who need glasses go without, so I was proud to help bring Vision To Learn to Delaware so students who are in need of glasses receive them to help them achieve their full potential.”

“From providing high-quality early learning opportunities to increasing access to college and job training, we must be committed to ensuring cost is not an obstacle for Delaware’s students to receive a great education,” Governor Markell said. “But that’s not possible if our children can’t see what their teachers are showing them in class. I want to thank Austin and his team for their commitment to this important initiative and Senator Coons for his leadership in making vision services available to kids who need them the most. Together, we will help develop a roadmap for all children to see a clear and bright future.”

“Today’s event kicks off a new chapter for Vision To Learn, combining private philanthropy and Medicaid reimbursement to provide the funds necessary to ensure all children get the glasses they need,” Mr. Beutner said. “Our efforts in California have been funded entirely by private donations, so this marks a new and exciting public/private partnership model for our organization and for the future."

Students who can’t see have a more challenging time learning. As many as two million children across the United States lack the eye glasses they need to succeed in school and life. Vision To Learn’s common sense approach allows optometrists and opticians, working out of a state-of-the-art mobile clinic, to provide service directly to the schools and the students. Established in 2012 by the Beutner Family Foundation, Vision To Learn has already helped more than 25,000 children in California receive free eye exams and free glasses.

Photo courtesy of Saquan Stimpson/Vision To Learn

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