by Martha Rose Woodward
A voucher program that helps disadvantaged youth receive a yearly eye exam and other eye care is in effect due to the efforts of the America’s Promise Alliance founded by General Colin Powell in 1997. America’s Promise Alliance has grown to be the nation’s largest partnership network working to improve the lives of America’s young people.
Also due to the efforts of the doctors and staffs of Foster, Steele and Stone Optometry Center in Newport, TN, the voucher program continues to affect lives in a positive way.
Dr. Kurt Steele, a graduate of Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee, says that the a voucher program known as VSP’s Sight for Students has given out more than 1,000 Sight for Students gift certificates. In Tennessee, accounting for $385,000 worth of eye care and eyewear supplies.
According to Dr. Steele, the VSP’s charitable Sight for Students program has helped more than 530,000 children nationally since its inception in 1997. The program has funded almost $100 million in free eye care and eyewear for low-income, uninsured and underinsured children.
VSP’s Sight for Students program offers qualified families with vouchers to visit one of their 25,000 network doctors who provide comprehensive eye exams, identify vision issues and prescribe glasses during their visit.
“This is a significant milestone for us because investing in the community is at the heart of VSP’s mission as a company,” said VSP President and CEO Rob Lynch. “More than 94 percent of the children who have these exams need and receive free prescription glasses. This underscores the important role that Sight for Students serves for children who lack access to eye care.”
According to a recent nationwide study, more than 76 percent of American children under the age of five have never received a comprehensive eye exam and one in four kids in every classroom has vision problems.
VSP works with non-profit community organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Communities in Schools, Head Start, National Association of School Nurses, Prevent Blindness America as well as other agencies and clubs.
Dr. Steele says the main goal of the program is to help ensure all children receive much-needed vision care to do their best work in school and perform their best at play. He is pleased that the program has helped more than 676,000 children across the country and has had a life-changing impact on numerous lives.
For more information about all of the VSP charity programs visit www.vsp.com/community
l. What is the VSP program? Sight for Students® is one of three VSP Vision Care charity programs that provide free comprehensive eye exams and, if needed, glasses to low-income, uninsured children. The program operates nationally through a network of community partners who identify children in need and the VSP network of more than 28,000 private practice doctors who provide the eyecare services. 2.How long has it been in service? / Who created it? VSP founded the Sight for Students program in 1997 and has since been able to provide more than $128 million in free eyecare and eyewear for low-income, uninsured and underinsured children, resulting in the detection of nearly 2,000 chronic health and eye diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma and cataracts. In Tennessee, VSP has given out more than 1,000 Sight for Students gift certificates, accounting for $385,000 worth of eye care and eyewear materials. 3. What are its main goals? “The goal of the VSP Sight for Students program is to help ensure all children receive much-needed vision care to do their best work in school and perform their best at play,” said Jill Novelo, Global Charity Market Manager at VSP. “We are proud to have helped more 676,000 children across the country and are committed to this program and its life-changing impact.” 4. Feel free to send any comments or statements.
For more information about all of the VSP charity programs visit
