Helen Keller Worldwide ChildSight® Program Brings Free Vision Services to CSD 23K

Summer 2002

More than 2,000 middle school students in Community School District 23, Brooklyn, received free vision screening and eyeglasses this school year through Helen Keller Worldwide, an international nonprofit that is devoted to fighting and treating preventable blindness.

Thanks to the collaboration between Communities in Schools, New York (CISNY) and the Helen Keller Worldwide ChildSight® Program, every sixth, seventh and eighth grader in PS/IS 41, IS 55, IS 271 and IS 275 took advantage of this fantastic opportunity.  These schools are located in the Ocean Hill and Brownsville neighborhoods of Brooklyn.

Students at IS 275 receiving part of their free eye exam from the Helen Keller Worldwide ChildSight® technicians.

Students received on-site screening by trained optometrists and project assistants, right in their own school.   Those children who needed corrective eyewear received their new glasses absolutely free and within one hour.  If students needed further vision care, Helen Keller specialists referred them to a local hospital's department of ophthalmology for follow-up services.  Again, this was provided absolutely free of charge.

Founded nearly 87 years ago, Helen Keller Worldwide is today one of the oldest international nonprofit organizations working to prevent blindness.  ChildSight®, one of their many programs, helps to solve the difficulties of poor or blurry vision in children ages 11-14.  Since June 2000, ChildSight® professionals have screened more than 131,000 students in the United States.  They also have provided free eyeglasses to more than 21,000 students.

ChildSight® at PS/IS 41: Students needing free glasses were able to receive them within one hour.

Communities in Schools, New York is delighted to be collaborating with Helen Keller Worldwide to provide these services for students in Community School District 23.

Special thanks must go to Ms. Denise Hooks, Assistant Coordinator of Helen Keller Worldwide, who helped plan and implement this valuable initiative.  CISNY looks forward to working with Ms. Hooks and Helen Keller Worldwide in the future to expand this program and provide vision services to even more students in the Ocean Hill/ Brownsville community (CSD 23K).

The Helen Keller technicians at IS 275.