“Give Kids Sight Day” a Rousing Success – Over 1,100 Philadelphia Children Get Eye Checks and Glasses in a Single Day
(Philadelphia, PA) November 23, 2009 – More than 1,000 Philadelphia children received free eye checks at two local eye institutions, Wills Eye Institute and The Eye Institute, during ‘Give Kids Sight Day’, on Saturday, November 21st.
Parents and their kids, bundled in winter coats, began lining up at the Wills entrance just after sunrise. When the doors opened at 8:00am for registration in the lobby, the line had stretched around the block and onto 8th Street. A quick elevator ride dropped them off to the 12th floor where the children were given an eye check, followed, if necessary, by an auto-refraction procedure identifying a vision problem. After a comprehensive exam by an eye doctor it was back downstairs to the Eagles Eye Mobile parked just outside the entrance for an eyeglass fitting. By the time the final child had selected their frames and collected a book while leaving, the sun had long set. The Eye Mobile will deliver glasses to 310 children at their schools.
Nearly 700 kids received a screening, exam and/or glasses during the ten-hour event at Wills; over 300 families who could not complete the process will be invited to return at another time to finish. The Eye Institute chalked up 430 screens and exams, capping a very successful day.
“The turnout of kids and families far exceeded our expectations,” said Colleen McCauley-Brown, health policy director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, which organized Sight Day. “Eye care providers identified many more children with eye problems than we anticipated, demonstrating a substantial unmet need for this kind of care.”
“It was inspiring and revealed a great need!” said Shelly Yanoff, PCCY’s executive director. “Hundreds of moms and dads lined up so that their kids could have a chance to see better – to do better in school and life. One woman said, ‘People probably thought we were lined up for a turkey, but I was here for my kids.’ ”
CONTACT: PCCY, 215.563.5848
Colleen McCauley, ext. 33, colleenmccaully@childrenfirstpa.org
Sid Holmes, Director of Communications, ext. 23, sidh@childrenfirstpa.org
Founded in 1980, Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY, www.childrenfirstpa.org) is dedicated to improving the lives and life chances of children in the Delaware Valley. Through thoughtful and informed advocacy, community education, targeted service projects and budget and policy analysis, PCCY seeks to safeguard and speak out for the region’s children. PCCY is an independent, non-profit organization.