Funds help serve local children with limited access to vision care
Helen Keller International recently received a $10,000 donation from The Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) in support of the ChildSight® New Jersey program, which provides free screenings and corrective eyeglasses to students in need.
“The Foundation has been a great partner in helping us reach some of the most at-risk children in the Newark area,” said Kindal Beckley, program manager for ChildSight® New Jersey. “Providing these students with the gift of clear vision and a chance to reach their full potential is a goal we both share and we are pleased to be working with the team at CLF in achieving this.”
ChildSight® supports one of the cornerstones of Helen Keller International—to save the sight of underprivileged children. In the 2013-2014 academic year alone, ChildSight® screened 10,218 students in Newark, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, East Orange, Passaic, Asbury Park, Long Branch, Neptune, Perth Amboy and Plainfield public schools. As a result of the screenings, ChildSight® provided 2,077 students with free prescription eyeglasses and referred 28 students to a local eye care provider for further treatment.
“There are many underserved children across the state who do not have access to proper eye care, which impacts their ability to succeed in school,” said Jennifer Vertetis, president of the Charles Lafitte Foundation. “By supporting ChildSight®, we know that the most at-risk children in New Jersey will have the necessary vision care that gives them a fundamental tool to succeeding in and beyond the classroom.”
In its mission to save the sight and lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, Helen Keller International promotes the development of sustained, large scale programs that deliver effective preventative and curative eye health and nutrition services.
For more information about ChildSight® New Jersey, visit the Helen Keller International page at http://www.hki.org. For more information about the Charles Lafitte Foundation, visit www.charleslafitte.org.
About The Charles Lafitte Foundation
The Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) supports innovative and effective ways of helping people help themselves and others around them to achieve healthy, satisfying and enriched lives. The Foundation supports organizations working in four main areas: education, children’s advocacy, medical research & issues, and the arts. The Foundation underwrites programs that can become self-sustaining with long-term commitment and measurable impact. In determining grants, CLF looks for solutions that lead to independence and self-empowerment for individuals, and to the establishment of effective, long-standing programs and organizations.
For more information about the Charles Lafitte Foundation visit www.charleslafitte.org.