At least once a month I hear one of my daughters exclaim, “But Mommy, I want to wear glasses like you and Daddy!” While I think kids in glasses are cute, I also think that based on mine and my husband’s eye history that at least one of our two children will wind up wearing glasses too. Did you know that 1 in 4 children have an undetected vision problem?
The “Eyecare About Reading” book drive competition provides free books and eye exams to children across the United States.
To read well, a child first needs to see well, as 80 percent of what we learn is through our eyes. Vision care is essential. To shed light on the critical role healthy vision plays in helping to develop a child’s passion for reading and learning, VSP Vision Care, Transitions Optical and Bess the Book Bus have launched the national “Eyecare About Reading” Book Drive competition. The Book Drive (through August 22) will provide free books, eye exams and glasses (when needed), totaling more than two million dollars, to children in need.
Let’s help Atlanta win this book drive!
1) Donate NEW books through August 22
2) Make a Promise on Facebook
3) Share this book drive. Share this post! The more people who know, the more people who can help.
The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta book drop off locations are fairly convenient for everyone to stop by to donate a new book. If funds are tight you can still do some good with your Facebook account.
How the Book Drive works:
** Every three books donated equals one free VSP eye exam, and glasses with Transition lenses if needed. VSP will provide up to 5,500 free eye exams in total for the campaign, a value of more than $2,000,000.
If you are unable to donate a book, head to Facebook and make a promise to protect your eyes. For every promise received, Transitions Optical will donate one free book to Bess the Book Bus.
If Atlanta collects the most books Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta will receive an additional 100 free eye exams (and glasses with Transitions lenses), as well as a special visit from Bess the Book Bus and the VSP/Transitions Optical Mobile Eyes clinic nicknamed Eyenstein
How to participate:
Donate new (for the safety of the patients) books to any of the locations listed below between the hours of 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on weekdays and 9:00 am to 9:00 pm on weekends.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Urgent Care Centers
Children’s at Mount Zion (through Friday 27th and Hudson Bridge location opens August 1)
Attn: Lisa Gaither
2201 Mount Zion Pkwy
Morrow, GA 30260-3312
404-785-8660
Children’s at North Point
Attn: Rose Weber
3795 Mansell Road
Alpharetta, GA 30022-8247
404-785-8540
Children’s at Satellite Boulevard
Attn: Katina Artis
2660 Satellite Boulevard
Duluth, GA 30096-5803
404-785-8330
Children’s at Town Center
Attn: Dana Hunter Tatum
2985 George Busbee Parkway
Kennesaw, GA 30144-6812
404-785-8010
Children’s at Forsyth
Attn: Roshonda Gideon
410 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 300
Cumming, GA 30041-7407
404-785-3100
Here are some eye opening stats
80% of what we learn is through our eyes and an astonishing one in four children have an undetected vision problem.
Approximately 20% of school-aged children struggle to read. A large portion of these children have vision problems that interfere with their ability to read.
10% percent of school-aged children have eye teaming problems, which causes visual strain and words to appear blurred or scrambled.
While it’s recommended that children get an annual eye exam every year once they start kindergarten, it has been reported that more than 76% of American children under the age of five have never received a comprehensive eye exam.
A huge shout out goes to Meghan Copper, Atlanta blogger from JaMonkey and Atlanta Moms on the Move, who is the Atlanta blogger behind this campaign.
Leandrea is a married mom of two girls, ages 13 and 12, living in Atlanta, GA. She is passionate about helping people save money one coupon at a time. Read more