BELLFLOWER – Sixty-eight students from Bellflower Unified’s Ramona Elementary School have received free eyeglasses after a visit from a mobile unit operated by nonprofit Vision To Learn, which provides vision services to children in low-income communities.

The program, funded by the Rotary Club of Bellflower, began with clinic visits for students identified with vision issues. Vision To Learn optometrists identified prescription needs. Then, on Feb. 26, Vision To Learn returned to Ramona with glasses for the students.

This is the second Bellflower Unified school to receive this form of assistance from Vision To Learn. In 2015, the Rotary Club donated $7,500 to bring the mobile unit to Washington Elementary School, where 103 students received glasses.

“The Bellflower Rotary Club has once again stepped up to help the students of our community,” Bellflower Unified Superintendent Dr. Brian Jacobs said. “This is a gift to these students that will resonate throughout their lives and emphasizes just how powerful our community partnerships can be in the life of a child.”

The event was facilitated by Caring Connections, a nonprofit dedicated to helping meet the needs of children and families in the Bellflower Unified School District.

One in four adolescents in the U.S. suffers from common vision ailments that can be corrected with glasses. Studies show students with proper eyeglasses participate more in school, demonstrate better behavior and dramatically improve their self-confidence.

“Any time we can eliminate a barrier to learning, we have helped our students take another step on the path to success. This is a great example of that type of effort in action,” said Board of Education President Dr. Paul Helzer.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

VISIONTOLEARN1: Ramona Elementary School students celebrate the delivery of new eyeglasses. Sixty-eight students received free glasses on Feb. 26 thanks to the Rotary Club of Bellflower, Vision To Learn and Caring Connections.

VISIONTOLEARN2: Sixty-eight students at Bellflower Unified’s Ramona Elementary received free eyeglasses Feb. 26 after nonprofit Vision To Learn identified their vision challenges. The visit was funded by the Rotary Club of Bellflower and facilitated by Caring Connections.