United States

HKI began ChildSight®, its domestic initiative, as a pilot program in New York City in 1994. The program brings free vision services and free eyeglasses to children living in poverty in the United States.

ChildSight® is designed to “bring education into focus™.” For a child with a visual impairment, corrective eyeglasses are as academically essential as books, papers and pencils.  By correcting visual deficiencies, the program increases the potential of these students for stronger academic achievement, better social adjustment and greater economic mobility.

74% of students surveyed across the country said that ChildSight® eyeglasses helped them with their schoolwork, and 61% of teachers surveyed reported dramatic to noticeable improvement in class participation from students wearing ChildSight® glasses.

Since its inception, ChildSight® has conducted 1,067,925 free vision screenings and provided over 112,301 free prescription eyeglasses to children in need. Partnering with local school systems and health care institutions, it has grown to currently serve children in seven states including California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Texas. Please click on the state for more details about each site. For more information about the ChildSight® program, please click here.

Key Staff

• Nick Kourgialis - Vice President, Eye Health
• Anne Marie Hand - Deputy Director, Southwest Region
• Nancy Prail - Deputy Director, Eastern Region

California

During the 2006-7 school year in Los Angeles, California, ChildSight® provided 24,416 vision screenings and 1,751 pairs of eyeglasses to students in the school districts of Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lennox, Long Beach, Los Angeles and Montebello, as well as five Boys and Girls Clubs. The program also piloted a new Amblyopia Project, which provided free vision screenings, treatment referrals and follow-up services to 2nd graders in the Hawthorne School District.

ChildSight® Los Angeles
Jorge Valdez - Program Coordinator
761 Terminal Street, Second Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90021-1100
Telephone: + 1 (213) 623-1810
Fax: + 1 (213) 623-1860

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Connecticut

During the 2006-7 school year in Connecticut, ChildSight® provided 4,860 vision screenings and 1,216 pairs of eyeglasses to students in Bridgeport Public School District, Hartford Public School District, New Haven Public School District and New London Public School District .

ChildSight® Connecticut
Bettina Pierre - Program Coordinator
United Church on the Green
323 Temple Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Telephone/Fax: + 1 (203) 776-5221

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New Jersey

During the 2006-7 school year in New Jersey, ChildSight® provided 9,785 vision screenings and 1,404 pairs of eyeglasses to students in Newark, Jersey City, Passaic and Irvington schools.

ChildSight® New Jersey
Kindal Beckley - Program Coordinator
190 Mohammed Ali Avenue
Newark, NJ 07108-2141
Telephone: + 1 (973) 242-1619
Fax: + 1 (973) 242-5005

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New Mexico

During the 2006-7 school year in New Mexico, ChildSight® conducted 4,994 vision screenings and provided 1,322 pairs of eyeglasses in Gallup-McKinley School District.

ChildSight® New Mexico
Angie Holtsoi - Program Coordinator
P.O. Box 1898
Gallup, NM 87305
Telephone/Fax: + 1 (505) 863-1946

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New York

During the 2006-7 school year in New York, ChildSight® conducted 36,858 vision screenings and provided 3,567 pairs of eyeglasses to students in the five boroughs. In 2007, ChildSight® New York expanded its program to serve six new middle schools in Queens and one on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The program's Pre-School Vision Screening Initiative (PSVSI) to detect amblyopia and other vision problems in younger children is active in Washington Heights, Harlem, Brooklyn and the Bronx. During the 2006-07 school year, PSVSI screened 3,932 younger children and provided 262 children with eyeglasses. For many of the children we serve, this is the first time they have received any eye health services.

ChildSight® New York
Tonya Daniels - Senior Program Coordinator
352 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10010
Telephone:+ 1 (212) 532-0544 x817
Fax: + 1 (212) 532-6014

ChildSight® New York
Celestine Gray- PSVSI Program Coordinator
352 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10010
Telephone:+ 1 (212) 532-0544 x817
Fax: + 1 (212) 532-6014

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Ohio

During the 2006-7 school year in Ohio, ChildSight® provided 13,792 vision screenings and 1,882 pairs of eyeglasses to students in Cleveland Metropolitan and East Cleveland City schools

ChildSight® Ohio
Vanessa Mullins - Program Manager
P.O. Box 1817
Shaker Heights, OH 44120
Telephone: + 1 (216) 382-5383
Fax: + 1 (216) 382-5385

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Texas

During the 2006-7 school year in Texas, ChildSight® provided 7,951 screenings and 1,137 pairs of glasses to students throughout greater El Paso. We partner with the Clint, Fabens, San Elizario, Socorro and Tornillo Independent School Districts.

ChildSight® Texas
Margie Perez Martinez - Program Coordinator
4420 Loma De Brisas
El Paso, TX 79934-3703
Telephone/Fax: + 1 (915) 821-6378

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