Hawks Hall-of-Famer Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders will celebrate the partnership by providing glasses to 111 students at Fickett Elementary School
BEN HILL TERRACE, ATLANTA — Students at Fickett Elementary School were delighted today when Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders helped them try on their brand new glasses. The glasses were provided by non-profit Vision To Learn, which celebrated a partnership with the Atlanta Hawks that provides students free eye exams and glasses in Atlanta Public Schools.
This is Vision To Learn’s inaugural year serving students in Atlanta. The program was founded in 2012 in Los Angeles, and now helps students in low-income communities in 10 states and more than 200 cities, from Honolulu to Baltimore. The program will provide over 3,000 students eye exams and glasses in Atlanta this school year.
A multi-year partnership with the Atlanta Hawks Foundation has helped fund a mobile clinic and the new Hawks clinic will be on display at the Fickett event.
“Vision To Learn provides kids with the glasses they need to succeed in school, and in life,” said Austin Beutner, Founder and Chair of Vision To Learn. “The support from the Atlanta Hawks Foundation will help us serve many more kids.”
“We’re delighted to partner with Vision to Learn and Atlanta Public Schools to ensure kids can achieve their highest and best in the classroom, on the court and in the community,” said David Lee, Executive Director, Atlanta Hawks Foundation.
“Atlanta Public Schools is excited to work with Vision To Learn to help students achieve in the classroom and beyond,” said Superintendent Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen. “The support of the Atlanta Hawks Foundation reminds our students that wearing glasses is cool.”
About Vision To Learn
Vision To Learn began operations with one van in Los Angeles in 2012, and now helps kids in low-income communities in 10 states and more than 200 cities from Honolulu to Baltimore. Vision To Learn serves the needs of the hardest-to-reach children; more than 89% of kids served by Vision To Learn live in poverty and 87% of kids of color. Since its inception, Vision To Learn has helped screen over 550,000 students, provided over 100,000 with eye exams, and over 80,000 with glasses, all free of charge.
About the Atlanta Hawks
With a bold identity and strong new ownership, the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club and Philips Arena remain committed to making Atlantans proud on the court and off. The 2014-15 Southeast Division Champions, the Hawks have made the postseason in 10 consecutive seasons and reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history in 2015. Off the court, the organization has built a culture of inclusion, diversity and innovation, all with a touch of Southern Hospitality. It continues into the community where the organization builds bridges through basketball, whether by constructing and refurbishing courts in Atlanta neighborhoods, providing scholarships to our basketball camps, or surprising and delighting our fans with unique Atlanta Hawks experiences. For more information on the Hawks, visit www.hawks.com today.
