| Giving Vision is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization committed to providing comprehensive vision care to the community at large. Our outreach care program is dedicated to screening children for glasses, eye disease and general eye health to those in under-serviced communities. How it all began….  Giving Vision is one of my most passionate endeavors. This passion began when my wife, Selina, and I volunteered to help the families in Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. While we were asked to help prepare meals for thousands, I spend a large part of the time talking with people about their current vision care. I learned that many families go without the basics– eye exams, regular check-ups and glasses. I realized they often had no access to essential vision care which, while all of us are susceptible to hard times, had the greatest risk and consequences for their children.
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control highlights that the federal goals for vision screening and vision impairment for children are far from being met. When children cannot see properly in school, they are more likely to do poorly in class, lose self-confidence, and drop out of school. Many children get ‘lost in the crowd’ and, as adults may be illiterate and have employment challenges.
I have been fortunate to have built an ophthalmology practice largely
based on elective vision care for patients. Selina and I decided it was
time to do something different - to give back to the community in our
own backyard. As such, in 2003 we founded a non-profit organization, Giving
Vision, a California, tax-exempt 501(3) (b) charitable organization
that is committed to providing eye exams and glasses to the needy children
in Los Angeles. Giving Vision will work with other eye
doctors to coordinate the eye exams and will be arranging to provide glasses
– all free of charge.
For more information on Giving Vision and how you can help make a difference in the lives of so many in our community, we invite you to visit www.givingvision.org. |
