Vision And Literacy Initiative
Learn more about our vision and literacy program.
Vision and Literacy Initiative
Purpose
Due to the number of children in need, an estimated 1 in 250 children are visually impaired, 1st Veterans Kids Care’s mission has expanded. In 2013 we created Youth Eyecare Services, (Y.E.S.) a program to identify and provide initial vision screening for school aged children. The program has grown into a full Vision and Literacy Initiative that establishes and sustains a professional learning community focused on improving community members' literacy and learning at home, in school and in the businesses.
Our Vision
To eliminate or correct vision problems by promoting literacy through outreach efforts, community partnerships,
and rehabilitative services.
Our Mission
Our mission is to enable and transform the lives of our children through the spirit of giving by increasing the morale and wellbeing of every member of the family.
What is Youth Eyecare Services (Y.E.S) Visions and Literacy Initiative
-
The Y.E.S Visions and Literacy Initiative is a campaign intended to inspire parents and community members to adopt the cause's vision and give them tools to raise their awareness.
​
-
Children, families, schools, and businesses that are enrolled in the Visions and Literacy Initiative receive materials and guidance for improvement not only in the child's academic performance but also in the entire family well-being.
How Does The Initiative Work?
The Visions and Literacy Initiative will focus on three aspects: The Home, School, and Employment.
​
-
HOME - Making parents aware of possible obstacles to their children's academic, social and emotional success and working with them to provide remedies that prevent their success.
-
SCHOOL - Making schools aware of what is needed to take action on adolescent literacy develop and how to implement a School wide Literacy Action Plan that will put an emphasis on reading, writing, speaking, and thinking skills that students develop lifelong skills for our children.
-
EMPLOYMENT- Making businesses aware of their role in the development of potential employee's skill development.
​
The Link Between Undetected and Untreated Vision Problems, Literacy and Incarceration
Research shows that the failure to detect and treat children's vision disorders affects the rates of adult criminality, literacy, and labor productivity.
​
Social skills will suffer as will academic performance. More importantly, children are unaware these impacts.
​
Kids simply don't know what they are missing out on. Pediatrician visits and school screenings with nurse Missa majority of vision problems.
Why We Do What We Do
Prevalence of Children's Vision Problems
Experts estimate vision problems are prevalent in 25% of all school children in the United States and are one of the most prevalent handicapping conditions in childhood.
Most people assume that schools are addressing the vision problems of children and performing vision screenings. Research has shown that only 10% of the children aged 9 to 15 years old who needed eyeglasses had them.
Mobile Eye Care Clinics
-
The future for Y.E.S. features mobile eye care clinics that connect people in need with our local network doctors in their community. Each clinic is outfitted with an eye exam room and portable exam equipment to to provide comprehensive eye exams, an eyewear dispensary stocked with popular frame brands, and an optical finishing lab.
-
Our mobile clinics program offers vision screenings and no-cost eyewear for community members.
-
Together with our network doctors, our mobile eye care clinics are ready to transform sight wherever.
-
Patients in need receive comprehensive eye exams from a local network doctor and, if needed, glasses - often the same day.
​
Why Vision and Literacy Initiative? Eye-Opening Facts
-
80% of learning in a child’s first 12 years comes through their eyes.
-
25% of all school children in the US have a vision problem significant enough to affect learning.
-
90% of children who need glasses do not have them.
-
44% of parents are not aware that behavioral problems can be an indication that a child’s vision is impaired.
-
78% of juvenile offenders in Dallas County had vision problems (summer 2008).
-
56% had two or more vision problems.
