Boys & Girls Clubs of America and National Vision Inc. Provide Kids and Teens Access to Free Eye Exams and Glasses
National partnership will provide free eye care for Boys & Girls Club youth throughout the country
PR Newswire, ATLANTA (April, 27 2016)
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and National Vision Inc. (NVI) officially kicked-off their multi-year partnership at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s A.W. “Tony” Matthews Club with an eye screening and glasses fitting. The partnership, officially announced in the fall of 2015, will provide vision screenings, access to comprehensive eye exams, and free eyeglasses for qualified members at select Boys & Girls Clubs around the country through NVI’s America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses retail locations.
As part of the partnership, in addition to providing free eye care and eyewear to eligible Boys & Girls Clubs, NVI will also contribute $1 million annually over the next three years to support BGCA and its preventive care and wellness initiatives.
“Preventive care measures are critical to supporting positive and comprehensive health and wellness of Boys & Girls Club members. As an example, a pilot vision screening at the Matthews Club revealed that 43 percent of the young kids and teens tested needed further examination, and more than half of that group had never worn corrective eyewear,” said Dr. Jennifer Bateman, National Vice President of Health, Wellness and Gender at BGCA. “Corrected vision enables our kids and teens to be more engaged at school, on the field and at home, dramatically changing their trajectory and putting them on a path to a great future. We are incredibly grateful to National Vision and their participating America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses stores for their involvement and support!”
Boys & Girls Clubs around the country serve kids and teens aged 6-18. According to the 2016 Vision Council Visionwatch Parent Child Vision Care Report, 50 percent of children have not had an eye exam in the past two years.
“At National Vision, we believe everyone deserves to see their best so they can live their best, especially our youth,” said Bruce Steffey, President and Chief Operating Officer of National Vision Inc. “For many kids, a pair of glasses can change their life. With 94 percent of our America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses stores located within 10 miles of a Club, this partnership is a perfect match.”
.@BGCA_Clubs and @Americas_Best partner to bring free eye care and eyewear to participating Clubs! Tweet
National Vision Inc. is one of the largest optical retailers in the U.S., operating over 850 retail locations in 44 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The company. has several retail divisions including America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Vision Centers brought to you by Wal-Mart, Eyeglass World, Vista Optical inside Fred Meyer and Optical Centers on select military bases. America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses is NVI’s current retail provider for the partnership with BGCA and Clubs across the country.
To learn more about the partnership, visit bgca.org or www.nationalvision.com/BGCA.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.
Media Contact
Sara Leutzinger
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
404.487.5624 [email protected]