Southern California

This effort in Los Angeles has been sustained by many generous sponsors, including the L.A. Clippers Foundation, LA Unified School District, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Deerbrook Charitable Trust, The California Endowment, the Ahmanson Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, S. Mark Taper Foundation, Rotary District 5280, The Robin-Hwajin Yoon Kim Foundation, and Weingart Foundation.

Vision To Learn’s program in L.A. Unified was the subject of the first academic study of the impact of the organization. In 2014, researchers at the University of California Los Angeles’ Mattel Children’s Hospital interviewed parents, teachers and principals for a qualitative study of the program. A quantitative study followed, comparing the grade point averages of students before and after receiving glasses from Vision To Learn. Together, these studies showed that Vision To Learn’s program provides access to quality vision care for thousands of students who would not otherwise have an opportunity to receive an eye exam and glasses. On average, students’ grades in math and reading improved after receiving glasses — as much as 8% for boys’ math grades. Glasses yielded collateral benefits as well, in that students’ behavior and ability to focus in class also improved after receiving glasses — so entire classrooms were positively impacted.

In Fall 2017, Los Angeles Unified School District and the L.A. Clippers Foundation committed to fund Vision To Learn providing every LAUSD who needs them with free eye exams and glasses. To date, Vision To Learn has provided over 55,000 LA Unified students with eye exams and 44,000 with prescription glasses through this project.

In 2017, the L.A. Clippers Foundation announced a grant allowing Vision To Learn to provide free eye exams and glasses to every student in need — kindergarten through 12th grade – in Long Beach Unified — a district of nearly 80,000 students. This generous contribution, and Vision To Learn’s strong partnership with Long Beach leadership, will make an enormous difference for the approximately 7,000 students in need.

Read about the collaboration with the Clippers, and helping kids in Long Beach »
On the significance of this work, Mayor Garcia penned an op-ed, “Another View”, which can be read here »

The success of the Inglewood effort led the L.A. Clippers Foundation to support even larger city-wide projects, funding a Long Beach-wide effort in Spring 2017 and a Los Angeles Unified School District effort beginning in Fall 2017.

Learn more about the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation-sponsored project in Compton Unified.

On the local level, Vision To Learn’s effort in L.A. County has been greatly assisted by volunteers and funding from clubs in Rotary District 5280. Rotary members have volunteered to help school districts provide vision screenings that refer students to Vision To Learn, and have raised funds to support their local schools. This support has allowed Vision To Learn to help thousands of additional children in Los Angeles County.

The San Diego Padres have partnered with Vision To Learn locally, and sent the Swingin’ Friar, the “Pad Squad,” Padres broadcaster Jesse Agler, and former Padres All-Star Randy Jones to help kids try on their new glasses at an Oak Park Elementary kick-off event.

Additional support for the program is provided by in-kind lenses sponsor OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, the Deerbrook Charitable Trust, and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

Vision to Learn launched in the Inland Empire in the Fall of 2021, in Riverside Unified School District. Vision to Learn had the opportunity to partner with 14 school districts in Riverside County. Through these partnerships, Vision To Learn provided over 25,217 students in Riverside County with vision screenings. Out of the 25,217 screened, over 7,400 of those students needed eye exams. By the end of our first year of serving Riverside County, Vision to learn had provided over 6,000 students with prescription glasses. 

In addition to Riverside County school districts, Vision to Learn has also partnered with San Bernardino County school district: Rialto Unified in 2022.

Additional support for the program is provided by local Rotary clubs, Desert Healthcare District, Agua Caliente Band of Indians, and the RAP Foundation.