Pictured from left to right: Principal Maureen DiDomenico, School Nurse Gabriel Rosa, students Veronica Moses, Jakob Overby and Emily Spellman, and Assistant Principal Katherine McNeil

The counts are in and Family Vision Center’s eye glasses and hearing aids collection drive hit a home run! Family Vision Center recently partnered with Stratford’s local 11 elementary schools and Stratford and Milford’s senior centers to collect prescription, sun and reading glasses, and hearing aids. Patients from both the Stratford and Bridgeport Family Vision Center locations also pitched in by contributing to the drive, which ran for two weeks, ending on March 18.

Over 600 items were collected and donated to New Eyes for the Needy, a non-profit working to empower children and adults with the improved vision they need to pursue a better quality of life. Stratford Academy: Johnson House took home the prize with an impressive 151 items collected! As a thank you for their dedication to the drive, each student at the school will receive a signed team photo from the Bridgeport Bluefish baseball team.
“All 11 of the Stratford elementary schools immediately seized the opportunity to join this inspiring cause. Vision impairments make learning so much more difficult, and it is reflected in all academic areas,” said Susan Romatzick, RN, BSN, Head Nurse of Stratford elementary schools. “Donating to New Eyes for the Needy by recycling items no longer useful to our students, staff and parents is such an easy way for us to be able to help others. We are thrilled with the outcome from this important collection drive!”
Other participating elementary schools included: Chapel Street, Franklin, Lordship, Nichols, Second Hill Lane, Stratford Academy: Honeyspot House, Eli Whitney, Wilcoxson, St. Mark and St. James. All schools and senior centers collected items well into the double-digits, and Family Vision Center is grateful for the community’s involvement and eagerness to participate.

“Family Vision Center is extremely proud to be part of such a rewarding initiative,” Kristine Heslin, Owner/Managing Partner at Family Vision Center said. “It’s been an honor to partner with local schools, senior centers and our own patients to give to those in need of eyeglasses. The gift of sight can completely change someone’s life.”