U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, Gov. Jack Markell and WNBA star 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. 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.
“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,” said Beutner. “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.” As many as two million children across the United States lack the eye glasses they need to succeed in school and life.
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.
