Charleston, SC – The Charitable Society of Charleston Endowment Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC has awarded the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired – Charleston (ABVI) a $4,128 grant to support the vision clinic at Memminger Elementary School. The clinic, which will be held on Tuesday, October 23rd, is part of ABVI’s Focus on Children program that provides free vision screenings, comprehensive eye exams, prescription glasses, referrals and eye care education to Charleston County students.
“For the last 25 years, the Charitable Society of Charleston has made a significant impact on the Charleston community by providing regular volunteer and financial support to nonprofit organizations,” said Courtney Plotner, Chief Executive Officer of ABVI. “The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired – Charleston is extremely grateful to the Charitable Society of Charleston for recognizing the importance of providing onsite vision screenings for preschool-aged children in Charleston County.”
Through Focus on Children, ABVI provides free, comprehensive vision care, including prescription glasses and referrals to Charleston County students, mostly from Head Start and Child Development programs. Annually, the clinics serve more than 1,500 students in 22 schools, 21 of which are Title I. A comprehensive eye exam for children not passing the initial screening is provided onsite and, when indicated, ABVI provides free, prescription glasses and/or referrals to a doctor for follow-up care.
The Charitable Society of Charleston is committed to providing for the needs of local nonprofit organizations helping individuals in our community. The members are particularly interested in organizations focused on serving children, the elderly, individuals with special needs and promoting overall community wellness. The Charitable Society of Charleston created an endowment fund with the Coastal Community Foundation of SC to provide long-term stability for the organization. Each year the Charitable Society of Charleston utilizes the interest from the account to provide grants to local charities. To learn more visit, http://www.charitablesocietyofcharleston.org/.
About Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired – Charleston
The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired – Charleston’s mission is to empower individuals with blindness and visual impairment to lead safe, dignified, independent and rewarding lives and to prevent vision loss for adults in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties and children in Charleston County Title I schools. Founded in 1936, we have been serving the Tri-County area for over 80 years. We have three main programs supporting our mission: Focus on Adults, Focus on Children and Own Your Life. Focus on Adults and Focus on Children are preventative programs aimed at catching vision impairment in the early stages and restoring vision when possible. Own Your Life is geared towards helping our blind and visually impaired clients attain independence in their personal and professional lives. In addition, we provide guide dog scholarships for our clients as well as opportunities for social engagement.
About Coastal Community Foundation
Coastal Community Foundation (CCF) helps create vibrant communities by uniting people and investing resources. Founded in 1974 to make a lasting impact through permanent, endowed funds for charitable giving, CCF embodies the core values of stewardship, integrity, inclusion with equity, and courage.
CCF serves nine counties across coastal South Carolina, manages more than $250 million in assets (among the top 100 community foundations in the nation), and awarded more than $13 million in grants in 2017. To learn more, visit coastalcommunityfoundation.org or call (843) 723-3635.
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