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Vision To Learn

Vision To Learn provides free eye exams and free eyeglasses to students in low-income communities.

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Delaware

Read the Delaware Annual Report

Delaware was Vision To Learn’s first expansion state outside of California. The October 2014 program launch at Red Clay Consolidated District’s Shortlidge Academy was attended by state leaders including Senator Chris Coons, Governor Jack Markell, and Health Secretary Rita Landgraf. The program serves students in public and charter schools throughout the state.

Vision To Learn was credentialed as a Medicaid provider for the first time in Delaware 2015. This was the first step towards Vision To Learn’s transitioning to a public-private partnership model, with Delaware Medicaid currently covering 40% of Vision To Learn’s exams in the state. Generous local funders including the Longwood Foundation have helped grow the program, which celebrated providing its 3,000th pair of glasses in April 2017. Wilmington Mayor Michael Purzycki authored an Op-ed commemorating the program’s success, which can be read here.

A further step towards program sustainability came in the form of a “health services initiative” requested by Delaware, and granted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This authorizes Delaware to utilize administrative funding from the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to support expansion of student vision care. This funding covers students who are not enrolled in Medicaid, and allows additional public funds to support Delaware children getting the glasses they need.

Delaware Governor John Carney helps a girl with her new glasses at a distribution event for students of Kuumba Academy and Great Oaks Charter Schools, April 2017.
Delaware Governor John Carney helps a girl with her new glasses at a distribution event for students of Kuumba Academy and Great Oaks Charter Schools, April 2017.

Fast-forward to May of 2019, and Delaware was chosen as the site for the celebration of a major milestone: 200,000 students helped nationwide by Vision To Learn. Delaware’s Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons were on hand for the exciting occasion, as was Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, where 70 kids at Stubbs Elementary School received their glasses. Senator Chris Coons, who was instrumental in bringing the program to the First State, offered his congratulations and continued support of our work: “Vision To Learn’s program demonstrates every day that the problem of kids at school who lack needed glasses is serious, sweeping–and solvable.”

Senator Chris Coons chats with the 200,000th child to receive glasses from Vision To Learn
Senator Chris Coons chats with the 200,000th child to receive glasses from Vision To Learn, Stubbs Elementary School, Wilmington, May 2019.

Delaware Supporters

Mike and Robert Abel Jr., MD
The Carol A. Ammon Fund
Arsht-Cannon Fund
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
Barclays Bank Delaware
Roger and Marcia Beutner
The Christmas Shop Foundation
Crestlea Foundation
CSC
Deerbrook Charitable Trust
Delaware Community Foundation
William C. Dugdale and Sydney Van Dyke

Essilor Vision Foundation
Gannett Foundation
The Gilliam Foundation
Good Samaritan Fund
Sally Gore
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware
I Could Do Great Things Foundation
Milton and Hattie Kutz Foundation
Laffey-McHugh Foundation
Longwood Foundation, Inc.
Marmot Foundation

The Marvin Family Foundation
New Castle Presbytery Fund
Pettinaro Family Charitable Fund
Pincus Family
Rodel Foundation of Delaware
Ronald McDonald House Charities Of Philadelphia
Sussex County Human Services
Noreen and Edward Welch
Welfare Foundation, Inc.
Wilmington Flower Market
WSFS Bank

Contact

Vision To Learn, Delaware
Tina Danz, Program Manager
+1 (302) 803-6549
Questions or concerns:   delaware@visiontolearn.org

Vision To Learn
12100 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 1275
Los Angeles, CA 90025

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Questions or concerns:
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Lost or broken VTL glasses?
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Recognized by

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics Seal
The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
California Teachers Association

Vision To Learn is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
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