Local nonprofit Kids First! and St. John Eyecare will provide free eye exams at St. John schools and free or low-cost glasses for St. John children from families in need.
“Children face enough challenges mastering the skills necessary for school and beyond. That task becomes far more difficult when the student is burdened by problems with his or her sight. This program makes it possible for every child on St. John to enter school with the eyesight necessary for success,” said Kids First! President Bruce Claflin.
Claflin later said that he program should reach at least 90 percent of the students on St. John.
St. John Eyecare owner Dr. Craig Friedenberg said it was great for him to be able to serve the community by going into the island schools and screening the children for eye diseases and vision difficulties.
“The first mother whose child qualified for free eyeglasses under this program actually cried. Tears of gratitude streamed down her face,” Friedenberg said.
Kids First! provided a $2,500 grant to fund this initiative. Using this grant, St. John Eyecare will perform free eye exams for children both at its clinic and at St. John schools. If eye glasses are required and the parents are unable to pay, St. John Eyecare will use this grant to offset some or all of the costs.
Kids First! supports quality education on St. John, focusing on early learning initiatives for children from birth to age 5 and the initial years of formal schooling. In operation for over two years, Kids First! has provided over $100,000 of grants to island schools and programs.
To learn more about Kids First! go to their website.
