The nationally unique, award-winning FocusFirst vision care initiative celebrated screening its 15,000th child in the North Alabama region on October 13, 2011. Representatives from Boeing were on hand to celebrate this milestone and to present FocusFirst with a $30,000 grant to continue the expansion of the initiative in North Alabama.
FocusFirst provides a cost-effective direct response to the vision care problems of children who live in urban and rural communities in Alabama. Since beginning service in 2004, over 2,100 colleges and universities throughout Alabama have participated with FocusFirst. These students have screened more than 140,000 children in all 67 counties across the state, with approximately 11% of the children failing the screenings and receiving free or subsidized follow-up care as necessary through Sight Savers America.
“The generous support provided by Boeing will allow FocusFirst to provide comprehensive vision care to thousands of children in North Alabama counties during our 2011-12 season,” said Stephen Black, President and Founder of Impact Alabama. “Early vision screenings ensures that these kids can start school with the best vision medically possible.”
Tony Jones, VP Boeing Huntsville and Site Executive, said, “We are proud to partner with this unique and important effort and to celebrate this milestone with Impact Alabama. FocusFirst has consistently demonstrated tremendous results in North Alabama and across the state.”
Poor vision adversely affects tens of thousands of children in Alabama each year, leading to poor educational performance, behavioral problems, and low self esteem. Although these vision problems are most effectively detected and corrected during the preschool years, many preschoolers throughout the state do not receive adequate vision care.
The grant from Boeing will also help support Impact Alabama’s CollegeFirst Initiative, which provides summer programming to high school students pursuing rigorous Advanced Placement coursework in math, science, and English.
