Davis Vision Donates 600 Eyeglass Frames to Kenya Mission
Sight from AmericaSM International Outreach Benefits Residents of Migori, Kenya
PLAINVIEW, N.Y. (October 15, 2009) - Thanks to the contribution of eyeglass frames from national managed vision care company Davis Vision, a Highmark Company, 600 residents of Migori, Kenya are seeing brighter futures.
The eyeglasses were donated to KenyaRelief.org, an Alabama nonprofit agency that strives to bring relief to Migori residents. Dr. Heather Estopinal, a Kenya Relief board member and an Alabama-based ophthalmologist, accompanied the donated frames and conducted exams for local residents.
"We are pleased that our international outreach efforts and donation can support the mission of KenyaRelief.org in such a meaningful way," said Laura Dyer, Davis Vision's assistant vice president of community outreach and media relations. "As a socially responsible company, Davis Vision recognizes the need to support communities here in the U.S. and around the world with proper vision care."
Migori area residents and children from a local orphanage will benefit from the eyeglass donation. Many of them walked for miles to receive their free vision exam and glasses. While a medical clinic is still being constructed, donated medical supplies are shipped to the area once a year from companies like Davis Vision and others.
"We noticed that no one wore glasses, not because they didn't have vision problems, but because of a lack of access to an eye doctor or lack of money," said Kenyarelief.org ophthalmic nurse Charlotte Willman. "The donated eyeglasses will benefit many, many people."
Preventive care and corrective care is imperative for vision health, but costs often preclude people from seeking the care they need. Davis Vision's Sight from AmericaSM outreach program recognizes this and aims to provide assistance at an international level. The company plans to donate more frames to the cause later in the year.
About Davis Vision
Davis Vision is part of the HVHC Inc. group of companies, which also includes Viva International Group and Eye Care Centers of America. One of the nation's Premier vision benefits companies headquartered in Plainview, N.Y., Davis Vision has been providing comprehensive vision benefits for more than 45 years, and currently serves more than 55 million individuals nationwide through an extensive blended network of approximately 30,000 ophthalmologists and optometrists, in addition to many opticians and top national retail providers. For more information about Davis Vision, visit www.davisvision.com.
About KenyaRelief.org
KenyaRelief.org is a nonprofit organization that strives to bring relief to residents of Migori, a community in Kenya. It started with an orphanage of 10 children and now has more than 100 children. These children have sponsors who send $75 a month to provide food, shelter, health care and education. The organization's goal is not to give handouts but hand-ups so that the Kenyans will be empowered to make a difference themselves. For more information, visit www.kenyarelief.org.
