Nearly 200 United Farm Workers (UFW) members, and their children, will be provided free eye care this weekend, as part of a collaboration between nonprofit Vision To Learn and UFW. Vision To Learn’s services will be provided by trained eye care professionals working in two mobile vision clinics. After an initial vision screening, an eye exam will be provided to any adult or child who needs one. If the adult or child needs glasses, he or she can choose their own style and frame. Many farm workers and their children go without needed glasses at work and at school.
“Vision To Learn is pleased to work with United Farm Workers to provide glasses to its members and their children,” said Austin Beutner, Founder of Vision To Learn. “This project will provide help to many farm workers and their families in the Central Valley.”
Vision To Learn’s services will be provided Saturday, July 8th and Sunday, July 9th, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at UFW’s office, at 1472 B Street, in Livingston.
“Empowerment is at the heart of what the UFW is all about,” said UFW President Arturo S. Rodriguez. “Without the ability to clearly see, many of our union members and their children are denied many opportunities we take for granted. So the UFW is pleased to be working with Vision To Learn because by ensuring vision health, they also help empower people.”
Vision To Learn began operations with one van in Los Angeles in 2012, and now serves students in low-income communities in over 180 cities from Honolulu to Baltimore. Vision To Learn serves the needs of the hardest-to-reach children in low-income communities; 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 440,000 students, provided almost 87,000 with eye exams, and almost 68,000 with glasses, all free of charge.