Our Partnership With VOSH International
At National Vision we believe that everyone deserves to see their best to live their best. This is especially true when it comes to our philanthropy programs and initiatives, where our guiding principle is “giving back in areas where we are uniquely qualified.” One of the ways we do this is through our partnership with VOSH International.
Why VOSH?
VOSH (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity) is a non-profit organization that operates on a volunteer basis by eye care professionals. These professionals share a passion for bringing vision care to every person on the planet. They believe in the freedom to see, and providing the gift of vision and eye health to people worldwide.
VOSH volunteers travel throughout the developing world and the U.S. to provide free quality vision care services through short-term clinics. They also work to develop sustainable programs and local optometric capacity in order to help local communities continue providing quality vision care.
Their goal is to help people see again by correcting their vision with glasses. The ability to see can improve peoples’ quality of life and their vision.
VOSH has been active for more than 40 years, with almost 5,000 members in over 75 regional, state and school chapters worldwide. VOSH has helped restore sight to more than 1,000,000 individuals around the world.
Our Support
We have been a proud supporter and believer of VOSH and their efforts for more than 10 years!
Bob Stein, our Chief Philanthropic Development Officer, is part of the VOSH Board of Directors. He is currently 1 of 2 non-Optometrists on the Board.
In 2015, Bob accompanied VOSH on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. In just four days, he and other volunteers distributed glasses and sunglasses and examined 900 patients.
How We Partner With VOSH
National Vision supports VOSH through monetary, product and equipment donations. In the summer of 2015, we donated 100,000 frames to be distributed through VOSH and SVOSH (student chapters) international clinics.
Through our partnership with Restoring Vision, we have supported 103 VOSH and SVOSH mission trips. These trips have collectively distributed 39,000 reading glasses and 14,010 sunglasses. Restoring Vision is a non-profit organization that provides nominally priced new readers and sunglasses to those who couldn’t otherwise afford them.
When VOSH or SVOSH groups requests donations, we partner with Restoring Vision, covering the cost of a “glasses pack.” A glasses pack includes 300 readers and 100 sunglasses. PlusOptix units (handheld autorefractors) are also available for loan.
National Vision also donates $1,000 per school, per year to any Optometrist or optometry student supporting a VOSH or SVOSH clinic. In 2015, NVI donated $10,000 to various SVOSH chapters.
Proud Supporter of VOSH
The need for eye care and eyewear is a critical national and global issue, and the World Health Organization estimates that 153 million people worldwide live with distance visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive error.
We commend VOSH for reducing the number of people worldwide impacted by refractive error and lack of proper vision care. We are proud to support their mission.
Jessica Altamirano
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